Cambridge Civic Journal Forum

Episode 619 – Cambridge InsideOut: June 4, 2024 (Part 1)

This episode was recorded on June 4, 2024 at 6:00pm. Topics: Recycling updates, zero waste plan 2.0, Hazardous Waste Day; FY2025 Budget Adopted – nearly a billion dollars, significant increases over time and especially this year; potential tax implications for fall; reorganization of some City departments – Executive and CDD; sizable 34.3% increase in Mayor’s Office budget; Charter Review status and Gov’t Operations Committee; Planning Board appointments and voracious appetite of some city councillors for behind-the-scenes control or public inquisition; Ronayne Petition v. Supersize proposals. Host: Robert Winters [On YouTube] [audio]

Episode 620 – Cambridge InsideOut: June 4, 2024 (Part 2)

This episode was recorded on June 4, 2024 at 6:30pm. Topics: Ronayne Petition v. Supersize proposals for residential zoning, legalizing multi-family housing; preference for diversity of housing stock rather than supersize everywhere; turning Cambridge into Flushing and rents don’t go down; artificial affordability via subsidy; Central Square zoning discussions and Central Square Lots Study; lunacy of permitting only low-income housing; naive belief that Starlight Square 2.0 would be compatible with high-density housing; Central Square should be more than a social utility – should be a regional draw, need to involve people who currently don’t want to go to Central Square; the perils of onerous Inclusionary Housing requirements; Historical Commission award for our video, the many things we didn’t include in our video; disappearance of the historical role of the wards; need for a history of the Plan E era. Host: Robert Winters [On YouTube] [audio]

[Materials used in these episodes]