Category: Newton Beacon

  • ‘They are going to need more food’: Newton’s food pantries prepare for surge ahead of November SNAP cuts

    A food pantry in Newton prepares bags for delivery. Photo by Barry Wanger

    Anticipating a lapse in funding for the nation’s largest anti-hunger program, Newton’s food pantries are bracing for a surge in residents seeking help.

    SNAP, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program formerly known as food stamps, provides monthly food benefits to low-income individuals and families across the U.S. The Trump administration said it would not replenish SNAP benefits for November if the federal government shutdown, which began Oct. 1, didn’t end before Saturday.

    “The well has run dry,” reads a message on the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s website.

    While the shutdown continues, two federal judges ruled Friday that the Trump administration must keep SNAP funds flowing. Trump posted on social media later Friday that he needs clarity from the courts on how to do that and indicated that there would nevertheless be delays in providing benefits. The Trump administration has not said whether it will appeal Friday’s ruling.

    Given the uncertainty, it is unclear whether and when benefits will be cut off and when November’s SNAP funding might come.

    Meanwhile, Gov. Maura Healey announced Thursday that Massachusetts will double the aid it provides to local food pantries and food banks, bringing that funding to $8 million.

    In Newton, Centre Street Food Pantry is preparing for a 35% surge in household visits to the pantry in November, whether that’s registered households visiting more often or new ones signing up.

    “Without SNAP as their lifeline, they are going to need more food,” said Rose Saia, executive director of Centre Street Food Pantry. 

    More than 40 million low-income people in the U.S. rely on SNAP, according to the USDA. One million of them reside in Massachusetts.

    Leran Minc, director of public policy at Project Bread, a Massachusetts food security organization, said he’s concerned that smaller local organizations will be “overrun” if SNAP benefits lapse.

    “If the pantry is experiencing higher than usual demand, they’re going to have to either turn people away and say, ‘We don’t have any food,’ or ‘We’re going to have to give everybody a lot less food,’” Minc said.

    Newton Food Pantry Director Jeff Lemberg, left, and Board President Sindy Wayne, right, give construction updates at the organization’s soon-to-be home, a 5,000-square-foot facility on Rumford Avenue, set to open next May. Photo by Bryan McGonigle

    In Newton, about 4,200 residents rely on SNAP, said Jeff Lemberg, executive director of Newton Food Pantry, an independent, nonprofit food bank based in Newton Centre. 

    “That is a lot of people who are going to need additional assistance to put healthy food on their tables,” he said.

    Through walk-ins, appointments and deliveries, Newton Food Pantry serves more than 2,500 people across 1,000 households in Newton. It supplied 85,500 bags of groceries to them last year.

    “We’re seeing more and more people coming to us for help,” he said. “Now, given the end of SNAP benefits for the month of November at least, we need to step up, and we are stepping up to help as many people as we can.”

    Newton Food Pantry, established in 1983, has seen a “sizable number” of residents registering for assistance this year, Lemberg said. Over the past couple of weeks, about two dozen new people signed up.

    The pantry purchases all the food it stocks, so Lemberg said it will have to ramp up November spending to address SNAP’s absence. They’re dipping into savings and seeking financial and food donations to make that possible.

    Meanwhile, Centre Street Food Pantry has a monthly food budget of about $20,000, with which it serves 4,400 people across 1,100 households in Brookline, Needham, Newton, Waltham, Watertown and Wellesley, Saia said. Centre Street is adapting to meet the anticipated increase in demand for its services.

    Centre Street will extend its Tuesday and Saturday hours for the month of November. It is also reaching out to community groups, such as Family Access of Newton and Boys & Girls Clubs, to develop distribution partnerships to get more food to the community, Saia said.

    With Thanksgiving approaching, the need for well-stocked, functioning food pantries is especially great.

    Lemberg and Saia said their food pantries are busier in November due to the holiday. The holiday season combined with the loss of SNAP benefits means the pantries will require a larger food stock and more volunteers.

