MassInc: "nation’s largest increase in income segregation since 2020"

Via MassInc:

"At the neighborhood-level, Massachusetts residents are among the most segregated by income in the United States. More concerning still, Massachusetts has experienced the nation’s largest increase in income segregation since 2020. This divide extends beyond neighborhoods and into our public schools. Only Connecticut and New Jersey have higher levels of income segregation in public education.

This latter finding should set off alarm bells in Massachusetts. After all, this is the state where Horace Mann famously pioneered the common-school movement with an explicit vision of using public education to reduce class divisions, promote social mobility, and build a more cohesive democratic society.

The apparent lack of response to the school segregation complaint filed last June by Brown’s Promise raises serious questions about whether today’s education leaders are working to live up to that vision. For Gateway City leaders, it often feels like they have been left to confront increasing inequality entirely on their own."

Continue reading the report:

https://massinc.org/2026/10/05/reopening-our-gateways-to-the-middle-class/

New report from Pioneer Institute proposes solutions to the permiting puzzle

"Despite recent statewide reform efforts, residential permitting in Massachusetts remains slow and unpredictable. As housing costs push families and employers toward lower-cost states like New Hampshire and Rhode Island, cities and towns don’t have to wait for Beacon Hill to act.

Much of the delay and added cost happens out of public view, in the back-office interactions between applicants, staff, and volunteer board members that occur long before any public hearing.

Drawing on 17 interviews with developers, consultants, government staff, local officials, and land use attorneys from across Massachusetts, Pioneer’s Chief Housing Economist Andrew Mikula identifies ten best practices that municipalities can adopt on their own to make the approval process faster, fairer, and more predictable.

The recommendations span three categories:

Easier to navigate process

• Make online permitting information clear, easily accessible, and consistent with zoning. At a minimum, towns should offer online checklists, a single page describing each stage of the process, and up-to-date fee schedules and timelines.
• Use a standardized online portal for permit application submittals. Moving submittals online reduces incomplete applications and gives both staff and applicants real-time visibility into where a project stands.
• Offer developers a pre-application meeting with municipal department heads and local board members. Meeting with officials before a formal application is filed lets both sides flag design, technical, or political issues while a project can still be adjusted cheaply.
• Have a single point of contact with the applicant throughout the process. A “permit coordinator” would save time by sequencing reviews correctly and giving applicants one person to call.

Faster, coordinated reviews

• Coordinate peer reviews early in the process. Municipal officials should anticipate which external reviews will be needed before a public hearing and sequence them to avoid redundancy, saving time and money for applicants and staff alike.
• Standardize and synchronize internal technical reviews. Codifying clear technical criteria in advance and requiring departments to comment in parallel, rather than in sequence, lets municipalities move faster without cutting corners on safety or code compliance.

Predictable decisions

• Codify objective review criteria and efficiencies in local ordinances and bylaws. Writing clear, objective thresholds—such as when a traffic study is actually required—into local bylaws locks in predictability for every future applicant, not just the well-connected ones.
• Require training for local board members. A required orientation on land use law and review procedure—already contemplated in pending state legislation—would help board members avoid costly, legally vulnerable overreach.
• Minimize the number of local officials who hold sway over subjective criteria. Consolidating project approval authority in a single body, as some communities have done for design review, gives applicants one clear source of guidance instead of conflicting direction.
• Fully implement permitting reforms from comprehensive plans. Communities that appoint a dedicated implementation body are far more likely to actually follow through on a comprehensive plan’s reforms rather than let them sit on a shelf.

Most of these recommendations rely on process changes at the ground level: providing clear, timely information to applicants and proactively managing internal reviews. Together, they offer municipalities a framework for evaluating projects both rigorously and expeditiously, respecting each site’s context while giving applicants the predictability they need.

Streamlined permitting won’t lower housing costs overnight, but it is a major pillar of a broader solution to the state’s housing shortage. "

Read the full report - https://pioneerinstitute.org/solving-the-permit-puzzle/

Rausch Report: The Law Days of Summer

Dear Neighbor,

Greetings from sunny Beacon Hill, where legislative work continues after the July 31st checkpoint in the legislative cycle. In fact, I presided over the Senate this morning and we advanced several bills during today's session, including engrossing the so-called "hot works" legislation, designed to help prevent work-related accidents involving heat, sparks, or flames capable of initiating fires or explosions. This bill implements the recommendations issued by the Walsh-Kennedy Commission, which was established after a nine-alarm fire, ignited by sparks from unpermitted welding work, claimed the lives of Boston Fire Department Lieutenant Edward Walsh and Firefighter Michael Kennedy. 

