#mapoli

· 7mo ago

#SomervilleMA is discussing deploying body worn cameras on our police officers. This might sound good from an accountability perspective, but in most cities with police body cameras, the cameras and footage are controlled by the police and are used primarily for surveillance. Somerville residents, please contact the Finance Committee to ask them to defer acceptance of grant money for cameras until we have more information. Details below. #MAPol #MaPoli #surveillance #privacy

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Alexandra Thorn @athorn@better.boston

· 7mo ago

Replying to

I'm part of a group organizing about police body cameras in Somerville, and Councilor JT Scott will be sponsoring some of us to speak at the Legislative Matters committee meeting on April 28th, but in the meantime there's a Finance Committee agenda item for tomorrow night to approve the mayor's request that we accept and expend a federal grant to buy the cameras. #SomervilleMA #surveillance #privacy #MAPol #MaPoli

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Alexandra Thorn @athorn@better.boston

· 6mo ago

Replying to

Update on the #Somerville Body Worn Cameras discussion: the Finance Committee has deferred voting on whether to approve budgeting for the cameras. There's a bit of context here: https://csindie.com/body-worn-cameras-for-somerville-police-come-with-an-annual-cost-near-a-half-million-dollars/ (NOTE: the date for the upcoming Legislative Matters meeting is April 21, *not* the date listed in the article.) #MAPol #MAPoli #surveillance #privacy

Body-worn cameras for Somerville police come with an annual cost near a half-million dollars - Cambridge | Somerville Independent

csindie.com

Body-worn cameras for Somerville police come with an annual cost near a half-million dollars - Cambridge | Somerville Independent

With budget cuts looming in every Somerville department, some city councilors argued Tuesday that it wasn’t time for police officers to be equipped with body-worn cameras that will cost around $450,000 annually. The proposal to accept an initial grant that incurs those expenses was tabled by the...

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Alexandra Thorn @athorn@better.boston

· 6mo ago

Replying to

If you'd like to stay informed of community organizing efforts regarding the City of Somerville's pursuit of Body Worn Cameras for Police, please fill out this form: https://cryptpad.fr/form/#/2/form/view/VzpeBEc1duRVTYgevX3BuF4CcDWxqAmS6J+YP9zykh8/ #SomervilleMA #surveillance #bodycameras #MAPol #MAPoli

cryptpad.fr

Encrypted Form

CryptPad: end-to-end encrypted collaboration suite

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StreetsblogMASS @mass.streetsblog.org@bsky.brid.gy

· 1mo ago

In the Midst of A Reelection Campaign, Gov. Healey Proposes $120 Million Tax Cut For Drivers and Oil Companies #mapoli mass.streetsblog.org/2026/09/23/i... In the Midst of A Reelection C...

In the Midst of A Reelection Campaign, Gov. Healey Proposes $120 Million Tax Cut For Drivers and Oil Companies - Streetsblog Massachusetts

mass.streetsblog.org

In the Midst of A Reelection Campaign, Gov. Healey Proposes $120 Million Tax Cut For Drivers and Oil Companies - Streetsblog Massachusetts

The Governor's office estimates that the proposal would reduce the state's Fair Share funding for transportation and education investments by approximately $120 million.

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🎃KNI🔪ER🎃 @knizer@toot.boston

· 1mo ago

Replying to

#BostonWeekend Fri-Sat CANNABIS is on the #massachusetts ballot again, vote no on 8 and come to #BostonCommon to rally for the cause with the Freedom Rally https://www.masscann.org/keep-cannabis-legal-2026-vote-no-in-november/#mc26-rally (h/t ned!) #boston #cannabis #weed #marijuana #LegalizeIt #MaPoli

Massachusetts Cannabis Repeal 2026: Vote No on 8 | MassCann - MassCann

masscann.org

Massachusetts Cannabis Repeal 2026: Vote No on 8 | MassCann - MassCann

Massachusetts faces a 2026 ballot initiative to repeal adult-use cannabis. Learn what's at stake, who's behind it, and how to vote NO on November 3.

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Mara Dolan @maradolan.bsky.social@bsky.brid.gy

· 1mo ago

Failure to consider single-subject rule when comparing MA legislative productivity to other states “is equivalent to saying that US presidents since FDR have all failed to win third terms”. #mapoli commonwealthbeacon.org/opinion/crit... Critics of the Legislature’s p...

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Somerville YIMBY @somervilleyimby@better.boston

· 3mo ago

We’re proud to announce our 2026 election endorsements!

Senate, 2nd Middlesex: Burhan Azeem
House, 26th Middlesex: Mike Connolly
House, 27th Middlesex: Ben Ewen-Campen
House, 34th Middlesex: Will Mbah https://somervilleyimby.org/elections/2026-election-endorsements/ #maPoli #YIMBY

somervilleyimby.org

2026 Election Endorsements - Somerville YIMBY

The primary ballot is going to decide most local races in Somerville this fall! Voter registration deadline was Aug 22nd. Early voting started Aug 22nd and ended on Aug 28th. Primary voting day is …

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Dave Nathanson @D_J_Nathanson@esq.social

· 3mo ago

Not that anyone asked me, but I am solidly supporting Tram Nguyen in the race to replace Seth Moulton for US Congress (MA 6th District). She is smart, reliably progressive, and has a track record you can check for yourself. She was a law school classmate of my law partner and went on to be a civil legal aid attorney for crime victims. Then she flipped her state rep district from a MAGA lunatic (and chair of the MA Republican party). LFG. #MApoli #Massachusetts

tramforcongress.com

Platform — Tram Nguyen for Congress

At just five years old, I fled communism with my family and came to America as a refugee with only $100 and a dream. I’ve spent my life standing up for people who have been ignored or underestimated. Now, I’m ready to do the same in Congress — for you, for your family, and for the promise of America.

