| | | | |  | | By Kelly Garrity and Lisa Kashinsky | | | ROAD RAGE — Call it a lingering end-of-session mystery: What's Charlie Baker got against Milton? As his reign came to an end, one of the two bills the Republican governor pocket vetoed read like a real snoozer: a measure to establish a 25 mph speed limit on a state highway in Milton. The new limit would have applied to where Route 28 meets Chickatawbut Road, a fatal intersection that's repeatedly made MassDOT's top crash locations report. "It would have saved lives," state Sen. Walter Timilty, a Democrat who represents Milton and plans to push the bill again this session, said in a statement. The area has become a topic of heated debate between the state — which wants to add a roundabout at a busy intersection along the corridor — and local officials and residents who oppose those plans. But Baker didn't offer any insight into why this bill — or the other one he pocket vetoed, on retirement eligibility for judicial officials — wasn't worth his signature. "I object to and do not approve the following legislation," he told legislative clerks in a letter at the time. A spokesperson for Baker declined to comment beyond the letter on Monday. Timilty said he finds it "disturbing" that Baker "chose not to sign this bill that was vetted, presented, and supported by the people of Milton to protect their own community." State Rep. Bill Driscoll Jr. who co-sponsored the bill with Timilty and state Rep. Brandy Fluker Oakley, said he was mystified by Baker's decision — and lack of explanation. "His last action as Governor was to refuse to sign, without explanation, a citizen generated home rule petition that would have improved safety on a stretch of state controlled road that desperately needs it," Driscoll told Playbook in a statement that argued Baker's move ran counter to his years of touting his respect for local government. But one way or another, Driscoll said, "This is going to get done." GOOD TUESDAY MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS. Don't get any weird ideas — this isn't the road former Gov. Deval Patrick used to live on. TODAY — Gov. Maura Healey and Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll swear in Housing and Economic Development Secretary Yvonne Hao and Labor and Workforce Development Secretary Lauren Jones at 12:30 p.m. in the governor's ceremonial office. Rep. Richard Neal announces federal funding for Springfield Technical Community College at 10:30 a.m. at Union Station. Tips? Scoops? Brady playoff post-mortems? Email Lisa: lkashinsky@politico.com.
| | A message from NextEra Energy: NextEra Energy is the first company in history committed to moving past net zero all the way to Real Zero™, leveraging low-cost renewables to drive energy affordability for customers. | | | |  | DATELINE BEACON HILL | | — "Healey has committed to equity 'in all that we do.' Advocates are pushing for more Latino representation," by Samantha J. Gross, Boston Globe: "While commending Governor Maura Healey's commitment to equity and hiring of diverse senior officials, leaders in the Latino community are also calling attention to the fact that the administration has not yet named a Latino to a Cabinet-level position." — WARNING SHOT: Less than two weeks into Maura Healey's tenure, the Boston Globe editorial board is laying into the governor for not yet acting on her pre-inaugural promise to bring transparency to Beacon Hill. Healey said in a December GBH interview that she would break with past governors who claimed exemption from the state's public records law and support cutting back exemptions in the Legislature and judiciary. But the Globe editorial board is questioning those commitments after not seeing any more details from the now-governor's office. — "2 Republicans blame human error in unusual election challenge," by Bruce Mohl, CommonWealth Magazine: "Two Republicans who narrowly lost races for the House in November told a three-member legislative committee tasked with declaring a winner that there were irregularities in the counting of votes but no fraud and no attempt by anyone to steal the election. … Rep. Brad Jones of Reading, the Republican leader in the House and a member of the special committee, thought having two such close races in the same year was an indicator that the Legislature's embrace of mail-in voting was creating problems at the town level as votes were being counted." Mohl also reports that Lenny Mirra, who continues to serve in the Legislature during the committee's review, said after Friday's hearing that he's filed legislation and applied for committee posts as he awaits a decision on his race. If Kristin Kassner, the seat's Democratic representative-elect, has bills she wants filed, "I would absolutely talk with her about that," Mirra said. — "Tarr assumes role as Beacon Hill's top Republican," by Christian M. Wade, Gloucester Daily Times: "Known for his 'gift of the gab' oratorical speeches, witty retorts, and visual aides, [Bruce] Tarr has long been a fixture in state Senate debates on the budget and other key legislation. The 59-year-old Gloucester native has served in the chamber nearly 30 years, including six terms as minority leader. But with the departure of Republican Gov. Charlie Baker, Tarr takes on a new role: The top-ranking Republican on Beacon Hill. In an interview, Tarr says he understands he faces a Herculean task getting Republican-backed initiatives across the finish line."