Several important bills are in conference committees, where differences in the House and Senate versions of the legislation are negotiated until conferees reach a compromise. Governor Healey signed several other bills into law in recent weeks, including measures to protect immigrants and uphold public safety, improve child welfare, fight book bans, and strengthen abortion access. 

I’m deeply proud to share that the Senate voted unanimously, 40-0, to pass my legislation creating a press shield law for Massachusetts! After roughly 50 years of trying to move forward this critical protection for a free press, this vote was truly historic. Massachusetts is one of just nine states without a press shield law on our books, leaving journalists exposed to government pressure and lawsuits forcing them to reveal their confidential sources. This legislation will safeguard and strengthen our free press and our democracy. 

Back in the district, after the hugely joyful Freedom to Read bill signing ceremony at the first public lending library in the nation, right in the heart of our district in Franklin, and after picking up my next book at the Needham library, I spent a morning with kids and families at the Dover Town Library for a special summer reading event with Blades the Bruin, hosted by the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners. Blades and the kids heard “Hockey in the Wild” read to them by a member of the Dover Library staff, and then Blades and I did a bit of Bruins trivia with these little hockey hopefuls. As a library lover, I want to thank the librarians and staff all across our district and the Commonwealth at large for engaging young people with literary and community-focused events all summer (and year) long.

Read on in this month’s Rausch Report for details on upcoming events in the district, legislation the Senate passed, bills the Governor recently signed into law, and more.

For real-time updates, please follow me on Facebook and Instagram. If you are a constituent and need assistance, please call me and my team at (617) 722-1555, email me at becca.rausch@masenate.gov, or attend upcoming office hours. We are here to help.     

Yours in service, 

Becca Rausch

Continue reading the Rausch Report - https://mailchi.mp/masenate/monthlynewsletter-18254728

The FY 25 Audit report segment from the July 22, 2026 Franklin Town Council (audio)

FM #1786-1787-1788 = This is the Franklin Matters radio show, numbers 1786-1787-1788 in the series. 

This session shares the Franklin (MA) Town Council meeting held on Wednesday, July 22, 2026. The Council held this session as scheduled beginning at 6 PM. All 9 members participated in Chambers. The Council voted to extend the meeting 1 hour and fortunately finished before that time.

The full meeting can be viewed on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mliO20lR8Cc 

The three key sections of presentation & discussion are shared via audio here:

1786 - The FY 25 Audit report presentation and discussion. The recording runs about 25 minutes.

11. PRESENTATIONS / DISCUSSION -

a. Presentation: FY25 Audit - Ben Wilkinson, Senior Manager, CBIZ   https://ma-franklin.civicplus.com/DocumentCenter/View/10230/11a-FY25-Audit

i. Presentation slides   https://ma-franklin.civicplus.com/DocumentCenter/View/10231/11a-i---PRESENTATION-SLIDES---Town-of-Franklin-MA-2025-Audit-Presentation-07222026pptx 

1787 - The 300 Fisher St presentation by the EPA and resulting discussion. The recording runs about 54 minutes 

1788 - Excess Sewer Capacity presentation from Charles River, including Medway & Millis representatives as well as the extended discussion to be continued Sept 2. The recording runs about 97 minutes.

Audio link - https://franklin-ma-matters.captivate.fm/episode/fm-1786-fy-2025-audit-report-at-the-town-council-mtg-07-22-26/

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The full agenda and documents released for this session - https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_07222026-2421 

-------------

We are now producing this in collaboration with Franklin.TV and Franklin Public Radio (wfpr.fm) or 102.9 on the Franklin area radio dial. 

This podcast is my public service effort for Franklin but we can't do it alone. We can always use your help.

How can you help?

• If you can use the information that you find here, please tell your friends and neighbors

• If you don't like something here, please let me know

• And if you have interest in reporting on meetings or events, please reach out. We’ll share and show you what and how we do what we do

Through this feedback loop we can continue to make improvements. I thank you for listening.

For additional information, please visit Franklinmatters.org/  or www.franklin.news 

If you have questions or comments you can reach me directly at shersteve @ gmail dot com

The music for the intro and exit was provided by Michael Clark and the group "East of Shirley". The piece is titled "Ernesto, manana"  c. Michael Clark & Tintype Tunes, 2008 and used with their permission.

I hope you enjoy!

