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Boston University and the City of Boston have struck a five-year agreement that will see BU pay the city over $104 million in cash and benefits over the span of the deal.

It's the university's first written payment commitment in 25 years.

Why it matters: Boston leans on property taxes for most of its budget, but nearly half the city's land is tax-exempt, with hospitals and universities as some of the biggest landowners in town.

The tax gap has left officials pressing universities and hospitals for voluntary payments in lieu of taxes (PILOT) to help cover services like police and fire.

By the numbers: The $104.3 million deal includes $37.5 million in cash payments and $66.8 million in community benefits like scholarships for Boston Public Schools graduates.

BU's annual cash payment would rise from $6.3 million in FY26 to $8.3 million by FY30, roughly a third above its FY25 amount.

State of play: PILOT compliance varies widely. Hospitals generally pay closer to what the city requests, while universities lag.

Boston College has drawn particular scrutiny for contributing a small fraction of the city's request and declining to file community benefit reports.

What's next: City officials hope the BU agreement raises pressure on other schools to sign similar multi-year deals.

Bottom line: The BU deal gives Boston a larger and more predictable revenue stream, but it doesn't resolve the entrenched tension between the city's reliance on property taxes and colleges' large tax-exempt footprint.

Boston University signs first PILOT deal in 25 years

BU will pay the city $104.3 million over five years.

The Center for Computing & Data Sciences building at Boston University, a tall glass structure with stacked, cantilevered floors, rises above Commonwealth Avenue in Boston.

Boston University's Center for Computing & Data Sciences stands on Commonwealth Avenue in Boston. Photo: M. Kaercher/Getty Images

Boston University and the City of Boston have struck a five-year agreement that will see BU pay the city over $104 million in cash and benefits over the span of the deal.<ul><li>It&#x27;s the university&#x27;s first written payment commitment in 25 years.</li></ul>

News

Massachusetts voters say they're deeply worried about the impact of artificial intelligence, even as many regularly use it.

Why it matters: 65% say they're more concerned about AI's dangers than excited about its potential to aid humanity.

Only 16% say they're excited about AI's potential to help humanity.

Over a quarter say they don't use popular AI tools at all.

That's according to a new MassINC Polling Group survey of 1,264 registered voters conducted June 23 to July 1 and sponsored by AI giant Anthropic.

By the numbers: Among the nearly two-thirds with concerns about AI, job loss and economic disruption top the list of worries (32%).

That's followed by loss of skills or overreliance on AI (16%) and the spread of misinformation (16%).

Environmental impact from data centers (15%) and misuse of AI power (15%) also rank as top concerns.

Yes, but: Usage of AI is split roughly down the middle.

39% use AI tools like Claude, ChatGPT, Gemini or Microsoft Copilot every day or a few times a week.

27% say they haven't used one at all in the past year.

State of play: Even among those who don't use AI, they're aware of the technology.

80% say they've heard "a great deal" or "a fair amount" about AI, and 72% say they're at least somewhat familiar with generative AI tools.

Between the lines: Voters back government oversight of AI.

59% say the government should oversee AI companies that deploy models with serious risks.

Only 23% trust companies to police themselves.

Stunning stat: 78% in Massachusetts worry more about the dangers of failing to regulate AI than about rules slowing tech innovation.

Nearly half (47%) say it's "very likely" that AI could enable catastrophic harms like chemical, biological or cyberattack risks without safeguards.

Zoom out: There's not nearly as much awareness of local governmental efforts to rein in the tech.

Just 13% have heard "a great deal" or "a fair amount" about Beacon Hill's efforts to pass AI safety rules.

Once informed of the Legislature's intentions, 75% back requiring the largest AI companies to assess catastrophic risks, publish safety plans and report serious incidents to the attorney general.

The bottom line: Voters want the Massachusetts government to take the lead in regulating the AI industry.

Two-thirds want the state to act now rather than wait for Washington to assemble federal guidelines.

Mass. is worried about AI, but most still use it

Two-thirds of Massachusetts voters are more concerned than excited about AI.

Illustration of an ink stamp in the shape of binary code, and a piece of paper stamped with the code.

Illustration: Brendan Lynch/Axios. Stock: Getty Images

Massachusetts voters say they&#x27;re deeply worried about the impact of <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="artificial intelligence" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/technology/automation-and-ai" data-vars-content-id="1678c877-a1df-4868-8419-0d530dc8866c" data-vars-headline="Mass. is worried about AI, but most still use it" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/technology/automation-and-ai" target="_self">artificial intelligence</a>, even as many regularly use it.Why it matters: 65% say they&#x27;re more concerned about AI&#x27;s dangers than excited about its potential to aid humanity.

Data: American College of Sports Medicine; Map: Danielle Alberti/Axios

Boston is one of America's healthiest metros, clinching a spot in the top 10 of a new national fitness ranking.

Why it matters: Boston ranked No. 10 on the 2026 American Fitness Index, climbing three spots from 13th place last year.

The big picture: The annual list from the American College of Sports Medicine and the Elevance Health Foundation ranks the 100 largest U.S. cities on community infrastructure, environmental factors and healthy behaviors.

The highest-ranking cities mostly favor walkers and make movement a seamless part of daily life through urban design.

Boston specifically shines in accessibility to outdoor areas, with 100% of residents living within a 10-minute walk to a park.

