News: An October surprise on Beacon Hill

Thursday, October 27, 2022

An October surprise on Beacon Hill

Oct 27, 2022

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IT'S ALIVE — It's no longer a question of if the Legislature's long-stalled economic development bill will move before the end of the year, but when — at least according to House Ways and Means Chair Aaron Michlewitz.

Lawmakers shelved the $4 billion legislation at the end of formal sessions amid concerns about whether the state could afford to foot that bill on top of returning $3 billion to taxpayers after triggering a 1980s tax-cap law. Leadership has provided few updates since.

But Michlewitz now says he's "confident" the bill will reach Gov. Charlie Baker's desk "before the end of session." The "if" is not the question, he told Playbook, "it's the when and what's in it that we are still working on."

That raises more questions than it answers. Here's one thing we can probably take off the table: The bill includes bonding authorizations that lawmakers would need to approve in formal-session roll-call votes, and Democratic leadership has shown no interest in hauling legislators back in for those.

But that leaves tax relief. The $4 billion legislation was poised to include $500 million in one-time rebates for middle-income earners and $500 million in tax breaks for renters, seniors, parents and caretakers, as well as changes to the state's estate tax.

Both Baker and Senate President Karen Spilka say the state can afford the $3 billion in Chapter 62F tax rebates soon heading out the door plus the $4 billion economic development bill. House leadership isn't so sure.

And it turns out neither is the state's largest teachers union. The Massachusetts Teachers Association sent a letter to House and Senate leadership in late September, obtained by Playbook, which implores lawmakers to "pause consideration of further tax cuts — either temporary or permanent — until the next legislative session" given the economic uncertainties that "could lead to a challenging fiscal situation next year."

"The loudest voices on this subject are not considering the extraordinary level of tax relief" already being dispensed under Chapter 62F, Eric Nakajima, MTA's director of government relations, wrote in the letter. To further help union members and their families struggling with rising costs, Nakajima wrote that "it would be far better to include in the economic development bill support for home heating, utilities and food insecurity." MTA, Spilka and Michlewitz all declined comment on the letter. House Speaker Ron Mariano didn't respond.

MTA also urged lawmakers to consider tweaking 62F next session so funds could be returned "in a more progressive manner" if the voter-passed tax-cap law is triggered again. A handful of progressive Democrats filed a bill to cap rebates at $6,500 and redistribute the excess to lower-income earners, but Mariano previously told reporters any changes to the law are unlikely to happen until next session.

GOOD THURSDAY MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS. I'm off to soak up some sunlight. But you can email me at lkashinsky@politico.com .

TODAY — AG Maura Healey is on GBH's "Boston Public Radio" at 11 a.m; Baker joins the show at 12:30 p.m. Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito speaks at the National Housing Conference's National Advisory Council Meeting in D.C. at 1 p.m. Rep. Richard Neal makes a federal funding announcement at 10 a.m. at Mount Holyoke College. Wu is at the Richard J. Murphy School in Dorchester at 10 a.m. and attends MGH's patient tower groundbreaking event at 3 p.m. Sen. Ed Markey and Rep. Lori Trahan announce federal funding for a clean drinking water project at 11 a.m. at UMass Lowell. Rep. Jim McGovern visits the New England Botanic Garden at 4:30 p.m.

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WU TRAIN

— DIFFICULT INTERSECTIONS: Boston Mayor Michelle Wu is playing the long game when it comes to securing more state aid for the troubled Massachusetts Avenue and Melnea Cass Boulevard corridor.

Wu's recent requests for the state to help build 1,000 units of low-threshold , supportive housing for people struggling with homelessness and substance use prompted a sharp rebuke from Health and Human Services Secretary Marylou Sudders on Wednesday, who said it's the city's responsibility to do more.

The Baker administration's top health official sent Wu a letter highlighting the $40 million the state has already invested in addressing the twin issues at Mass and Cass and $20 million for additional regional low-threshold housing that's still tied up in the Legislature. Sudders also urged Wu to "pursue criminal investigations and community policing efforts" to try and root out the "individuals preying upon vulnerable people" in what's essentially an open-air drug market.

Wu, in response, said she's "grateful" for the state's partnership in setting up 192 units of low-threshold, supportive housing across six sites in Boston. But, she added in her Wednesday evening statement , there are more than 150 people on the waitlist for housing. "No one is doing enough," Wu said. "We look forward to being the strongest partner now and in the next chapter of state leadership taking this on and scaling up what we have seen works and saves lives."

That last line is the key. Wu is seeking help now. But she's also very publicly setting expectations for the next governor when it comes to aid for Mass and Cass. That responsibility will likely fall to Democrat Maura Healey , who Wu endorsed but has rarely appeared with publicly since. The two will, however, be together at Healey's election night soiree at the Fairmont Copley.

Boston.com asked both gubernatorial hopefuls as part of lengthy questionnaires if they would seek to decentralize recovery services if elected. Healey responded with calls for a "multidisciplinary approach" and more funding. Geoff Diehl said recovery services need "to be placed in the suburbs and not just in cities ." WBUR's Deborah Becker has more on the Wu and Baker administrations' back and forth.

