Latest news with #CarineHajjar
Boston Globe
05-07-2025
- Politics
- Boston Globe
There are gray areas in the matter of shoplifting and policy making
What has reportedly Advertisement We should not be so quick to conclude that easing criminal charges against kids who pocket a box of candy or adults who make off with a box of tampons has somehow led to the level of theft being carried out by organized gangs, or that Get The Gavel A weekly SCOTUS explainer newsletter by columnist Kimberly Atkins Stohr. Enter Email Sign Up Holly Wenninger Malden What do Wu or Democrats have to do with locked-up toothpaste? In the lede of her column, Carine Hajjar writes, 'Under Boston Mayor Michelle Wu, there was a 55 percent increase in shoplifting between the first half of 2019 and the same period in 2024.' Not only is Wu not the Suffolk district attorney (as the mayor herself notes, in a quote Hajjar properly includes later in the piece), but also, while it is true that Advertisement I don't appreciate CVS locking up toothpaste either, but my first instinct is not to blame the mayor or Democrats in general. Ari Ofsevit Cambridge I lean progressive, and I'm not in favor of going easy on low-level crimes Carine Hajjar paints all progressives as soft on crime and not wanting to prosecute low-level crimes, such as shoplifting. She uses some form of the word 'progressive' seven times. Yes, political figures who push for those policies are fair game for criticism. But it is a disservice to readers to assume that all progressives support those policies. I lean progressive on most issues, and I do not support them. John Bowe Belmont
Boston Globe
30-05-2025
- Politics
- Boston Globe
Recent bad rap aside, the millionaires tax is making an impact
After reading Carine Hajjar's May 23 opinion piece, Get The Gavel A weekly SCOTUS explainer newsletter by columnist Kimberly Atkins Stohr. Enter Email Sign Up Just as learning never really ends, public policy can always grow and improve. While Hajjar identifies areas where such policy can be refined, it would be a disservice to overlook the amazing opportunities created by these dollars. Thank you, Massachusetts, for investing in residents like me. My classmates and I promise to make that investment worthwhile. Advertisement Mike McDougal Haverhill Fair Share funds have been a boon to public higher ed In response to Carine Hajjar's opinion piece regarding the Fair Share Amendment, it's important to also highlight the transformative impact this funding is having on public higher education in Massachusetts. The House's fiscal 2025 supplemental budget includes a $20 million investment in higher education, with $10 million allocated to the University of Massachusetts for its endowment matching program. This initiative provides a $1 state match for every $2 in private contributions to the school and has already created or supported 700 scholarship funds worth $135 million, which distribute $4.6 million in student aid annually. Advertisement The Senate's proposal of $125 million in capital support would provide much-needed state funding for deferred maintenance, and it aligns with Governor Maura Healey's visionary BRIGHT Act, which would modernize and improve sustainability on public campuses. A notable Senate earmark is the $10 million designated for a nursing simulation lab at UMass Amherst. This facility would double the enrollment capacity for the Amherst campus's nursing program, helping to address the statewide health care workforce shortage. The UMass system educates 73,000 students annually and is celebrating 19,000 new graduates entering the workforce, predominantly in Massachusetts. These strategic investments fulfill the promises made when voters approved the Fair Share Amendment and ensure a robust future for public higher education and the Commonwealth's economy. Christopher Dunn Associate vice chancellor for government relations UMass Amherst
