News: Baker’s legislative bucket list

Tuesday, May 17, 2022

Baker’s legislative bucket list

May 17, 2022

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EXCLUSIVE: BAKER MAKES HIS CASE — Soaring gas prices have Gov. Charlie Baker saying it's time to talk about a gas tax holiday along with his $700 million tax relief plan.

"People have suspended gas tax collections with very little impact on their bond rating or anything else, but it certainly had an impact on the price of gas at the pump," the Republican governor told Playbook in an interview. "Yeah, I think we should be talking about it."

Top Democrats on Beacon Hill have repeatedly rejected the idea. They argue that temporarily shutting off that revenue stream could hurt the state's bond rating — even though a top rating agency said it was "unlikely to lead to rating changes" and Democrats are the ones pushing gas tax holidays in neighboring states.

Here it's Republicans lawmakers who are trying, again, to suspend the gas tax, this time through amendments to the Senate budget. They're also pushing elements of Baker's tax relief proposal, including raising the estate tax threshold to $2 million and slashing the short-term capital gains tax rate, though Democratic leaders in both chambers have said a potential tax break package won't come until after the budget.

Baker wants to see that legislation "moving sooner rather than later" to avoid the typical end-of-session flurry of bills. He told Playbook there have been "staff-level conversations" between the branches on tax relief.

"For a lot of people who are hurting out there — and we're talking millions of people in Massachusetts — it would be a welcome sort of signal to them that we understand what they're going through and are trying to help them," Baker said.

Inflation hangs over other elements of Baker's lengthy final-year agenda — particularly his $3.5 billion economic development bill. He hopes lawmakers will "go big" on the typical end-of-session legislation as inflation and supply chain woes drive up project costs and deadlines to spend federal funding loom.

"This is literally the first time I've gone through this exercise since I've been governor, where you actually have to bake sort of a 5 to 6 to 8 percent annual increase in the cost of everything into your assumptions about how much [a project] costs," Baker said. "This is a real challenge for all of us, and I want to make sure we get the maximum value for the dollars."

While some of Baker's proposals are chugging along — the House is now advancing its version of the governor's $9.7 billion infrastructure bond bill — others face less certain futures with less than three months left in the session. Lawmakers gave themselves until June 30 to make a recommendation on Baker's thrice-filed bill to revamp the state's criminal dangerousness law. And the former health care executive would like to finally get his health care reform package, which includes more investments in behavioral health and primary care, over the finish line.

"I do know that there is a conceptual sort of sympathy slash support for that in both branches," Baker said. "But I don't know at this point in time whether or not that will be able to survive the crush."

GOOD TUESDAY MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS. Rep. Jake Auchincloss is endorsing state Attorney General Maura Healey for governor.

"She's campaigning to win at the kitchen table, not on Twitter," Auchincloss told Playbook exclusively, praising Healey's focus on the economy and pocketbook issues.

Auchincloss sees in Healey "the same commitment and focus on economic issues that directly affect the day-to-day lives of our constituents" that he sees from the state's current governor. It's a noteworthy comparison as Healey tries to win over Baker voters — a group that includes Auchincloss, who was even briefly a Republican while working on Baker's 2014 campaign.

Healey's now snagged endorsements from two of the 11 congressional delegation members in the past week. And more big names are likely to come in the run-up to the state party's nominating convention, which is now less than three weeks away.

TODAY — Baker and Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito attend the ribbon cutting for Vertex's Jeffery Leiden Center at 12:30 p.m. Baker attends and is honored at the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce's annual meeting at 6 p.m. at the BCEC; governor candidate Chris Doughty also attends. Polito speaks at The Ellen Story Commission on Postpartum Depression's virtual perinatal mental health awareness day at 10 a.m. Governor hopeful and state Sen. Sonia Chang-Díaz meets with elected officials and small business owners in Lawrence beginning at 11:30 a.m. Governor hopeful Geoff Diehl launches his "Parents for Diehl Coalition" with a 5 p.m. rally in Billerica.

Tips? Scoops? Worried I'm going to forget your birthday? Email me: lkashinsky@politico.com.