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DATELINE BEACON HILL

— "Baker recommends pardons of four people," by Jenifer B. McKim, GBH News: "Gov. Charlie Baker announced pardons of four people on Wednesday, including two immigrants hoping to gain legal residency status in the United States and Canada. The four had been sentenced to a variety of crimes, including drug distribution and breaking and entering. This is the second time this month — and only the second during his time as governor — that Baker announced actions to forgive people of their criminal offenses."

— "Massachusetts could hit $70M annual jackpot for sports betting revenue," by Gayla Cawley, Boston Herald: "The Bay State is expected to rake in at least $70 million from gaming licenses, and another $70 million per year in revenue once sports betting begins, lawmakers said. Those who took part in Wednesday's panel discussion at Suffolk University said it was important to capture that additional revenue, particularly since every state around Massachusetts, except for Vermont, already benefits from legalized sports betting profits."

FROM THE HUB

— "After backlash, Boston councilor shifts course on 'Hijab Day' resolution," by Katie Lannan, GBH News: "The Boston City Council on Wednesday agreed to mark an official 'Day of Woman, Life and Freedom' in connection with ongoing women's rights protests in Iran, shifting after international pushback to [Councilor Tania Fernandes Anderson]'s original proposal to recognize women's right to self-expression via a citywide Hijab Day."

— "Boston City Council pushes off redistricting vote in light of open-meeting law complaint," by Sean Philip Cotter, Boston Herald: "The Boston City Council will wait another week to vote on redistricting after an open-meeting complaint from South Boston civic organizations pressed pause on the highly fraught process."

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YAHD SIGNS AND BUMPAH STICKAHS

— POLLING TIME: A new Harvard Institute of Politics poll shows voter turnout among 18-to-29-year-olds is expected to match or surpass that of previous high mark among the demographic from the 2018 midterms, my colleagues report . "Forty percent (40%) of young Americans report that they will 'definitely' vote in the upcoming midterms, matching the proportion of young Americans who said the same in the IOP's fall 2018 survey. The number of young Americans likely to vote has increased four percentage points since spring 2022 Harvard IOP polling — and is 14 points higher than 2014 and 13 points higher than 2010 fall benchmarks." See the full survey results

— "Baker-linked super PAC spends $100,000 on behalf of Amore," by Bruce Mohl, CommonWealth Magazine: "A super PAC with ties to Gov. Charlie Baker on Wednesday reported spending $100,000 on digital advertising on behalf of Anthony Amore, the Republican running for auditor against Democratic Sen. Diana DiZoglio. Baker has endorsed Amore and campaigned on his behalf, but this is the first time the Massachusetts Majority super PAC has weighed in in the race. The $100,000 appears to be the PAC's largest single expenditure ever."

— "A political ad cries foul about 'books with sex acts.' The TV station running it added a disclaimer," by Matt Stout, Boston Globe: "In a rarity, a Boston television station added a disclaimer to a political ad from a Republican candidate for secretary of state distancing itself from the spot, which includes images from an oft-targeted graphic novel and warns of children accessing 'books with sex acts.' The decision by WCVB to issue a warning about potentially 'offensive' content ahead of the 30-second spot from Rayla Campbell is unusual, according to advertising and media analysts, who said they have never heard of a station taking such a step. The ad includes images from the graphic novel 'Gender Queer: a Memoir' and a voiceover from Campbell, who is challenging Democratic incumbent William F. Galvin."

— "Massachusetts Labor Relations Department finds Attleboro mayor made 'coercive' comments," by Kate Robinson, WBSM: "In a move that Attleboro Mayor Paul Heroux called 'downright unethical' right before an election, the state's Department of Labor Relations this week released a decision finding that Heroux made 'coercive' comments about a city employee. Heroux is currently running a contentious race for Bristol County Sheriff against incumbent Thomas Hodgson. In the Oct. 24 decision , DLR Hearing Officer Gail Sorokoff wrote that Heroux violated state law protecting employees when he called firefighters union president Paul Jacques a liar, and when he 'made coercive comments' to the spouse of another employee."

In another twist in this contentious sheriff race, The Sun Chronicle reports that Heroux is off the campaign trail after he tested positive for Covid-19 on Monday . Heroux is now expected to participate in events via Zoom, including a forum hosted by South Coast community organizations and a WPRI-hosted debate Friday against Hodgson.

BALLOT BATTLES

— "'A love-hate relationship': In progressive Massachusetts, GOP immigration policies are on the ballot," by Samantha J. Gross, Boston Globe: "[T]ensions over national immigration policy are on display in Massachusetts once again, with voters in November slated to weigh in on a Republican-led effort to strip undocumented residents of their recently earned right to a driver's license. Meanwhile, the world watched as Martha's Vineyard opened its doors to asylum-seekers after the state was unexpectedly thrown into the national immigration debate by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who sent two planeloads of mostly Venezuelan asylum-seekers to the tony island. And on Wednesday, two South Shore towns scrambled to help more than 100 migrants and homeless people after the state relocated them to the area without advance notice. The push and pull reflects Massachusetts' checkered record on immigration policy as a state that lambasted some waves of immigration, such as the Irish in Boston, while later welcoming migrants to work in mill cities."