Zoom out: Researchers found that the gap between America's healthiest and least healthy cities is widening.

Top cities have significantly higher rates of biking, walking and public transit use.

Lower-ranked cities struggle with higher rates of obesity, food insecurity and chronic disease.

Arlington, Virginia, claimed the No. 1 spot for the ninth consecutive year, followed by Washington, D.C. and Minneapolis.

Boston breaks back into the top 10 fittest cities

Boston jumped to No. 10 on the 2026 American Fitness Index, boosted by near-universal park access — but researchers say the gap between the healthiest and least healthy U.S. cities keeps growing.

Boston is one of America&#x27;s healthiest metros, clinching a spot in the top 10 of a new national fitness ranking.Why it matters: Boston ranked No. 10 on the 2026 American Fitness Index, climbing three spots from 13th place last year.

Health

Switching the commonwealth to permanent daylight saving time is more realistic than ever.

Why it matters: Plenty of people in Massachusetts want more winter sunlight, but getting it would mean threading a federal needle, syncing with neighboring states and rewriting the school day.

State of play: The federal Sunshine Protection Act, which would make DST permanent nationwide, passed the U.S. House on July 14 with President Trump's backing.

It's now stalled in the Senate, where the issue has languished before.

Zoom in: A 2017 state commission found year-round daylight saving time isn't as simple as flipping a switch or winding a clock here in Mass.

Federal law bars states from adopting DST permanently on their own, and Massachusetts would need company from its neighbors for the move to make sense.

The big picture: None of this works if Massachusetts goes it alone.

The commission warned that shifting time zones without neighboring states — especially New York — would scramble commutes, business schedules, entertainment timing and flights out of Logan Airport.

So it landed on a recommendation: only move if a majority of Northeast states, including New York, move together.

By the numbers: Under year-round DST, winter sunrises in Boston would shift as late as 8:23am.

Research cited by the commission links brighter evening commutes to a 7% drop in robberies overall, and 27% during evening rush hour.

Between the lines: Darker mornings would likely force school start times back: 8am for elementary, 8:30am for middle and high schools.

Yes, but: Doctors and sleep researchers warn permanent DST fights the body's natural clock, citing links to heart attacks, stroke and seasonal depression.

Groups like the American Medical Association back permanent standard time instead.

What's next: Without movement in Washington or a regional consensus, Massachusetts will stay on the clock it's on.

The bottom line: The path exists on paper. Whether the state's and nation's economy, biology and politics can agree on it all is another matter.

What a switch to permanent daylight saving time would mean for Mass.

A federal time-zone law, a stalled Senate bill and New York's economy all stand between Massachusetts and brighter winter evenings.

Illustration of a hand pulling a window shade down over the sun

Switching the commonwealth to <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="permanent daylight saving time" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2026/07/16/daylight-saving-congress-backlash-side-effects" data-vars-content-id="f3193c80-4327-42c3-ad1f-ad620c5f318e" data-vars-headline="What a switch to permanent daylight saving time would mean for Mass." data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2026/07/16/daylight-saving-congress-backlash-side-effects" target="_self">permanent daylight saving time</a> is more realistic than ever.Why it matters: Plenty of people in Massachusetts want more winter sunlight, but getting it would mean threading a federal needle, syncing with neighboring states and rewriting the school day.

Massachusetts voters will face nine statewide ballot questions this November, and now we know which question number is assigned to each political debate.

Why it matters: With nearly ten questions certified, voters will be bombarded by "yes on 4" or "no on 1" messaging this fall. 

It'll be more work than usual to keep it all straight.

Prohibiting retail sale of adult-use marijuana

What's next: Most ballots will run two to three pages, depending on local races, languages required and any municipal questions that get tacked on.

Mass. locks in order for nine ballot questions this November

State election officials have assigned numbers 1 through 9 to this fall's ballot questions, covering everything from public records to marijuana sales to gun regulation.

Animated illustration of a globe spinning forward over speed lines. More speed lines above it are forming the year 2026, the individual numbers of which rotate to reveal checkmarks.

Massachusetts voters will face nine statewide <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="ballot questions" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/boston/2025/12/17/mass-voters-may-decide-rent-control-tax-cuts-and-election-reforms-on-packed-2026-ballot" data-vars-content-id="f492c94e-e460-4260-ad5f-8657a702ba0a" data-vars-headline="Mass. locks in order for nine ballot questions this November" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/boston/2025/12/17/mass-voters-may-decide-rent-control-tax-cuts-and-election-reforms-on-packed-2026-ballot" target="_self">ballot questions</a> this November, and now we know which question number is assigned to each political debate.Why it matters: With nearly ten questions certified, voters will be bombarded by &quot;yes on 4&quot; or &quot;no on 1&quot; messaging this fall. <ul><li>It&#x27;ll be more work than usual to keep it all straight.</li></ul>

A U.S. map shows a ranking of America's fittest cities. Arlington, Virginia, is at the top of the list, followed by neighboring Washington, D.C. Minneapolis, Seattle and Denver round out the top five.

Mike Deehan

Featured stories

Mass. locks in order for nine ballot questions this November

What a switch to permanent daylight saving time would mean for Mass.

Boston breaks back into the top 10 fittest cities

Boston University signs first PILOT deal in 25 years

Mass. is worried about AI, but most still use it