MBTAAnalysis: A look inside the MBTA

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The MBTA shuttles over a million passengers a day around Greater…

The Clock is Ticking…….

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The clock is ticking towards December 30, 2017.  As part of…

Truth on Trial: Relativism in the Classroom

As Steven Wilson argues in his new book, The Lost Decade: Returning to the Fight for Better Schools in America, “central to a liberal education is the pursuit of truth, however elusive.” Indeed, the quest for truth, and knowledge of it, is enshrined in the slogans of most universities, including my own—the University of Chicago—as a reminder of our purpose. It seems absurd to suggest otherwise, to propose educating students in anything but rationality, logic, and ultimately, truth; but absurdity has taken hold in education.

Mapping the Public Workforce: State Government Employment Trends in 2024

During the COVID-19 pandemic, state and federal policy sought to stabilize the economy and job market. Today we still see the effects on public employment, where some states have experienced recovery at differing rates.

Riding toward a greener future? How Massachusetts public transport compares to other public transportation networks.

What is the relationship between public transportation usage and CO2 emissions in Massachusetts? To investigate this question, this blog uses a peer group of the only nine states with over 100 million total public transport trips in 2023, which are referred to as ‘high transport states’ throughout the blog.  

A Decade of Doubt

By failing to believe in students’ capabilities, and to set standards accordingly, we have condemned many to illiteracy and generally dire educational outcomes—in sum, incapability.  This need not be the case, and for a brief moment, in Massachusetts and other educational hotspots, it wasn’t.

The Changing Landscape of Standardized Testing in Massachusetts

National SAT scores have dropped to their lowest levels in years, and Massachusetts has also faced a moderate decline in scores. With fewer students in Massachusetts opting to take standardized tests, data from US Data Labs illustrates a complicated picture of academic performance and recovery in the state. 

Adoption of Electric Vehicle Charging Stations

Electric vehicles (EVs) have steadily been on the rise in the United States. New England cities, such as Boston and New Haven, have prioritized making them accessible. But capacity falls short of EV demand.

AGI Growth in the Last Decade: The Winning and Losing States 

Want to make $1 million every year? The good news is that your chances are much better now than they were 10 years ago. Using Pioneer Institute’s US DataLabs Economy and Taxation applications, you can see just how many more people are making $1 million than were 10 years ago, and where they reside, using the information most recently available from the IRS. 

Fixing the Foundation: Can Massachusetts’ Infrastructure Reach National Standards?

While Massachusetts may be known for having the worst drivers in the country, this judgment might unfairly punish drivers for a factor beyond their control—the quality of the roads and bridges they drive on. According to US Data Labs, Massachusetts has fallen behind the national average in both road and bridge quality over the past 15-25 years.

Pulitzer Winner Rick Atkinson on the American Revolution’s 250th Anniversary

In this episode of The Learning Curve, co-hosts Alisha Searcy and Kelley Brown, a Massachusetts U.S. history and civics teacher, interview Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Rick Atkinson, author of The British Are Coming: The War for America, Lexington to Princeton, 1775-1777. Mr. Atkinson explores the rise and fall of British imperial power in North America, the radical leadership of the American patriot Samuel Adams, and the early military struggles of General George Washington and the Continental Army. He discusses the brutal battlefield realities faced by Continental soldiers, the pivotal roles of Lafayette and the French alliance, and the ideological stakes of America's War for Independence. As the nation marks the 250th anniversary of the April 1775 Battles of Lexington and Concord, Atkinson reflects on the Revolution’s lasting lessons about civic sacrifice, liberty, and the meaning of American democratic ideals. 

Pioneer Institute Launches Tracker Showing Drug Price Controls Are Raising Out-of-Pocket Costs for Medicare Patients

A new data tool from Pioneer Institute reveals that federal drug price controls—intended to reduce out-of-pocket costs for seniors—are instead making many prescription drugs more expensive for Medicare beneficiaries.  

Historical Domestic Migration Patterns: Putting Massachusetts in Context

This week's edition of Mapping Mass Migration features an analysis of newly released data from the Census Bureau, its March supplement of the Current Population Survey. Our analysis covers how migration trends have played out nationally since 1948, including the demographics of movers, the extent of their migration (within a county, across counties, to another state, etc.), and the most common reasons movers cite for changing their primary residence. The newsletter concludes with a brief discussion of what might account for a decline in overall migration rates nationally and where Massachusetts fits in.