    “Everybody wants to be sure, both those who give to us and those who come to us, that everybody has a good Thanksgiving meal,” Saia said.

    Centre Street will purchase whole turkeys to give to large families with five or more people this year. Saia said it is also sourcing chickens, pies and cranberry sauce, and encouraging the community to hold food drives for traditional Thanksgiving foods.

    “We’re going to try and send everybody home with something extra for the holidays,” Saia said.

    For food pantries, absorbing the impact of political and economic circumstances isn’t new.

    Because of previous U.S. Department of Agriculture funding cuts, Saia said, Centre Street lost much of the free proteins and dairy it used to receive. Without USDA supplies, Centre Street shifted to rely more on its own budget, free items from the Greater Boston Food Bank, wholesale and donation relationships, and the Massachusetts Emergency Food Assistance Program.

    “That’s what we do. We fill the gap,” Saia said. “And now there’s a new gap.”

    But food banks and anti-hunger organizations can only do so much to fill the gap in the plan to address hunger. For every one meal that the anti-hunger nonprofit Feeding America provides, SNAP provides nine.

    “SNAP was a big part of that plan,” Saia said. “And it’s going to be gone, and that’s going to leave a crater in its place.”

    This article was originally published on November 2.

  • Blacker’s Bakeshop offers free bread, baked goods amid SNAP tumult

    Siena Griffin

    “No questions. No judgment. Just support,” reads a flyer taped to a rack of challah and sandwich loaves outside Blacker’s Bakeshop in Newton Centre. Next to it is a table whose spread includes apricot babka, orange cranberry loaves, pita and frozen soup.

    The community table at Blacker’s Bakeshop, located at 543 Commonwealth Ave., offers fresh bread and other baked goods that didn’t sell that day for anyone to take, free of charge and no questions asked, on Wednesday evenings and Sunday afternoons. The table started Nov. 2 after the federal government shutdown caused a lapse in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, the nation’s largest anti-hunger initiative, which supports 42 million Americans and 1 million in Massachusetts. 

    “As soon as we heard that the current administration was canceling SNAP benefits and other food assistance programs for people in need, it really just triggered basically everything we stand for,” said Rebecca Blacker, manager of Blacker’s Bakeshop, a family-owned bakery established in 2008.

    Amid a weeks-long legal battle over SNAP funding, Gov. Maura Healey said Monday that Massachusetts has restored benefits to recipients. Meanwhile, the Trump administration is appealing to the Supreme Court to keep SNAP funding frozen, as the federal government shutdown continues. The shutdown is over, though, after the Senate voted Monday night to reopen the government and the House passed that deal on Wednesday night.

    Blacker’s Bakeshop, which is nut-free, dairy-free and kosher pareve, sets up the table outside its storefront after close, on Sundays from 2 to 3:30 p.m. and on Wednesdays from 5 to 6:30 p.m.

    With food banks likely to see an increase in need this month, Blacker said the bakeshop aims to be another location for food assistance.

    “We’re not just a place to purchase baked goods. We really know our customers, and we have known them for a very long time,” Blacker said. “You mess with our customers, you mess with us, and it just felt like a natural thing to be able to do for them.”

    To bolster the spread of leftover goods from that day’s bake, anyone can also donate $5 to “Sponsor a Challah,” which adds a fresh loaf of challah to an upcoming table.

    “People will just hand us, you know, $100 like, ‘However many challahs this will do, go for it,’” Blacker said.

    Blacker estimated dozens of people stopped by the table to take goods in its first two sessions Nov. 2 and 5. Whatever is left on the community table is donated to local food banks or Jewish Family Services, she said.

    When the Blackers asked if Inna’s Kitchen, the bakeshop’s next-door neighbor, wanted to participate in the community table, owner Alex Khitrik’s answer was “absolutely.”

    Inna’s Kitchen donates some of its frozen soups, gluten-free bread and prepared foods — food that’s still good but wasn’t sold that day — to the community table, in addition to Blacker’s Bakeshop’s baked goods.

