Government

Elected Officials of Color Present 10-Point Plan to Combat Systemic Racism in Policing & Police Brutality

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Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley, state Sen. Sonia Chang-Diaz, and state Rep. Nika Elugardo were among elected officials of color to speak at a press conference on Tuesday outside of the State House, and released a 10-point plan to combat systemic racism. Pressley joined the Massachusetts Black and Latino Legislative Caucus and other elected officials of color from across the state to "speak directly to the pain and injustice facing our communities and to advocate for police accountability and reform." You can view the entire press conference here. Elugardo said that she worked closely with African American Coalition Committee (AACC), a group of "inside the wall" advocates incarcerated at MCI Norfolk who, before Elugardo was elected, helped draft the original bill to establish the Commission on Structural Racism referenced in priority #7. (Graphics from Boston At-Large City Councilor Julia Mejia)

 

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Business

No More Than 4 In Elevators Included in City’s Framework for Return to Work Strategies

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Eliminating self-serve coffee stations, having no more than four people in an elevator at one time, and other best public health practices are part of the city's recommended strategies to return to places of work. "Our first and foremost priority in making available these guidelines is to empower businesses and employers to act now and put in place safety precautions and protocols before beginning to reopen," said Mayor Marty Walsh. On Thursday the city announced guidance and operational recommendations for businesses, employers and commercial landlords to consider as part of their return-to-work strategies for office workplaces. These are not regulations, but additional considerations to supplement state and federal mandates around building and property management. Areas such as social distancing, hygiene protocols, staffing and operations, and cleaning and disinfecting, are specific to Phase 1 of the Commonwealth's phased reopening plan.

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Coronavirus

Pressley, Elugardo, Goldstein Talking About COVID-19 Path to Recovery on May 20

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Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley, state Rep. Nika Elugardo, and Congressional candidate Robbie Goldstein, will talk about the state and federal response to the COVID-19 pandemic on Wednesday. The event is being hosted by JP Progressives, and the Mass Public Health Association, with the following special guests:

Nancy Kreiger from the Harvard School of Public Health will share findings from her research on the disparate impact of the virus

Monique Ching from the Mass Budget and Policy Center will speak about the state budget crisis
Milt Kotelchuck from Mass General Hospital will provide relevant historical context

Goldstein, who is a Democratic challenger to Congressman Stephen Lynch, 8th-MA

"Massachusetts has more than 86,000 cases and nearly 6,000 deaths, but who are the individuals and communities that have been most impacted? What is the current and future outlook for our community and economic health? What are policymakers at the state and federal levels doing, and not doing, to respond to the crisis?" said a JP Progressives email newsletter.

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Restaurants

Boston City Councilors Look to Cap Food Delivery Service Fees

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Three Boston City Councilors are looking to decrease the exorbitant fees that the four major food delivery service companies charge. Before the Coronavirus pandemic, sit-down restaurants were making the majority of their revenue from customers dining in. But things have changed since restaurants can now only offer takeout or delivery. Restaurants are known for operating on razor thin margins, and the pandemic has exacerbated profit margins. "We want to limit the percentage of delivery fee these firms are doing.

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Coronavirus

State Law Puts Moratorium on Evictions, Foreclosures During COVID-19 Emergency

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Local state representatives were championed for guiding a new state law that puts a moratorium on evictions and foreclosures during the COVID-19 public health emergency. Governor Charlie Baker signed into law on Monday, prohibits all non-essential evictions and foreclosures, and additional tenant protections. Residential landlords cannot terminate tenancy or send notice to evict due to non-payment or for no-fault evictions. Landlords are also not allowed to charge a late fee for non-payment of rent or give data to a credit reporting agency if the tenant provides documents showing why COVID-19 prevented them from paying rent. Creditors must also grant a forbearance on mortgage payments for up to 180 days if requested.

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