------------------

You can also subscribe and listen to Franklin Matters audio on iTunes or your favorite podcast app; search in "podcasts" for "Franklin Matters"

Unclaimed life insurance money? It’s a scam

By BCP Staff

We’ve written about this scam before, but like a bad sequel, it’s back. People are telling the FTC they’ve gotten letters in the mail from law firms about unclaimed life insurance money. 

https://reportfraud.ftc.gov/

Have you gotten one of these? The “lawyer” says that one of their clients, with your same last name, died and you’re the heir to a life insurance policy worth millions. (Spoiler alert: you’re not.) 

The letter then explains that they’d like to split the proceeds between you, some charity organizations, and their law firm. But what’s really happening here?

Read more ->  https://consumer.ftc.gov/consumer-alerts/2026/07/unclaimed-life-insurance-money-its-scam?utm_source=govdelivery

Boston Globe: "Massachusetts is national outlier in how it funds special ed transportation, report says"

OIG report on funding special ed transportation

"Massachusetts makes it difficult for local schools to pay for transportation for special education students because the state relies on an overly complicated reimbursement system that ties up funding, according to a study released this week by the state inspector general.

The report described Massachusetts as a national outlier that is one of only six states that uses this funding formula, which places a significant financial burden on local school districts.

The state requires local schools to pay upfront for special education transportation costs and then seek to be partially reimbursed by the state the following year.

At a time when school budgets are tight and inflation is soaring, a year’s delay in repayment leaves school districts without funds “for other critical uses,” the report said."

Continue reading the article with this "share link"

https://www.bostonglobe.com/2026/02/24/metro/inspector-general-massachusetts-special-ed/?s_campaign=sharetool_copypaste_view

You can go directly to download the report (PDF)

https://www.mass.gov/doc/special-education-transportation-study/download

MBTA community progress report

"Adopted in 2021, the MBTA Communities Act required cities and towns served by the MBTA to allow multifamily housing "as of right" in reasonably sized districts, near transit where feasible, and without restrictions that exclude families with children.

An Early Look at the MBTA
Communities Permitting Pipeline

After five years of planning, discussion, local meetings and implementation, "An Early Look at the MBTA Communities Permitting Pipeline", examines a state-compiled list of more than 100 developments, totaling almost 7,000 homes, that have entered the permitting pipeline in these new zones. One potentially surprising finding - despite its transit-oriented name, the majority of housing inspired by the Act is happening outside of walking distance from transit stations. 

The report looks at how many of these projects are likely to move from permitting into construction and eventual occupancy; where housing is being built relative to transit and walkable centers; how effectively as-of-right zoning is reducing permitting risk and delay; and what these early signals imply about the law’s likely long-term contribution to housing production in Massachusetts.

The report page on Boston Indicators also features an interactive map of MBTA Communities-related projects to date."

Find the report page - https://www.tbf.org/news-and-insights/reports/2026/january/mbta-communities-pipeline-report

Download the report - https://www.tbf.org/-/media/indicators/boston-indicators-reports/report-files/2026/mbtac_012726_v2.pdf

Art Pharmacy check in scheduled for Nov 14; Report now available

Art Pharmacy check in scheduled
for Nov 14; Report now available 

"The Art Pharmacy Quarterly Report highlights the program’s impact, artist partnerships, and community engagement, offering a snapshot of participation trends and future goals as it grows within Franklin’s creative economy."


For the full report = Art Pharmacy report ->    https://www.franklinma.gov/DocumentCenter/View/7495/Quarterly-Report-with-our-Partners-at-Art-Pharmacy?bidId=

Register for the November 14th program -> https://www.eventbrite.com/e/art-pharm-community-check-in-tickets-1821512365519

Shared from ->   https://www.instagram.com/p/DQl_pLEFRZ7/

Did you read the Community @FranklinUMC // Impact Summary, Grant Report

Impact Summary, Grant Report

The work that has been accomplished through the Community@FranklinUMC in a short amount of time, with a relative small amount of money, and A LOT of community support is incredible.