    “Every dollar makes a difference when you’re just trying to make ends meet,” Khitrik said.

    Inna’s Kitchen, which opened in 2011, is entirely kosher pareve and gluten-, dairy- and nut-free. Khitrik said he takes pride in providing food that people with allergies and dietary restrictions can enjoy.

    “These types of foods also tend to be more expensive, whether it’s gluten free, whether it’s kosher, vegan, so it feels even more important to sort of help people who have those requirements,” he said.

    Blacker’s Bakeshop in Newton Centre specializes in kosher, vegan baked goods. Photo by Siena Griffin

    Inna’s Kitchen frequently donates items to the Newton Community Freedge on Watertown Street, Khitrik said. In November, the store will donate 18% of its gift card sales to Newton Food Pantry. Lots of local stores donate 15%, he added, but in Judaism 18 represents good luck, and it’s common to donate or give gifts in multiples of 18.

    Laura Bradford, who has worked at Blacker’s Bakeshop for 14 years, said the community table initiative is “such a beautiful thing.”

    “It makes me so proud to be here and do this,” said Bradford, who works at the bakeshop in addition to teaching at a school in Brookline. “The community has been so generous.”

    Bradford said some people assume SNAP cuts don’t impact people in Newton, where the median household income is nearly double the state median.

    “You think, because it’s Newton, that there aren’t going to be people who are hungry, but there’s people hungry all over,” she said.

    Blacker said the response from the community has been “so positive and so supportive.”

    “I think it feels overwhelming for a lot of people to know that they want to do something and [are] not really sure what to do,” she said. “To be able to help an organization execute a program like this, they really appreciate it as well.”

    Regardless of what happens with SNAP in the future, Blacker said the bakeshop plans to continue running the table. She also said other local restaurants have reached out about contributing food to the Community Table.

    “It’s a simple thing that we can offer,” she said. “We’re happy to keep doing it for as long as people need.”

    This story is part of a partnership between the Newton Beacon and the Boston University Department of Journalism.

  • The Paper Mouse in West Newton is a haven for stationery lovers

    Ruyuan Li

    The Paper Mouse in West Newton offers a variety of stationery, writing tools and more. Photo by Ruyuan Li

    Walking into The Paper Mouse feels like stepping into another world, a quiet haven for those who love the art of handwriting.

    Stationery and other items from around the world are neatly arranged on wooden shelves, whether it’s a carnation-shaped pen or cards handcrafted by artisans in Nepal—items hard to find in big chain bookstores.

    “A lot of people describe our shop as an oasis, that they can escape all the troubles,” said Jenny Zhang, co-owner of The Paper Mouse. “So that’s what we want to create—a space that they feel comfortable and peaceful.”

    Located at 1274 Washington St. in West Newton, The Paper Mouse is ranked the No. 1 stationery store in the Boston area on Yelp. This November marks the store’s 10th anniversary, a milestone for the shop founded by the husband-and-wife team of Victor Lee and Jenny Zhang.

    “I had always wished, even when I was young, to have my own business,” said Lee, 48, who was born and raised in Newton. Both Lee’s grandfather and father had owned businesses in Newton. “I thought it’d be great to kind of continue that, almost like a tradition.”

    The story of the store dates back to 2015, when Lee and Zhang married. Zhang has always loved writing letters, while Lee, after working in the tech industry for nearly 20 years, was eager to make a career change. Their shared love for stationery inspired them to open their own stationery store.

    The name of the store comes from Zhang’s Chinese Zodiac sign — she was born in the year of the mouse. Created by the store’s designer, Jean Gao, the hand-drawn mouse became the logo and appeared on postcards, stickers, tote bags and other items.

    Zhang, who is originally from Fujian, China, moved to the U.S. in 1999 and has lived in Newton since 2009.

    “I grew up in a place where kids can go to a store and buy stuff without paying, and everyone knows me and my parents, and my parents will pay after,” Zhang said. “I felt very safe and welcomed.”

