City Politics
Council Approves Cambridge Public School Budget, Including $1 Million For Standardized English Curriculum
The Cambridge City Council voted unanimously to approve Cambridge Public Schools’ $268 million budget for fiscal year 2025, including $1 million to implement a new aligned English Language Arts curriculum across all elementary schools next fall.
Cambridge To Consider Developing Overdose Prevention Centers
The City Council unanimously adopted a policy order on Monday supporting state legislation to legalize overdose prevention centers statewide and asked City Manager Yi-An Huang ’05 to determine the city’s “willingness to consider hosting an OPC in Cambridge.”
MIT Police Arrest 9 Students Blocking Parking Garage in Pro-Palestine Protest
MIT Police Department officers arrested nine students involved in blocking the MIT Stata Center parking garage, the school announced in an alert to affiliates on Thursday evening.
Proposal to Abolish Single-Family Zoning in Cambridge Moves Forward
The proposal to abolish single-family zoning in Cambridge is moving forward through the City Council, heralding a radical shift in the city’s housing policy.
Cambridge City Council Passes Resolution Supporting Pro-Palestine Protesters at Harvard, MIT
The Cambridge City Council passed a resolution urging Harvard, MIT, and the Cambridge Police Department to respect the right of pro-Palestine students to protest during a Monday meeting.
Council Asks City Staff to Launch Municipally-Funded Housing Vouchers Pilot
The Cambridge City Council asked the city’s Community Development Department to work toward a pilot program for municipally-funded housing vouchers.
Cambridge City Council Calls to Keep Democracy Center Open
The Cambridge City Council passed a policy order calling on the Foundation for Civic Leadership to reconsider their decision to indefinitely close the Democracy Center — a meeting house for activists and organizers in Harvard Square – at a meeting Tuesday morning.
CPD Facing Increased Overtime Shifts Amid Hiring Shortages
Amid staffing shortages, the Cambridge Police Department is increasingly “forcing” officers to work back-to-back shifts to cover open positions.
Council Endorses Bill Allowing Cities to Require Payments From Large Nonprofits, Including Harvard
The Cambridge City Council voted on Tuesday to endorse a state bill that would allow the city to require large institutions like Harvard to pay 25 percent of their assessed property value through Payment in Lieu of Taxes payments.
Cambridge City Manager Huang Acknowledges ‘Difficult Trade-Offs’ Following Contentious Bike Lane Vote
Cambridge City Manager Yi-An Huang ’05 acknowledged the many “horrendous accidents” that have impacted Cambridge’s bikers, but said the passage of a controversial proposal to extend Cambridge’s bike lane expansion deadline reflected a need to make tough decisions on the city’s most contested political issue.
Mayor Wu Says She Respects Decision of Student Groups to Withdraw Support From Harvard Talk
Boston Mayor Michelle Wu ’07 spoke out about a canceled Harvard talk scheduled for Tuesday after 11 student groups withdrew from sponsoring the event over her decision to use police to clear a pro-Palestine encampment at Emerson College
Cambridge Mayor E. Denise Simmons Urges Caution Against Bike Lane Expansion
Cambridge Mayor E. Denise Simmons cautioned against the rapid expansion of bike lanes at the expense of small businesses and senior citizens.
Fare-Free Route 1 Bus Proposal Unlikely Until Fiscal Year 2026, City Official Says
A proposal to make the Route 1 bus fare free championed by Cambridge city councilors is likely off the table until fiscal year 2026, a city official said in a Wednesday memo.
State Legislature Limits Emergency Assistance Shelter Stays
State legislators voted Thursday to pass a bill imposing a nine-month limit on families staying in state-run Emergency Assistance Shelters effective June 1.
‘Not Easy’: Cambridge Struggles Toward Carbon Neutrality
Cambridge officials do not know whether the city is on track to meet statewide emission standards by 2030 or a self-imposed goal of carbon neutrality by 2050, according to Susanne Rasmussen.