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Jonathan Kamens 86 47 @jik@federate.social

· 3mo ago

The #Massachusetts legislature continues to respond robustly to the threats posed by our fascist federal government. They certainly haven't done everything I think they should, but the stuff they're doing is real and substantive. This is important legislation that was just passed and is on its way to the governor's desk for her signature: https://malegislature.gov/PressRoom/Detail?pressReleaseId=1458 #politics #USPol #MAPoli #MALeg

Fact Sheet & Highlights: The PROTECT Act H.5620 - Final Conference Report

malegislature.gov

Fact Sheet & Highlights: The PROTECT Act H.5620 - Final Conference Report

<p>An Act promoting rule of law, oversight, trust and equal constitutional treatment—the PROTECT Act— was originally filed by the Massachusetts Black and Latino Legislative Caucus and guards against violations of all residents’ Constitutional rights, promotes trust in local and state police, and curbs fear-inducing federal immigration actions at sensitive community locations, such as courts, public school grounds, and hospitals.</p> <p><br />Young children, victims of crimes, and residents with

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Alexandra Thorn @athorn@better.boston

· 6mo ago

Replying to

For anyone interested in a more complete update on the #Somerville #bodycameras deliberations, one of my collaborators put together this document summarizing ways to support our organizing: https://docs.google.com/document/d/e/2PACX-1vSLHo6CD3P8L-EGbsr7pqxXf0CaU1A-XhsXV95ES43uPehjHgTpnwEORUTq_H_87V3nw2cEwSTgSMnY/pub #surveillance #SomervilleMA #MAPol #MAPoli

docs.google.com

BWC Update May 2026

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Crystal Huff (they/them) @crystalvisits@mas.wrong.tools

· 3mo ago

For those following the MA state senate seat to replace Pat Jehlen this fall: https://www.gottaknowmedford.com/20260717_five-democrats-pour-nearly-500-000-into-open-2nd-middlesex-race/ For what it's worth, my vote is undecided at this time. I’m not voting for Barber and definitely definitely not voting for Hopcroft. #MApoli #SomerPoli

Five Democrats pour nearly $500,000 into open 2nd Middlesex race

gottaknowmedford.com

Five Democrats pour nearly $500,000 into open 2nd Middlesex race

Campaign finance filings in the five-way Democratic race show who banked a reserve, who out-raised the incumbents and who is betting on each candidate before the Sept. 1 vote

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ts 🫖 @tsyum@thepit.social

· 3mo ago

🚨 Massachusetts: Housing program under Governor Healey has been giving $ millions to politically-connected people who either do shoddy work or lie about doing any at all. #Boston Globe: https://www.bostonglobe.com/video/2026/06/25/metro/investigations/spotlight/boston-globe-spotlight-team-how-two-developers-took-advantage-of-a-state-affordable-housing-program/ Two men receiving most of the cash had recently sold a house to the person in charge of grants - so the money appears to be a kickback. Unless serious action is taken to retrieve these tax dollars (+penalty) by September, this governor def needs to go. #housing #MAPoli #Massachusetts

Spotlight: How two developers took advantage of a state affordable housing program - The Boston Globe

bostonglobe.com

Spotlight: How two developers took advantage of a state affordable housing program - The Boston Globe

The state official in charge of giving out grants gave the largest share of the money to two men who had recently sold him a house. Here's how we found out.

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Dave Nathanson @D_J_Nathanson@esq.social

· 4mo ago

Not as bad. But as described, I don’t see how it would work without running into the same data harvesting/breach/privacy problems as other bills. State Senate skips social media ban, targets addictive design instead | WBUR News https://www.wbur.org/news/2026/07/02/massachusetts-state-senate-social-media-cellphones-students-youth #MApoli #privacy

State Senate skips social media ban, targets addictive design instead

wbur.org

State Senate skips social media ban, targets addictive design instead

Unlike the House's social media legislation, which was embedded in a bill that also bans student cellphone use in school, the Senate's proposal does not prohibit kids or teens under a certain age from accessing social media platforms.

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Dave Nathanson @D_J_Nathanson@esq.social

· 6mo ago

RE: https://mastodon.social/@eff/116467123144167468 This bill is in the Senate now. It passed the house. MA folk, write your State Senator to oppose. #MApoli #BosPoli #Massachusetts

mastodon.social

Electronic Frontier Foundation (@eff@mastodon.social)

Massachusetts's social media ban (H. 5349) blatantly violates young people's First Amendment rights, but that's not all: it burdens lawful adult speech, destroys online anonymity, and jeopardizes everyone's privacy and security. We've asked the MA legislature to oppose. https://www.eff.org/document/eff-letter-opposing-ma-h5349-social-media-ban

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Deb Nam-Krane @dnkboston@apobangpo.space

· 6mo ago

Absolutely not. All I'm getting from Rollins running again is that she can't find enough work in the private sector. It is mystifying to me that she considers this job "hers" in some way; she needed to put her finger on the scale re: her replacement when she left, and now she's running for it again. Don't get me started on how awful Hayden is--I knew exactly what he was doing--but that doesn't make Rollins a good candidate. https://www.wgbh.org/news/politics/2026-04-08/rachael-rollins-pulls-papers-to-run-for-suffolk-da #mapoli #boston #corruption

wgbh.org

Rachael Rollins pulls papers to run for Suffolk DA

One of the ethical violations that led to Rollins’ resignation was interfering in the very race that put the current district attorney, Kevin Hayden, in office.

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