    The Paper Mouse in West Newton offers a variety of stationery, writing tools and more. Photo by Ruyuan Li

    She wanted to bring that sense of community connection to The Paper Mouse, and to Newton.

    When the shop opened, most of its products came from local artists. But that began to change during the pandemic.

    During the six-month shutdown, Zhang said the store received numerous calls and emails from customers hoping to buy cards and stationery, which prompted them to launch an online store and start an international curation.

    Lee said people compare prices when shopping online, so he wanted The Paper Mouse’s products to stand out to attract customers. “So expanding to the international offerings gave us more unique and exclusive items that people around here may not be able to find easily online,” he said.

    Lisa Schwartz, an English teacher in Newton, visits the store frequently. “I fell in love with the artwork,” Schwartz said. “It’s so well curated.”

    For Schwartz, collecting stationery is like an endless rabbit hole. She particularly falls for the Hobonichi journal books, a Japanese stationery brand specializing in planner books.

    Schwartz said The Paper Mouse is the only store nearby that carries a line of Hobonichi products.

    “They have things here that you can’t get in other places or you have to order online,” she said. “I ordered something from Hobonichi (online store), and it was like $40 shipping.”

    In addition to the series of Hobonichi products, The Paper Mouse carries the 2024 UK Gift of the Year winner Amber Crystal Light, LAMY fountain pens made in Germany, and art works from Bottle Branch, a Newton art studio.

    “The owners go to a trade show in New York City every February and August, where they can meet suppliers and vendors from all around the world,” said Yulan Li, assistant buyer at The Paper Mouse, where she has worked for eight years.

    “We find those artists ourselves, and also if their style matches with the shop,” she added.

    The Paper Mouse in West Newton offers a variety of stationery, writing tools and more. Photo by Ruyuan Li

    Jennifer Fitzsimmons, 46, of Waltham, said she’s grown tired of shopping at big chain stores, where “the notebooks are almost always lined, with no indication of what kind of paper they use or whether it’ll hold up to fountain pen ink.”

    “The staff here can answer a lot of questions,” Fitzsimmons said. “And they have pen testers, which I deeply appreciate.”

    She said The Paper Mouse provides a wider variety of stationeries than most independent stationers, so she comes back every few months to check new products.

    The Paper Mouse will celebrate its 10th anniversary Nov. 22 with new product launches and giveaways.

    “Not only do we carry exclusive and unique items from other people, we’re going to start making our own unique and exclusive items for our customers,” Lee said.

    *****

    This story is part of a partnership between the Newton Beacon and the Boston University Department of Journalism.

  • National primary care shortages affect Newton residents

    Arline MacCormack has had four primary care physicians in the past four years.

    MacCormack, a college administrator and longtime Newton resident, saw the same “fabulous” doctor through Newton-Wellesley Physicians Primary Care for over two decades. Four years ago, her doctor suddenly retired and told her that she was frustrated with the health care system.

    After searching for over a year—without assistance from her former physician’s office—MacCormack found a new doctor and made an appointment. At her first visit, the doctor told her that she would soon be leaving her practice.

    MacCormack then switched to another doctor within that practice, but was notified that the doctor was leaving before she even had her first appointment. Again, after one visit and a prescription refill, MacCormack was left to find her fourth primary care physician in four years. She now sees a physician assistant at Wellesley Family Care and does not have trouble getting appointments.

    “I’m happy now, but it was a scary three years. Bigger picture, health care in our country is very broken, and we need to learn from others who are doing it better,” said MacCormack.

    She is not alone in her struggle to find stable primary care. Primary care services are facing difficulties across the United States. In Massachusetts, trends show that the number of primary care physicians in the commonwealth is shrinking, with employment in physician offices barely increasing since pre-pandemic levels, lagging far behind overall national trends, according to the Massachusetts Health Policy Commission.