| | | | STEP INSIDE THE WEST WING: What's really happening in West Wing offices? Find out who's up, who's down, and who really has the president's ear in our West Wing Playbook newsletter, the insider's guide to the Biden White House and Cabinet. For buzzy nuggets and details that you won't find anywhere else, subscribe today. | | | | | | | WU TRAIN | | — "Michelle Wu promised 'significant reform' to police union contracts. Now comes the hard part," by Emma Platoff and Danny McDonald, Boston Globe: "Michelle Wu swept into office in 2021 promising to do what no Boston mayor has done in decades: force major reforms upon the change-resistant, scandal-scarred Boston Police Department, and make them last by negotiating sweeping change into new police union contracts. ... The city's largest police union is already trying to push contract talks off the bargaining table and into the hands of outside arbitrators, a move that has historically favored the unions." — SIGN OF THE TIMES: Wu has been mayor of Boston for over a year. But the names of her predecessors still adorn signs across the city. Changing them all is a process, per WBZ's Mike Sullivan.
| | FROM THE HUB | | — ART IS IN THE EYE OF THE BEHOLDER: The Embrace, the towering $10 million tribute to the late Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and his wife, Coretta Scott King, unveiled over the weekend on the Boston Common, is supposed to depict a tender moment between the couple after King learned he won the 1964 Nobel Peace Prize. The internet had other ideas, and now the sculpture is making local and national headlines for more vulgar interpretations. But the Boston Globe, in its coverage of the unveiling, sees it as something else: a "corrective" to the city's history of racial conflict. — "Historic MLK breakfast is back in Boston for first time since pandemic shutdowns," by Walter Wuthmann, WBUR. — "Protesters march from Boston to Cambridge, condemning police brutality, on Martin Luther King Jr. Day," by Bailey Allen, Boston Globe. — WATCH: Former secretary of state hopeful and NAACP Boston Branch President Tanisha Sullivan discuss the city's new task force exploring reparations for Black Bostonians while appearing on WBZ's "Keller @ Large." — "What Widett Might Have Been," by Steve Adams, Banker and Tradesman: "The real estate investor that controls Boston's Widett Circle once envisioned a 24 million-square-foot development spanning approximately 100 acres off Interstate 93, including a new Boston City Hall and 30-acre central park. The MBTA's December decision to seek to acquire Widett Circle for a new commuter rail storage yard appears to have squelched developer Able Co.'s larger vision for the industrial area."
| | | | A message from NextEra Energy:   | | | | | PLANES, TRAINS AND AUTOMOBILES | | — "Workers building the new Orange and Red Line cars in Springfield describe a toxic, error-prone factory," by Taylor Dolven, Boston Globe: "Nearly five years after the factory got up and running, only 90 of around 340 cars that were supposed to have been delivered by now are in the hands of the MBTA, and even fewer are carrying passengers. A battery explosion, derailment, loose brake bolts, and electrical arcing have forced the T to repeatedly pull the new cars out of service and rely on faulty old cars that were supposed to be retired decades ago. … Cars with missing parts are advanced along the assembly line without the correct paperwork and thus no way to track errors; employees bored to tears pretend to work and watch movies for months while waiting on parts to arrive as suppliers go unpaid; and workers mostly stay silent, fearing retaliation for raising concerns." — "Senators Elizabeth Warren, Ed Markey outline 'repeated failures' in MBTA oversight," by Gayla Cawley, Boston Herald.
| | PARTY POLITICS | | — "Cruz calls for new Mass GOP leadership after bad Nov. showing," by Matthew Medsger, Boston Herald: "An endangered political species once commonly seen in Massachusetts took to the airwaves this weekend where he explained how he's managed to survive as a Republican in the state and what needs to happen for the party to grow in the future. 'We need to make sure we have, I believe, new leadership,' Plymouth County District Attorney Tim Cruz said of the MassGOP. 'Because you can't fire the team, that means you gotta get rid of the manager, and we need to make sure we're going in that direction.'" Watch Part One and Part Two of Cruz's interview on WCVB's "On the Record."
| | IT'S NOT EASY BEING GREEN | | — "Despite delays, Hydro-Quebec still ready to honor its Mass. contract," by Bruce Mohl, CommonWealth Magazine: "It's been 3 ½ years since Massachusetts utilities negotiated a massive power purchase agreement with Hydro-Quebec, and the electricity still isn't close to flowing because of repeated delays in building a transmission line from the Canadian border down through Maine. Hydro-Quebec officials say they are ready to deliver the power as soon as the transmission line is completed, but an upcoming change in administration at the Quebec-owned company and competing interests within the province itself are raising questions about the province's ability to deliver down the line."