— Related: "More than 100 people in need of food, shelter arrive unannounced in Massachusetts town," by Shaun Chaiyabhat, WCVB.

— "Groups spar over biz impact of millionaires' tax," by Christian M. Wade, Eagle-Tribune: "On Wednesday, several business groups opposed to the ballot question held a live-streamed briefing where they talked about the potential impact on businesses from the proposed surtax. … But a coalition of groups backing the proposed surtax pushed back on those claims, trotting out a list of about 100 businesses they say support the amendment."

— "Carmakers say they can't obey the state's right-to-repair law," by Hiawatha Bray, Boston Globe: "The automotive right-to-repair law that won overwhelming approval from Massachusetts voters in a referendum nearly two years ago is still propped up on jacks in Boston federal court. And based on documents submitted to the court last week by two major automakers, it'll be there for quite a while. Cybersecurity executives for General Motors and Stellantis, the company that owns carmaker Chrysler, told the court that they've done nothing to prepare for complying with the law, because they can't."

FROM THE DELEGATION

— "Mass. delegation calls for better access to federal aid as state sees influx of immigrants," by Gabrielle Emanuel, WBUR: "The Massachusetts congressional delegation is calling on the Federal Emergency Management Agency to improve its Emergency Food and Shelter Program (EFSP) amid an influx of new immigrants, primarily from Haiti and South America. … According to the lawmakers' letter, a number of organizations assisting migrants in Massachusetts have found it difficult to access EFSP funds. Some local organizations and medical providers have been overwhelmed by a significant uptick in the number of new immigrants arriving and seeking refugee status. One organization said it had welcomed nearly 2,000 people between May and August."

— "Rep. Ayanna Pressley responds to rescinded letter she signed calling for Biden's direct talks with Russia," by Ross Cristantiello, Boston.com: "'While I had no control over or insight into the timing of the release of this letter, which was originally drafted much earlier this year, the timing and resulting confusion, given Republicans and others actively seeking to undermine the Ukrainian cause, is deeply unfortunate,' Pressley said in a statement to Boston.com."

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THE LOCAL ANGLE

— "LGBTQ prison abolition group split by racism accusations," by Shira Schoenberg, CommonWealth Magazine: "The advocacy group Black and Pink Massachusetts was formed to fight on behalf of some of the most marginalized and powerless people in society — gay, lesbian, and transgender people and those living with HIV who are incarcerated or were recently released from prison. For months, however, the group has been riled by allegations of racism within its leadership and questions about whether the group is itself marginalizing Black members. The internal battle has split the organization and the community that relies on it."

— "Worcester City Council deadlocks over Christopher Columbus statue," by Cyrus Moulton, Telegram & Gazette: "In a 5-5 vote of the City Council, a request to have a community discussion about the removal of the Christopher Columbus statue failed Tuesday night, after emotional testimony by members of the public and councilors."

— "Mass. agrees to pay NH $3.5M in Merrimack River property tax dispute settlement," by Tristan Smith, MassLive: "Massachusetts has agreed to pay about $3.5 million to New Hampshire to settle a yearslong dispute over lost property taxes caused by infrastructure in New Hampshire that helps to prevent Merrimack River flooding that primarily benefits Massachusetts, authorities said Wednesday."

MEANWHILE IN RHODE ISLAND

— "Jill Biden stumps for Magaziner, McKee to get out the vote in the homestretch," by Amy Russo, Antonia Noori Farzan and Linda Borg, Providence Journal: "First Lady Jill Biden logged a whirlwind visit to Rhode Island on Wednesday to campaign for Democrats facing tough competition in the general election — Seth Magaziner and Gov. Dan McKee."

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HEARD 'ROUND THE BUBBLAH

'MIDNIGHTS' MAYHEM CONTINUES — Market Basket grabbed headlines for its parody of Taylor Swift's new album. The Worcester Telegram & Gazette spotlighted the Shrewsbury native featured in her "Anti-Hero" music video. And now the Boston Globe informs us that *spoiler alert* the casket Swift emerges from in the "Anti-Hero" video is from a Methuen-based company that bills itself as the "Warby Parker" of caskets . It must be exhausting always trying to find a Massachusetts connection. Just kidding, it's not.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY — to Rep. Lori Trahan, Stephanie Knapp of the Barbara Lee Family Foundation and Cara Burke.

NEW HORSE RACE ALERT — State House News Service's Chris Lisinski tells hosts Jennifer Smith, Steve Koczela and Lisa Kashinsky about the legislative races to watch and what's waiting for lawmakers next session. The Dorchester Reporter's Gintautas Dumcius breaks down Boston's contentious redistricting process. Subscribe and listen on iTunes and SoundCloud .

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