We Have a Long Way to Go for Massachusetts Residents to Have the Government Transparency We Deserve

As Pioneer Institute observes Sunshine Week,?we are disappointed by the legislature’s attempts to deny what the vast majority of voters want: an audit of the legislature by our State Auditor. Trying to avoid an audit further exacerbates the loss of public trust. After all, what are we left to think? Do they have something to hide? That is not the government our founders intended; nor is it what 72 percent of Massachusetts voters wanted. This year, during Sunshine Week, we are entirely focused on the top three actions to bring sunlight to the state legislature. They are: 

State Report Card on Telehealth Reform: Progress Slowed in 2024 Leaving Patients Without Access

Connecticut, Louisiana and Tennessee missed the mark; Colorado…

Pioneer Institute Study Calls for Reforms to Ensure that Pharmacy Benefit Manager Practices Benefit Patients, Healthcare Payers

Congress likely to take up PBM reform early this year; Pioneer Institute Calls for PBM’s to be more transparent

Mapping Mass Migration: Massachusetts Remains a Top Destination for Immigrants

This week's edition of Mapping Mass Migration will cover foreign migration into Massachusetts in 2023 and since 2010, including an examination of the most and least attractive destinations for immigrants by state, a demographic breakdown of immigrants arriving in Massachusetts, and an analysis of how these trends have changed over time.

Mapping Mass Migration: New Census Data Shows Continued Out-Migration from Massachusetts to Competitor States

"Mapping Mass Migration" is Pioneer's new newsletter covering…

What To Do About 340B

In 1992, Congress thought it had a brilliant idea to help hospitals…

The House Call – Mayor Wu Wants to Overhaul Boston’s Arcane Development Approvals Process? Here Are Three Reform Options

Pioneer Institute is debuting The House Call, a monthly newsletter covering housing-related news and market trends in Massachusetts. The first issue explores reform options for Boston's arcane development approvals process and major reform items from the state's November 2024 economic development bill. Read our December issue today!

The Roger Perry Internship Program

Pioneer has established the Roger Perry Internship Program to support college-age students who seek opportunities to enhance their educational experience with practical training in an energetic and creative public policy environment.

Massachusetts Job Market Bears Watching

The Bureau of Labor Statistics' most recent national jobs report…

McAnneny October Monthly Musings – Ballot Initiatives

Election season is upon us.  In a few short weeks, voters will…

Is Massachusetts at a Turning Point – 10 Data Points That Give Me Pause

Massachusetts tops the charts in many studies.  Best public…

Wrap Up of the Massachusetts Legislative Session – Or Is It??

The Massachusetts Legislature meets for two years beginning in…

Average Weekly Wages of Healthcare Workers Across a Decade

From 2012-22 the healthcare and social assistance sector has seen the smallest growth in average weekly wages of any large industry in Massachusetts. This potentially has dire consequences on the employment crisis that this industry already faces.

Tracking Dunkin Prices Across Boston

While Dunkin is a staple of daily life for many people in Boston, its prices across locations are not necessarily consistent. Factors such as the level of foot traffic may cause prices to be higher or lower at different locations. So, where is the best bargain?

Massachusetts’s Debt and Liability in 2023

In the last decade, Massachusetts has accrued billions of dollars in debt. However, despite a large amount of debt, both overall and per capita, the state's debt as a percentage of GDP is normal amongst its neighbors.

What’s Included in Massachusetts’ $5.2 Billion Housing Bond Bill?

On August 1, 2024, the Massachusetts state legislature finalized…

 The Largest Groups Driving Massachusetts’s Migration

With Massachusetts losing billions in taxable income every year due to out-of-state migration, it is important to understand the demographics causing the biggest losses.

Highest Paid State Employees in Massachusetts

Every year, Massachusetts spends billions on payroll. With some departments spending significantly more and some employees receiving salaries multiple times their peers', it is important to understand where this money is going.

Understanding the Trends in Massachusetts’ Sin Tax Revenues

Sin Taxes, which are taxes on goods and services that are considered harmful or immoral, have brought in a significant amount of revenue for Massachusetts.