    The HPC also said that Massachusetts has one of the smallest proportions of its physicians specializing in primary care, and of new doctors entering primary care following their residencies. The shortage of doctors, coupled with a growing population, has created more difficulties in accessing care.

    “We know that access to primary care improves health outcomes, reduces health disparities, and ultimately can help avoid unnecessary emergency department and hospital use. Yet despite this overwhelming evidence, support and investment in primary care is declining and represents a shrinking portion of our health care dollar,” HPC Executive Director and Primary Care Task Force Co-Chair David Seltz said in a statement.

    Jessica Benjamin, a Newton resident, said that only seeing her primary care physician once a year has led to a lack of continuity in her health care.

    She first entered the Mass General Brigham health care system in 2017 when she began seeing a new doctor. When that doctor moved away in 2022, Benjamin was reassigned to another doctor within the system, and since then she has only been able to see that doctor for an annual checkup. For anything else, she has been assigned to another doctor, nurse practitioner or sent to urgent care.

    Over the past few years, Benjamin has been treated for chronic pain. In November 2024, she made an appointment with a doctor she had never met before and they prescribed her a muscle relaxant called Robaxin – but never told her about possible side effects.

    In May, Benjamin fainted and broke her ankle. Later, she learned that fainting is a known side effect of Robaxin. The injury was a displaced fracture that required surgery, followed by months of recovery. She couldn’t put weight on her foot until July and started physical therapy in September. Because she was out of work for so long, she was ultimately separated from her job.

    “You’re seeing all these different people who don’t know you and your history, and I think that contributed to me breaking my ankle,” said Benjamin. “I used to be able to call my doctor and she knew about my various issues, which is just a lot easier than going to see a new person every time.”

    The Primary Care Access, Delivery, and Payment Task Force was established in January by Gov. Maura Healey to develop recommendations to stabilize and strengthen the primary care system across Massachusetts, including a primary care spending target. Since their first meeting in April, the task force has completed its first deliverable to define primary care services, codes and providers.

    A study on primary care appointment availability discovered that out of four states, Massachusetts wait times were more than twice as long as in the other states.

    In 2023, 91% of Massachusetts residents reported having a primary care physician, but 41% of those residents said they had difficulty accessing care because they couldn’t get an appointment at a doctor’s office or clinic when needed, according to a survey by the Massachusetts Center for Health Information and Analysis The HPC’s research found that two main factors largely contribute to the shortage: primary care is a low-reimbursed medical field and there is a high administrative burden. Without higher pay, new medical graduates are less incentivized to enter the specialty and may run into financial limits for hiring or retaining support staff. High volumes of administrative work can lead to burnout and contribute to caregivers’ reduction in patient hours.

    As the Massachusetts Legislature’s only primary care doctor and physician, Newton Democratic Rep. Greg Schwartz said he brings a new perspective to health policy discussions.

    “I’ve seen increasing demands on providers to do the busy work of prior-authorizations, computerized documentation, and elaborate billing,” said Schwartz. “All of this takes time away from directly interacting with patients and face-to-face care.”

    Schwartz said that currently 6-7% of all health expenditures in Massachusetts are spent on primary care, and that the remaining 93-94% is spent on specialty care. Schwartz has sponsored a bill to rebalance the system by increasing the proportion spent on primary care to 12% in the next four years.

    “If we can increase the amount of growth in resources going into primary care, through higher reimbursements for primary care services, we can increase support for the providers in the trenches,” said Schwartz.

    Alan Sager, professor at the Boston University School of Public Health, said that part of what’s driving the shortage is that it’s no one’s job to make sure there is enough primary care in the United States.

    “It’s not the job of the federal or state government, medical schools, teaching hospitals or anyone else to make sure we have enough family doctors,” said Sager. To combat the shortage, Sager suggested three possible solutions: draft physicians into primary care; pay them more; or improve working conditions. Regardless of the method used, Sager said that people with political and financial power need to be designated and held accountable for training, organizing, locating and paying enough doctors to go into the field.