Check out what we’ve been up to, the impact we’ve had, and get involved!

https://franklinumc.org/2025/07/01/community-franklinumc-impact-summary-grant-report/

Campaign Finance Reports for Special Election June 3, 2025

Campaign Finance Reports as filed with the Town Clerk's office and posted to the Town page

** One Franklin

https://www.franklinma.gov/DocumentCenter/View/5165/One-Franklin-2025

• 8 Days Preceding

https://www.franklinma.gov/DocumentCenter/View/5785/One-Franklin-2025---8th-day-preceding-special-election

** Franklin Neighborhood Alliance

https://www.franklinma.gov/DocumentCenter/View/5370/Franklin-Neighborhood-Alliance

• 8 Days Prior

https://www.franklinma.gov/DocumentCenter/View/5792/Franklin-Neighborhood-Alliance---8th-day-preceeding

Early voting was held at the Town Clerk's office

Fiscal Audit Report for FY 2024 on Agenda for Town Council Meeting - May 7

Among the key items on the Town Council agenda for Wednesday, May 7, 2025 is the annual audit report. 

 

You can preview the doc and then follow along as the auditor provides the highlights. As I read it, it is a clean audit with no management letter.

 

https://ma-franklin.civicplus.com/DocumentCenter/View/5518/Town-of-Franklin-MA---Issued-06302024-Financial-Statements---FINAL-1

Fiscal Audit Report for FY 2024 on Agenda for Town Council Meeting - May 7

Town Council Meeting

Wednesday, May 7 Time: 7:00 PM

 

Agenda document -> https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_05072025-1719

Fake check scam targets online car sellers

Fake check scam targets online car sellers By BCP Staff Are you selling a car online? If so, know that scammers may target you.  They'll pretend to be a buyer and try to trick you into sending them money. Here's how the scam works. Read more ->  https://consumer.ftc.gov/consumer-alerts/2025/02/fake-check-scam-targets-online-car-sellers?

https://reportfraud.ftc.gov/

2 articles from the Boston Globe on the MA housing crisis and possible solutions

(1) Via the Boston Globe:  "Opinion | How Mass. can streamline its homebuilding process"

"It’s no secret that homeownership is out of reach for many people in Massachusetts. The average sale price of a single-family home is $642,000, the third highest in the nation. Renting instead is cold comfort; the average Greater Boston apartment costs $3,058. Although the state and local communities have taken steps to increase the housing supply, more housing still needs to be built.

Massachusetts achieved its notorious reputation for unaffordability by layering barrier upon barrier to new housing. In new research published by the Pioneer Institute, we lay out what we learned about the arduous and uncertain homebuilding process by interviewing builders, planners, lawyers, and scholars from across the state."

Shared from ->

https://www.bostonglobe.com/2025/02/21/opinion/homebuilding-permitting-process-massachusetts/

How to access the Globe via the Library with your library card

https://www.franklinmatters.org/2025/02/how-to-access-online-resources-with.html

Go directly to the brief that lead to this article

https://pioneerinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/PNR-608-Permit-Reform-02192025.pdf

(2) via the Globe ->  "State commission on housing production targets single-family zoning, other sweeping reforms"

"Single-family neighborhoods are synonymous with the American Dream. Their driveways and grassy yards define the communities of suburban America, including Greater Boston.

But are they also compounding Massachusetts' deep housing crisis?

A state-appointed commission focused on the state’s worsening housing shortage in fact identified single-family-only zoning — the land-use rules that created suburban single-family neighborhoods — as a primary obstacle blocking the surge of construction Massachusetts desperately needs to address its housing problem.

And so the commission proposes a seemingly profound idea: get rid of single-family zoning — everywhere in Massachusetts."

Continue reading the article online ->  https://www.bostonglobe.com/2025/02/21/business/massachusetts-housing-affordability/

MA housing crisis and possible solutions

How to access the Globe via the Library with your library card

https://www.franklinmatters.org/2025/02/how-to-access-online-resources-with.html

Housing commission press release on the report ->   https://www.mass.gov/doc/building-for-tomorrow-a-report-from-the-unlocking-housing-production-commission

Direct access to the Housing Commission Report ->    https://www.mass.gov/doc/building-for-tomorrow-a-report-from-the-unlocking-housing-production-commission/download

World Economic Forum shared "The Future of Jobs Report" - what jobs are growing in demand through 2030?

what jobs are growing in demand through 2030?

World Economic Forum (@wef) posted Wed, Jan 08, 2025:

"The Future of Jobs Report 2025 is now live. 

Drawing on insights from over 1,000 of the world's largest employers, the report dives into the key areas of disruption and opportunity within the #labour market. 

https://t.co/BNd2QLT7bJ"

shared from ->   https://x.com/wef/status/1876929135722811494

Additional details on the Jobs Report ->   https://www.weforum.org/stories/2025/01/future-of-jobs-report-2025-the-fastest-growing-and-declining-jobs/

For more about the World Economic Forum and what they do ->    https://www.weforum.org/

Voices of Franklin: J Garland says candidate's claim is "empty words"

Here’s an example of empty words: the Republican candidate for State Senate claims to run on “accountability” and yet failed to satisfy even the most basic of her own accountability requirements: timely reporting of her campaign finances.