A message from PhRMA:

Thousands of scientists in Massachusetts are creating ground-breaking treatments to fight everything from the common cold to cancer. Gov. Charlie Baker's bill would let the government set prices on medications, limiting the amount of research scientists can do to create cures. More importantly, it might make some medications harder to get. Gov. Baker: let the scientists do their jobs, don't discriminate against patients, and stop threatening access to medications. Go to SupportMassCures.com to learn more.

BALLOT BATTLES

— FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: Sen. Ed Markey is endorsing the so-called millionaires tax that will appear on the ballot this November.

"With a fair share tax on the wealthiest 1 percent, we can address growing income inequality and rebuild from this pandemic with stronger schools and improved roads, bridges and public transit," Markey says in a video announcing his support for the proposal dubbed the Fair Share Amendment. "That's what the fair share ballot measure is all about — fairness."

The constitutional amendment would create a 4 percent surtax on annual income over $1 million and earmark that additional revenue for education and transportation projects. The language of the ballot question is being challenged in court.

THE LATEST NUMBERS

— "Massachusetts COVID cases jump 25% over the weekend, doctors urge caution as infections rise," by Rick Sobey, Boston Herald: "The state Department of Public Health reported a daily average of 3,596 COVID cases over the weekend, which was up 25% from the daily rate of 2,875 infections during the previous weekend. The daily rate of 3,596 cases is the highest weekend average since late January."

— "Boston-area COVID wastewater spikes to January levels: 'We are in the throes of a new wave'," by Rick Sobey, Boston Herald: "On the Boston COVID wastewater tracker, a recent daily sample from the south-of-Boston region was the highest single-day count since Jan. 22. Also, a daily sample from north of the city was that region's highest count since Jan. 19."

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.

DATELINE BEACON HILL

— CHALLENGE ACCEPTED: Gov. Charlie Baker, Rep. Richard Neal, UMass President Marty Meehan and MassBio CEO Joe Boncore gathered at the UMass Club yesterday with top politicians and higher education and life sciences officials, including Sen. Ed Markey, Rep. Jake Auchincloss and state House Speaker Ron Mariano, to start plotting their bid to make Massachusetts the headquarters for the Biden administration's new biomedical research agency, ARPA-H.

The Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health, which is modeled after the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, is designed to "support leading edge research in medical science, physical sciences and computational sciences," Baker told Playbook. "There's really no place else in the country that has a really deep bench in all three of those areas than Massachusetts."

The competition could be fierce. States are already readying bids. Auchincloss told Playbook "we've got members of Congress of both parties who are going to be maneuvering for their states." While Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra will be the "primary decision maker," Auchincloss said, the White House is "another locus where we need to have influence."

— "Committee Bulks Up Baker's Infrastructure Bill," by Chris Lisinski, State House News Service (paywall): "The $9.75 billion infrastructure bond bill that cleared the Transportation Committee does not include any language creating a new rail authority to oversee a passenger train extension to western Massachusetts, bucking a prediction Congressman Richard Neal made last month when he and state officials announced a historic agreement to advance the project. Lawmakers on the panel packed $47 million in additional spending on top of the bottom line in the bill Gov. Charlie Baker filed (H 4561), calling for increased investments in regional transit authorities and $25 million in grants aimed at reducing roadway congestion by promoting carpooling and running shuttles."

— "With Massachusetts Senate unionization push in limbo, here's what chiefs of staff earn on Beacon Hill," by Alison Kuznitz, MassLive: "During the $49.68 billion budget unveil last week, Senate President Karen Spilka said staffers would be eligible for health insurance at the start of their employment, rather than waiting several weeks — should the provision be approved in formal debates beginning May 24. ... But the gesture from Spilka, who has described herself as a 'champion of organized labor,' falls short of tackling salary inequities, which is at the crux of the unionization push."

— "Baker Hosting Guvs For NGA Computer Science Talks," by Colin A. Young, State House News Service (paywall): "Gov. Charlie Baker will play host later this week to a handful of his colleagues as a bipartisan group of governors huddle in Boston to talk about strategies to bolster K-12 computer science education. Thursday's event at the Hotel Commonwealth is the latest roundtable in National Governors Association Chairman Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson's 2021-2022 chairman's initiative and will feature Hutchinson, Baker, NGA Vice Chairman New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy, Delaware Gov. John Carney, New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu, North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper and Vermont Gov. Phil Scott."