    As a short-term solution, Sager said that experienced nurse practitioners can handle monitoring patients, but it would be helpful to have an on-site doctor to consult with if anything goes wrong.

    “Primary care is like the weather,” said Sager. “Everybody talks about it, but nobody does anything about it.”

    Sager said that the problem is only worsening, which he believes isn’t acceptable considering the United States spends six times as much on health care as it spends on defense. He said that a lot of the money is wasted on low-value care, administrative waste, high prices for drugs and devices, CEO salaries and theft. While Sager is optimistic that coordinated changes within the system can be made, he said that it will probably take a crisis to “give us health care that’s as good as our caregivers.”

    “Primary care isn’t just about finding a doctor who will see you when you’re sick, it’s about building a long-term relationship of trust, and you can have confidence that they know you and care about you,” said Sager.

    Mass General Brigham said in a statement that they are taking steps to address the primary care shortage across the commonwealth and country, by expanding access to care and reducing physician burden.

    In May, they announced a nearly $400 million commitment over five years to invest in additional support staff positions for primary care teams, AI tools to streamline clinical visit notes and new partnerships to improve primary care physicians.

    “We’re using feedback from our clinicians to ensure we’re improving every day on our mission–providing the best quality care for our patients,” MGB said in a statement.

    *****

    This story is part of a partnership between the Newton Beacon and the Boston University Statehouse Program.

  • Antisemitism Commission recommendations bring concerns about free speech

    Some in Newton are questioning whether recommendations to fight antisemitism in schools across Massachusetts protect students or threaten free speech rights.

    The Massachusetts Legislature’s Special Commission on Antisemitism, which includes Newton Mayor Ruthanne Fuller, approved recommendations to combat antisemitism in schools across the state on Aug. 8. The panel was established after a rise in antisemitic hate crimes in the commonwealth last year.

    Newton Democratic Rep. Greg Schwartz said in an interview that he supports the commission’s recommendations for enhanced educational programming about the history of antisemitism and is confident the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education will provide clear guidance on how to approach the subject thoughtfully and fairly.

    Schwartz said most feedback from community members has been favorable, but some are concerned that focusing on antisemitism is unfair to other groups who have suffered discrimination and may lead to limitations on free speech.

    “The commission’s makeup is extremely biased to contain only one view of the matter–it doesn’t even represent the full spectrum of opinions within the Jewish community itself,” said Noam Shoresh, an Israeli Jewish resident of Newton for more than 20 years.

    Shoresh has two sons who attended Newton North High School and said that neither of them hid the fact they are Jewish or Israeli, and that they have not felt any “animosity” directed towards them because of their background.

    Shoresh said he fears the recommendations will only do harm. Growing up in Israel, he wasn’t taught the Palestinian perspective regarding the foundation of Israel in school.

    “I don’t want this to be true for my children or anyone else in Newton, but this is precisely where the commission’s recommendations lead,” said Shoresh. “Its agenda from the outset was to protect Israel’s reputation and to wage war against Israel’s critics, and the recommendations do exactly that, at the direct expense of freedom of speech, and at the cost of giving our students the proper access to information and discussions from which they could learn and grow.”

    At a Palestinian-solidarity encampment at MIT last spring, Shoresh said that he felt no hostility after he presented himself as an Israeli Jew. He said that people were happy to engage in conversation and answer questions about their views.

    “I do not want to imply by this that antisemitic incidents never occur, nor to belittle the experience of students who feel threatened by them,” said Shoresh. “At the same time, when people in the Jewish Israeli community in Newton talk about ‘our children are under attack,’ it does not resonate at all with my own experience.”

    However, Nanette Fridman, a Waban resident, said in a Facebook message that she strongly supports the recommendations and is grateful to Gov. Maura Healey for establishing the commission. She said that Newton’s decades-long history of antisemitic incidents and biased curricula in schools have caused Jewish students and families to feel unseen or unsafe.

    “Addressing this history honestly and constructively is essential to building a more inclusive future. Newton can and should be a model for doing this right,” Fridman said.