Candidates for the legislature were required to file pre-election deposit reports with the Office of Campaign and Political Finance by October 28. That deadline came and went several days ago. Ms. Videira has failed to complete this basic task.

If voters want a real, proven champion of transparency and accountability, they should vote to reelect Senator Becca Rausch. 

Sincerely,

Julie Garland

Wrentham, MA

Correspondence with Ms Videra returned this reply:

"I thank you for the courtesy update regarding the upcoming publication. When covering the story, please highlight that a recent loss in our family has delayed our filing compliance and we are working with OCPF directly to resolve this matter. "

Screengrabs submitted to support claim of noncompliance

OCPF page with requirement for filing within 8 days of elections

OCPF page for D Videra showing no report activity as required

You can search the OCPF site -> https://ocpf.us/Home/Index

If you have something to say, you can find the guidelines here
https://www.franklinmatters.org/2011/03/introducing-voices-of-franklin.html

When is my road going to get fix? Check out the road report

The road report is newly updated and while it doesn't specifically say when it will get repaired, it does provide the status and next step as to what the repair would be. 

The repair schedule if it requires a full rebuild is coordinated with water and sewer line work and generally announced in advance as it is a 2 year process. First year is the sewer/water line work, then the second year is the rebuild and repave.

Given we would need to have approximately $2M per year to cover the $40M total over say a 20 year period, and we have less than  $1M in the "road repair" budget, and that we also failed to pass a dedicated debt exclusion in 20214 to specifically provide $1.5M for roads every year, "when" is a question that can't be answered at this time. 

Stay tuned into the regular budget cycle to find out what the priorities are and when the Town Council will vote on such priorities.

Read the road report here ->   https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif10036/f/uploads/10a._pavement_management_report.pdf

When is my road going to get fix? Check out the road report

Town Administrator's Report on the Migrant Housing Status - 09/20/23 (audio)

FM #1065 = This is the Franklin Matters radio show, number 1065 in the series. 

This session of the radio show shares the Town Administrator’s Report segment from the Town Council Meeting of Sep 20, 2023. Town Administrator Jamie Hellen provides an update on the Migrant Housing status.  

The report segment runs about 27 minutes. Let’s listen to this segment of the Town Council meeting on Wednesday, September 20, 2023

Audio file -> https://franklin-ma-matters.captivate.fm/episode/fm-1065-tc-segment-town-admin-report-09-20-23

Video link timed to start of Town Administrator's Report ->   https://www.youtube.com/live/bF13Dgn_6qs?si=P49HB-MYPrGfpeym&t=5122

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Town Administrator page -> https://www.franklinma.gov/administrator

Town Council agenda doc ->  

https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif10036/f/agendas/town_council_agenda_-_sept_20_2023.pdf 

Update from Sep 6 meeting ->

https://www.franklinmatters.org/2023/09/town-administrators-report-on-migrant.html 

Notification on migrant temporary housing

https://www.franklinmatters.org/2023/08/ma-notifies-franklin-of-plans-to-house.html

Franklin TV video of 09/20/23 meeting -> https://www.youtube.com/live/bF13Dgn_6qs?si=UQh6elNMORZvbLln

--------------

We are now producing this in collaboration with Franklin.TV and Franklin Public Radio (wfpr.fm) or 102.9 on the Franklin area radio dial.  

This podcast is my public service effort for Franklin but we can't do it alone. We can always use your help.

How can you help?

• If you can use the information that you find here, please tell your friends and neighbors

• If you don't like something here, please let me know

Through this feedback loop we can continue to make improvements. I thank you for listening.

For additional information, please visit Franklinmatters.org/ or www.franklin.news/

If you have questions or comments you can reach me directly at shersteve @ gmail dot com

The music for the intro and exit was provided by Michael Clark and the group "East of Shirley". The piece is titled "Ernesto, manana"  c. Michael Clark & Tintype Tunes, 2008 and used with their permission.

I hope you enjoy!

------------------

You can also subscribe and listen to Franklin Matters audio on iTunes or your favorite podcast app; search in "podcasts" for "Franklin Matters"

Town Administrator's Report on the Migrant Housing Status - 09/20/23 (audio)