— "Rep. Haddad is star of energy documentary," by Bruce Mohl, CommonWealth Magazine: "Rep. Patricia Haddad of Somerset, long a powerful figure in the Massachusetts House, is now also the star of a new documentary written, directed, and produced by California-based filmmaker Kiki Goshay about America's love affair with energy."

MASK-ACHUSETTS

— "COVID 'is still with us': Mass. Medical Society urges caution amid rising cases," by Susannah Sudborough, Boston.com: "[Dr. Carole Allen, president of the Massachusetts Medical Society, said in a statement Monday] that people at high risk for serious COVID-19-related illness limit their exposure to others, and for everyone to wear a mask if gathering indoors or in large groups."

— "Wu not planning to reinstate mask mandate in Boston despite uptick in COVID cases," by Saraya Wintersmith, GBH News: "Boston Mayor Michelle Wu said Monday the city would make no immediate changes to its current policy of recommending masks indoors despite an uptick in COVID-19 cases. … Wu's comments come as other municipalities have just begun urging residents to wear masks while indoors amid rising COVID-19 cases."

A message from PhRMA:

FROM THE HUB

— "Dianne Wilkerson left Beacon Hill under a cloud of disgrace. Now, she's asking voters for another shot," by Danny McDonald, Boston Globe: "Wilkerson left the state Senate more than a decade ago under the cloud of wrongdoing that led to a federal prison sentence and dealt what many thought would be a death blow to a once promising political career. Now, years after she was caught slipping cash into her bra as part of an explosive bribery scandal, she wants voters of the Second Suffolk state senate district to send her to Beacon Hill again. … 'I don't have any secrets in the closet,' she said. 'My clothes are hanging in the middle of Blue Hill Avenue for everyone to see.'"

— "Boston superintendent search yields 31 applicants," by James Vaznis, Boston Globe: "A panel charged with finding a new superintendent for the Boston Public Schools received 31 applications for the job, city officials said on Monday, but didn't provide any background information about the candidates."

— "Boston Public Schools need state help, policy group tells Wu," by Matthew Medsger, Boston Herald: "Instead of full receivership, which has been suggested for the BPS by the Institute before, [Pioneer Institute Executive Director Jim] Stergios says his group's new proposal is time-limited and more strategic."

— "Staff shortage at Greater Boston Food Bank impacting hundreds of food banks statewide," by Louisa Moller, CBS Boston: "A shortage of staff at the Greater Boston Food Bank is causing food supply issues at the hundreds of food banks across Massachusetts that GBFB serves. Staff at Hebron Food Pantry in Attleboro say their food supplies from GBFB have decreased by 1,500 pounds in the last month. That is nearly a 20% decrease."

— NEW LIST JUST DROPPED: The Boston Globe is out with its inaugural list of the top 50 people influencing the technology industry in Massachusetts.

ON THE STUMP

— FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: CWA Local 201, a Lynn-based union that represents about 1,500 workers, has endorsed Shannon Liss-Riordan for attorney general, per her campaign.

— LISTEN: State Sen. Sonia Chang-Díaz discusses the policy differences between herself and Democratic gubernatorial rival state Attorney General Maura Healey, including fare-free transit and single-payer health care, with Josh Landes on WAMC.

— SIGNATURE MOVES: Bret Bero's campaign says he's hit the 10,000-signature threshold to make the ballot for lieutenant governor. Andrea Campbell will submit her signatures for attorney general to the secretary of state's office at 10 a.m. Anthony Amore will deliver his nomination papers for state auditor to the secretary of state's office at 12:30 p.m.

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PLANES, TRAINS AND AUTOMOBILES

— "MBTA unveils redesign of its bus system," by Bruce Mohl, CommonWealth Magazine: "After going nearly five decades without making any major changes to the MBTA's bus route system, the transit authority on Monday unveiled a preliminary redesign that is expected to provide more service more frequently on more routes. The new system, after going through a public review and some possible tweaking, over the remainder of this year, will start phasing in next spring or summer and be fully operational five years later. The extra cost of the expansion at full buildout is expected to be $90 million a year."

— "Repair vehicles derailed 3 times during Blue Line work," by Bruce Mohl, CommonWealth Magazine: "MBTA General Manager Steve Poftak said on Monday that a tool cart being used to lay 1,8900 feet of new track on the Blue Line derailed three times, not the one time cited by T officials last week in announcing a second delay in reopening the subway service."