    Fridman said a statewide bias reporting system, antisemitism education and training for students and staff, and ensuring access to kosher and halal food in schools are some of the key recommendations outlined in the commission’s guidelines.

    “To make them real, they must be funded, monitored and updated regularly,” Fridman said. “Without sustained involvement and oversight, this effort risks becoming an academic exercise rather than a lived reality.”

    Fridman suggested that a “biennial review process” should be implemented to evaluate the effectiveness of the recommendations, and update them as needed.

    Mosaic: Interfaith Youth Action, a nonprofit organization dedicated to connecting middle and high school youth across different faith identities from across Greater Boston, was cited as an example in one of the commission’s recommendations: “Schools should promote and invest in after-school programs and clubs that encourage cross-identity or cross-communal bonding through shared experiences.”

    Mosaic’s co-president Runa Islam said in an interview that she wasn’t sure how the commission became aware of their organization, but believes that this specific recommendation will create more opportunities for young people of all identities and strengthen communities across Massachusetts.

    “It is clear that many of us in Newton are feeling deep pain about different aspects of this war, and that is leading to miscommunication and lack of basic human empathy on all sides,” said Islam. “It’s especially painful for me to see neighbors and friends turn on one another–and for the youth of our communities to see that behavior modeled and normalized.”

    Mayor Ruthanne Fuller did not reply for comment after multiple attempts of contact.

    *****

    This story is part of a partnership between the Newton Beacon and the Boston University Department of Journalism.

  • Amid federal cuts, legislators push for transition to clean energy

    State legislators and Newton officials are encouraging residents to participate in sustainability programs to reach the commonwealth’s goal of net-zero emissions by 2050, following recent federal funding cuts to clean energy projects.

    On Oct. 2, the Trump administration terminated federal funding for 223 energy projects nationwide, totaling $7.5 billion nationally and approximately $446 million in Massachusetts. In a press release, Gov. Maura Healey said that the cuts target private companies, universities and nonprofits working on research and product development, and undermine efforts to lower energy prices.

    “These misguided actions will make it significantly harder to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050 in Massachusetts,” Sen. Cynthia Creem said in an interview. “We cannot completely fill the gaps from the lost federal funding, but we are not powerless.”

    The Newton Democrat advised that the best way forward is to continue pursuing climate policies and installing clean energy at the state and local level. She noted the state will continue to offer programs that fund clean energy investments, including Mass Save for energy efficiency and electrification, MOR-EV for electric vehicle incentives, and initiatives supporting solar and battery storage systems.

    Creem said she has personally filed bills to ensure that scarce climate resources are used as effectively as possible. These include establishing a process for low-cost transition from gas to clean heat, transforming Mass Save’s energy assessments into decarbonization assessments, and aligning transportation infrastructure with climate obligations.

    “Massachusetts law requires us to reach net-zero emissions by 2050 and that hasn’t changed. If we’re going to comply with that law, then we don’t have time to despair. We have to get to work,” said Creem.

    Ann Berwick, co-director of the Newton Sustainability Department, said that Newton is moving ahead with programs that aren’t federally funded.

    One example is the Building Emissions Reduction and Disclosure Ordinance (BERDO), which targets reducing the carbon footprint of large buildings in Newton, which account for 27% of the city’s greenhouse gas emissions. Berwick also highlighted Newton Power Choice—which is funded by electricity customers and utility bills—as a resource for residents to increase their investment in clean energy.

    Green Newton, a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving sustainability and educating residents on their resource use, hosted a Green Expo on Sunday to highlight environmentally friendly products, companies and information.

    “We are killing our planet with greenhouse gas emissions from burning fossil fuels. We have to stop doing that,” said Craig Forman, a member of Green Newton’s board of directors.

    Forman said that while federal tax credits are being lost, there are still other easy ways for Newton residents to make a difference locally. Eating less beef and taking public transportation, walking or biking can help lessen greenhouse gas emissions.

