State money for Waltham pool

I find it disheartening that the state will spend $6M for Waltham to get a new pool, while we in Belmont (and Arlington) seem to struggle for everything. (Belmont is talking about $2M for our own pool, with our own money…) Rep Peter Koutoujian said “many families in Waltham do not own a summer home or …

Sales tax on alcohol – other taxes, and other consumer savings

There’s been a bit of press about the drive to repeal the sales tax on alcohol. Personally, I’m not crazy about paying an extra $1.25 on a case of Harpoon IPA. I have some questions (which I can’t find answers to on the state web site) and a suggestion. Questions: What other taxes are there …

Is the Governor’s Council Obsolete?

I’ve always wondered – why do we need a Governor’s Council? What duties do they perform that could not be covered by other existing bodies?  As far as I can tell: approval of gubernatorial appointments (including judges), prison pardons, and something about payments from the treasury. How much does this cost, in terms of salary, …

Eliminate Suffolk-only holidays

I saw today (boston.com) that the Senate voted to eliminate Evacuation Day and Bunker Hill Day holidays. I’ve lived here for more than 20 years and have been stumped why they still exist. We all know one is just an excuse for St Patrick’s Day partying by Boston people.  If you chopped out Patriots Day …