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Love thy Labor

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Mayor Menino is asking bargaining units in Boston to accept wage freezes and other compensation reductions in order to minimize layoffs. Well, in from our former companion state, Maine, comes some very helpful advice as to how unions can interact with the other side of the table in tough times. From our Education Intelligence Agent Mike Antonucci comes this report: I learned the Maine Education Association’s “Dos, Don’ts of Bargaining in Tough Times” aren’t appreciably different from bargaining in good times, or bargaining in OK times, or bargaining in the End Times. Still, this one caught my eye: “Insist that all other steps to reduce costs be implemented, including reduction-in-force if it is unavoidable, before reductions in employees’ compensation are […]

Newsflash: You may be a second class citizen

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The Providence Journal reported late last week that a group of mayors and town administrators, led by Cumberland Mayor Daniel J. McKee, announced yesterday the launch of plans for a novel kind of public charter school. The mayors hope their proposed Rhode Island Mayoral Academies, free from many of the rules and restrictions of regular public schools, will spread through the state as a new educational model. Unlike the state’s existing 11 charter schools, mayoral academies would not have to pay teachers a prevailing wage, contribute to the state teachers retirement system or offer teachers tenure protection. These freedoms would allow the academies greater control over school budgets, culture and personnel, and enable them to attract — and pay for […]

Long blog on biotech gift ban

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Good public policy is built on two pillars – and they pretty much boil down to common sense: Be fair and first do no harm. Giving preferential treatment to individual businesses or industries is bad public policy. The Governor and Legislature’s $250 million tax giveaway to the life sciences industry (even as they increased taxes and fees on other sectors by $300 million last year alone) isn’t fair. And it’s particularly unjustifiable as we enter a protracted economic downturn – a downturn that has already caused hundreds of millions of dollars in social service cuts. But it’s hard to comprehend the logic behind it, when we throw money at life sciences companies with one hand, and take it away with […]

Another Predictable Ideologue for Charter Schools

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“Provided this greater accountability, I call on states to reform their charter rules, and lift caps on the number of allowable charter schools, wherever such caps are in place.” Can you guess who it is? Yes we can. Oh, and for those who will fixate on the first clause, take a look at this 2003 report on charters by the Fordham Institute.

The Herald's multiple personalities

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The Herald ended an editorial this morning on the Administration’s approach to the growing debate over the proposed gas tax increase as follows: It’s about this administration’s arrogance, its sense of entitlement to a larger share of your earnings in a time of crisis, and its dismissal of any approach that doesn’t mirror its own. They’re right. To dismiss opposition to a gas tax increase out of hand is arrogant. And that is exactly what Jim Aloisi is doing. Yet, yesterday, the Herald had no problem dismissing opposition to an elected Boston School Committee out of hand. Defending an appointed School Committee, which City Councilor and mayoral candidate Sam Yoon has criticized, the Herald noted: Well maybe Yoon questions it, […]