    “These can have a very big effect, even though it’s not putting equipment in your house or any big change of lifestyle,” said Forman.

    *****

    This story is part of a partnership between the Newton Beacon and the Boston University Department of Journalism.

  • Sangiolo, Schwartz weigh in on legislature audit fight

    As the political stalemate over implementation of a voter-approved ballot question to audit the Legislature continues, Massachusetts Auditor Diana DiZoglio is calling on Attorney General Andrea Campbell to go to court over alleged missing documents needed to implement the controversial law.

    DiZoglio argued that the attorney general’s office originally deemed the audit constitutional when it appeared on the ballot in the November 2024 election, but Campbell later retracted that position based on her relationships with “top lawmakers.”

    Campbell approved the question based on separate constitutional requirements related to initiative petitions. But in making that decision in 2023, Campbell issued a lengthy legal opinion that the auditor did not have the authority to audit another branch of government.

    “I’m happy, once again, to meet everybody in court and give them everything they need to be able to do their job,” said DiZoglio. “But the gaslighting and scapegoating by these people of the general public needs to stop.”

    The ballot measure, also known as Question 1, passed with 72% statewide approval and 65% support among Newton voters. It gave the auditor the authority to audit the Legislature. Campbell issued statements declaring that the auditor’s office has not provided enough documentation to move forward with implementation.

    “They’re going to drag this out into eternity in the hopes that you all forget that you voted for this, and they are grossly underestimating the people of Massachusetts,” said DiZoglio.

    Newton Democratic Reps. Amy Sangiolo and Greg Schwartz both said they support transparency but they also value a clear separation of powers.

    Schwartz said he supported the new joint committee rules that were approved in the spring for the House and Senate.

    “Newton voters are especially engaged in the political process, so I believe the improvements in committee transparency created in the new rules are going to help my constituents,” said Schwartz.

    Historically, the Legislature has been audited by an outside, independent firm, which can later be reviewed by the state auditor for accuracy, said Schwartz. He emphasized that “the separation of powers doctrine protects the independence of the three branches of government from encroachment by one another.”

    Sangiolo said she interpreted the 2024 results on Question 1 as a clear indication that Massachusetts residents want more transparency and accountability from the Legislature.

    “I believe the House has been responding appropriately to Question 1, revising its rules to open the legislative process and also giving the auditor the authority to hire an outside firm to conduct a financial audit of the House,” said Sangiolo.

    Sangiolo added that she would like to know what specific information Newton voters are looking for outside what is covered in the joint committee rules.

    “I support a financial and professional audit, not a political one,” she said. After the ballot measure passed in November 2024, House Speaker Ron Mariano and Senate President Karen Spilka rejected DiZoglio’s audit, calling it “unconstitutional” and “unnecessary.”

    If the audit is implemented, Lawrence Friedman, a professor at New England School of Law, said in an interview that he worries it will “run the risk of interfering with and potentially undermining the Legislature’s proper functioning under the state Constitution.”

    Friedman said John Adams and other framers of the Massachusetts Constitution separated the three branches of government “to ensure that each department respects the constitutional responsibilities of the others.”

    Act on Mass, a nonprofit organization dedicated to transparency, accountability and citizen empowerment in the Legislature, supports DiZoglio’s efforts to implement the audit.

    “We have an uncommonly nontransparent Legislature that has been really effective at consolidating power and shredding some of the checks and balances that were in place,” Scotia Hille, executive director of Act on Mass, said in an interview.

    On whether the audit is constitutional, Hille said the only body that can rule is the Supreme Judicial Court.

    “I think if they [Mariano and Spilka] are so confident that it is unconstitutional, I would love to see the question go to court, and the auditor has been trying to get court access,” Hille said.

    With the support of organizations like Act on Mass, DiZoglio has continued her push for increased transparency.

    “The people of Massachusetts are fighting back,” DiZoglio said.

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    This story is part of a partnership between the Newton Beacon and the Boston University Department of Journalism.