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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…

Study: Shift from Highest-Priced Healthcare Providers Would Generate Tremendous Savings

Consumers in just one Massachusetts county could have saved nearly $22 million in a single year and $116.6 million adjusted for inflation over four years if they switched from using the most expensive providers for 16 shoppable healthcare services to those whose prices were closer to average, according to a new study published by Pioneer Institute.

New Pioneer Institute Hotline Allows Public to Report Violations of Open Meeting Law

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With most public meetings taking place remotely as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, Pioneer Institute has unveiled an online hotline that allows members of the public to report potential violations of the Commonwealth’s and other states' Open Meeting Law.

National Study Finds Most States Lack Healthcare Price Transparency Laws

At a time when the coronavirus pandemic has caused massive shifts in state policies on telehealth and scope of practice in healthcare, a new Pioneer Institute study underscores that most of the 50 states continue to suffer from weak laws regarding price transparency.  The study identified states that have laws that require carriers, providers or both to provide personalized cost information to consumers before obtaining healthcare services.  Fully 33 states placed in the lowest of the three broad analytic tiers on the strength of their state healthcare transparency laws. 

Pioneer Institute Relaunches “One-Stop Shop” for Education Performance Data

Pioneer Institute is re-launching a new and improved MassReportCards.org, a one-stop shop for information on Massachusetts public schools, including test performance, school finance, and much more. The new version of the site includes additional and updated data, and is more user friendly than the original. MassReportCards adds to Pioneer’s suite of online transparency tools, MassWatch.

New Video Highlights Need for Greater Access to Public Officials’ Financial Ties

With as new animated video, Pioneer Institute aims to inform the public about barriers to accessing Massachusetts elected officials’ financial information.

Pioneer Institute’s Government Transparency Resolutions 2020

As we do each January, Pioneer shares the resolutions it hopes state leaders will adopt to bring government actions into better focus and invigorate our democracy with heightened public engagement.

Survey: MA Least Transparent State at Making State Official Financial Disclosures Public

New rankings from Pioneer Institute show that among the states that require financial disclosures of elected officials and other significant policy makers, Massachusetts is the least transparent.

Time to Say "Cut" on Massachusetts' Film Tax Credit?

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State Senate President Karen Spilka is taking preliminary steps…

Prepare for Town Budget Season with MassWatch

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Online tools to understand your community's financial condition…

A Primer on Secondary Revenue Sources for Local Governments

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Using Pioneer Institute’s MassAnalysis tool, one can find information…

Coastal Towns Charge the Most Permit Fees Per Capita in Massachusetts

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One of the ways local governments raise revenue is by requiring…

Pioneer Institute Celebrates Sunshine Week 2019

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Sunshine Week is dedicated to bringing greater awareness to the…

The State Legislature Should Steer Clear of New Occupational Licensing Laws

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The reach of occupational licensing laws has expanded greatly…

Guess What Massachusetts Public Employee Earns Over $1 Million

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The State Comptroller’s Office makes available annual salary…

How Much Does Your Local Government Raise from Fines and Forfeitures?

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One of the ways local governments raise revenue to fund public…
A row of files with the city hall seal

Stonewalled at City Hall

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Pioneer Institute interns often visit government offices to obtain…

Making Troopers Transparent: At What Cost?

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In May 2018, The Boston Globe reported on its effort to gain…

Report Recommends Alternatives to Drug Pricing Transparency Legislation

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Value-based reimbursement, focus on middlemen in drug distribution…

Why Did the Department of Corrections Pay a Chef $166,762 last year?

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Pioneer Institute’s MassOpenBooks transparency tool shows an…

Top 10 Government Transparency Resolutions for 2018

We hear the word transparency a lot these days. Whether it's…

Creating Space for Healthcare Innovators in the Marketplace

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Pioneer Institute's initiatives in healthcare focus on three…

Auditing the New Transparency Law: Where are the Records Access Officers?

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With the advent of the Baker administration, Massachusetts transparency…

Our Government Transparency Resolutions for 2017

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Although transparency was the expression of choice on Beacon…

Fewer Employees, More Space: DCAMM's Leasing Strategy

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For most public and private entities, space is the second-largest…

Telemedicine: The Future of Healthcare

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Telemedicine sounds a bit like science-fiction, but the practice…

Inconsistencies in UMass’ Reporting of Deferred Maintenance

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In assembling the data for Pioneer’s UMass at a Crossroads…

Sunshine Week 2016: Highlights from Pioneer's Government Transparency Team

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Each Sunshine Week, Pioneer shares highlights of its government…

Time to End Mass. Legislature's Self-Exemption from Open Meeting Law

PRESS RELEASE: Pioneer Contends the Legislature’s Self-Exemption…

Our Government Transparency Resolutions for 2016

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While it's possible that 2016 will see an historic surge…