| | | | DOWNLOAD THE POLITICO MOBILE APP: Stay up to speed with the newly updated POLITICO mobile app, featuring timely political news, insights and analysis from the best journalists in the business. The sleek and navigable design offers a convenient way to access POLITICO's scoops and groundbreaking reporting. Don't miss out on the app you can rely on for the news you need, reimagined. DOWNLOAD FOR iOS– DOWNLOAD FOR ANDROID. | | | | | | | MARIJUANA IN MASSACHUSETTS | | — "Welcome to the cannabis crunch: Mass. marijuana industry braces for turbulent 2023," by Dan Adams, Boston Globe: "The Massachusetts marijuana industry is on the verge of an impressive milestone: $4 billion in revenue since recreational sales began in November 2018, a total that has also netted state and local governments hundreds of millions of dollars in taxes. But when the state surpasses that mark — likely in the next month or so — there may not be much celebration from its roughly 250 cannabis stores." — More from Adams: "Mass. marijuana official says RMV 'put politics over our youth' in adopting stoned driving curriculum," by Dan Adams, Boston Globe.
| | FROM THE 413 | | — "Westfield Sen. John Velis denounces IG findings at Chelsea Soldiers' Home, vows advocacy for veterans and staff," by Stephanie Barry, Springfield Republican: "State Sen. John Velis, D-Westfield, joined the chorus of outraged veterans' advocates following a scathing letter from the state Inspector General's Office to leaders of the Chelsea Soldiers' Home, painting the facility as nightmarish for residents and staff. … Velis, a staunch advocate for the Holyoke [Soldiers' Home] in the wake of the pandemic, said he plans to travel to Chelsea [this] week to meet with veterans and staff individually."
| | THE LOCAL ANGLE | | — "New Bedford mayor says re-election bid is up in the air," by Tim White, WPRI: "New Bedford Mayor Jon Mitchell isn't ready to throw his hat back into the ring just yet. Mitchell — a Democrat who was first elected in 2011 — is up for reelection in the fall, but said he has not made up his mind on whether he wants to seek another four-year term. 'I can tell you I have not decided yet,' Mitchell said during a taping of WPRI 12's Newsmakers." — "Financially troubled Bay State College to lose accreditation this summer; 'heartbroken' officials plan to appeal," by Benjamin Kail, Boston Business Journal: "The New England Commission on Higher Education decided to withdraw the accreditation after a 'show cause' hearing last Thursday, which was called in December days after a string of layoffs and a visit to the college by NECHE staff in late November." — "Dartmouth officials assail state's 'corrupted' septic regulation process," by Grace Ferguson, New Bedford Light: "New state regulations targeting septic systems are designed to burden towns with the cost of reducing nitrogen pollution, Dartmouth officials say. 'This is the most rotten and corrupted process of government I have ever seen in Massachusetts,' said Dartmouth Health Director Chris Michaud." — "Ban or adapt AI? Worcester schools and colleges debate ChatGPT implications," by Jeff A. Chamer, Telegram & Gazette: "The use of artificial intelligence such as ChatGPT, by college students in Worcester to complete assignments has sparked debates about academic integrity and the potential for cheating and plagiarism. While some educators have concerns about the use of AI tools like ChatGPT in the classroom, others believe it has the potential to enhance the learning experience and improve student outcomes. Given the correct inputs, ChatGPT can produce artificial work that is, sometimes, indistinguishable from original work, such as the first two sentences of this article." — "Protesters interrupt Lynn MLK breakfast," by Anthony Cammalleri, ItemLive: "Around 20 Lynn Racial Justice Coalition activists surprised Mayor Jared Nicholson and members of the city council with an unexpected protest against the city's plan to include Eliot Community Human Services in its mental health response plan Monday morning."
| | MEDIA MATTERS | | — BAHSTIN (BAWSTIN?) STRONG: WWLP State House reporter Ellen Fleming went viral last week for posting an outtake of her saying "New Hampsha" while recording a piece on some legislative goings-on. Her pronunciation earned an endorsement from New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu and write-ups from the Boston Globe to Today.com. And it's not even the first time she's gone viral. Normalize regional accents in local reporting!
| | A message from NextEra Energy: NextEra Energy is the first company committed to reaching Real Zero™, as in 100% clean energy. We're not just offsetting carbon emissions — we're eliminating them. | | | | | HEARD 'ROUND THE BUBBLAH | | HAPPY BIRTHDAY — to Shane Cardillo of Hamilton Lane. Happy belated birthday to Boston Mayor Michelle Wu, who turned 38 on Saturday. We swear we won't miss it (again) next year! Want to make an impact? POLITICO Massachusetts has a variety of solutions available for partners looking to reach and activate the most influential people in the Bay State. Have a petition you want signed? A cause you're promoting? Seeking to increase brand awareness among this key audience? Share your message with our influential readers to foster engagement and drive action. Contact Jesse Shapiro to find out how: jshapiro@politico.com. | | | | Follow us on Twitter | | | | Subscribe to the POLITICO Playbook family Playbook | Playbook PM | California Playbook | Florida Playbook | Illinois Playbook | Massachusetts Playbook | New Jersey Playbook | New York Playbook | Ottawa Playbook | Brussels Playbook | London Playbook View all our politics and policy newsletters | | Follow us | | | | |
Comments
Post a Comment