— "Federal Transit Administration report on MBTA safety could surface later this summer," by Chris Van Buskirk, MassLive: "A Federal Transit Administration report on safety at the MBTA could surface sometime later this summer, the agency's chief safety officer told a group of MBTA leadership officials Monday morning."

DAY IN COURT

— "SJC Strikes State's Application Of Capital Gains Tax," by Colin A. Young, State House News Service (paywall): "The Supreme Judicial Court ruled Monday that the Baker administration erred when it taxed the gain that an out-of-state company realized when it sold its interest in a Massachusetts-based company, ruling in a closely-watched case that could have drastically changed how capital gains taxes are applied."

THE LOWELL CONNECTOR

— "Lowell assistant city manager to step down Friday," by Alana Melanson, Lowell Sun: "As the exodus of former City Manager Eileen Donoghue's administration continues, Assistant City Manager Kara Keefe Mullin is the next to depart. … Keefe Mullin has accepted a position within the state Office of Travel and Tourism."

FROM THE 413

— "A resident is suing to force Williamstown to move its annual town meeting to a larger venue because of COVID concerns," by Scott Stafford, Berkshire Eagle: "With COVID cases again surging across the Berkshires, a resident is taking legal action to try to prevent the town from convening the scheduled annual town meeting on Tuesday night at Williamstown Elementary School."

A message from PhRMA:

Massachusetts is a booming biotech ecosystem. Its scientists and researchers are developing ground-breaking treatments to fight everything from the common cold to cancer.

Gov. Charlie Baker's bill imposes government prices on medications, which would then limit the amount of research scientists can do to create lifesaving treatments. By setting medication prices, it also means politicians decide which patients and diseases are more important than others.

State bureaucrats should not be playing doctor. When the government imposes artificial prices from the top-down, some patients can lose access to their medications. Seniors, the disabled, and the chronically ill are most vulnerable to these policies.

Gov. Baker: let the scientists and doctors do their jobs, don't discriminate against patients, and stop threatening access to medications. Go to SupportMassCures.com to learn more.

THE LOCAL ANGLE

— "Brookline schools to reopen Tuesday after district, teachers union reach tentative agreement," by Carrie Jung, WBUR: "Public schools in Brookline are reopening Tuesday after the Brookline Educators Union and the school committee reached a tentative agreement for a new contract. Negotiations on Monday lasted more than 12 hours and ended just after 4 a.m. Tuesday."

— "Across Massachusetts, shrouded corporations are scooping up single-family homes," by Jenifer B. McKim, GBH News: "In 2021, business entities purchased nearly 6,600 single-family homes across the state, more than 9 percent of all single-family homes sold. That's nearly double the rate of such purchases a decade ago, according to a GBH News analysis of data provided by the Warren Group, a real estate data analysis firm."

— "Healthcare industry leaders take a 'dollars and cents' approach to tackling racial disparities in care," by Tori Bedford, GBH News: "A study commissioned by the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts Foundation aims to determine the financial impact of racial disparities in care, a crisis exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic."

— "Cape Cod's lack of abortion services dates from 2008, and forces longer travel times, advocates say," by Cynthia McCormick, Cape Cod Times: "While women in Massachusetts will maintain the right to an abortion whether or not the U.S. Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade, residents of the Cape and Islands have faced geographic obstacles to pregnancy termination services for years. 'The nearest access to abortion care is over 90 miles away,' state Sen. Julian Cyr, D-Truro, said."

— "'Motherhood mobilization': Mass. woman starts Free Formula Exchange," by Marta Hill, Boston.com.

— "MGC releases April gaming revenue numbers," by Amy Phillips, WWLP.

SPOTTED — Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) posing for a picture with GOP governor hopeful Chris Doughty in Massachusetts over the weekend.

TRANSITIONS — WWLP's Jodi Reed is now Bristol County Bureau Chief for NBC10 in Providence (and congrats to Reed on her engagement).

— GBH News' senior investigative reporter Jenifer McKim is now deputy investigative editor.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY — to Ralph Neas. Happy belated birthday to former Boston Acting Mayor Kim Janey and to Kayla Scire, who both celebrated Monday.

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