By Bob Katzen

“I will try to explain this without slipping and falling.”
—Senate Ways and Means chair Sen. Mike Rodrigues (D-Westport) on the Senate floor while debating a measure requiring MDC skating rinks to remain open for the full rink season.

“We are committed to supporting childcare providers across the commonwealth who have worked tirelessly to care for children and support Massachusetts’ families. We know that investments in early education and care settings are vital for children and families through providing high-quality early childhood education and out-of-school time programs in enriching and engaging settings.”
—Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito on The Baker administration awarding $3.9 million in Early Education and Out-of-School Time capital improvement grants to organizations to renovate childcare facilities that serve primarily low-income families.

“The best ideas for clean energy often start at the local level. If we want to have cleaner air, healthier communities and a safer future for us and our children, we must transition to 100 percent renewable energy. These cities and towns are showing how to get it done.”
— Ben Hellerstein, state director for the Environment Massachusetts Research and Policy Center on the center’s report that Massachusetts’ cities and towns are taking action to reduce their reliance on fossil fuels and transition to clean energy.

“If Massachusetts is to remain a desirable place for individuals, families and businesses, then we need to confront the housing crisis together. This law is not a housing production mandate. It is all about setting the table for more transit-oriented housing in the years and decades ahead— which is not just good housing policy, but good climate and transportation policy, too.”
— Transportation Secretary Mike Kennealy releasing the final set of multi-family zoning rules that half of all municipalities in Massachusetts will soon have to meet if they want to preserve their access to important sources of state funding.