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TOPDEMOCRATS NEED TO REGROUP ON TAXES
6/18/18 4:38 PM
No longer a political safety net, the death of the "millionaire's tax" ballot question on Monday could put Beacon Hill Democrats in the hot seat leading into this year's elections to either scale back their ambitious spending promises or produce an alternative tax plan. Read More
LATEST STRAUS: RAIL LINK INFO SHOWS PROJECT "EXPENSIVE AND UNNECESSARY"
6/18/18 7:20 PM
A new projection of what it would take to build an underground rail link between North and South stations bolsters the argument against the project, according to Rep. William Straus, House chairman of the Transportation Committee. Read More
INSURER RESERVES AN ISSUE IN HOUSE ASSESSMENT DEBATE
6/18/18 5:17 PM
Bay State health insurers would be on the hook for $330 million in new assessments to help prop up struggling community hospitals, under a House bill to be debated this week, but one top House Democrat said the House will continue to review its numbers to make sure they don't start a "downward spiral." Read More
REAX: POLICY, POLITICS WORLD DIGESTS SJC'S SURTAX SPURN
6/18/18 5:05 PM
Reaction continued Monday afternoon as policymakers and advocacy groups came to terms with the Supreme Judicial Court's 5-2 decision derailing the constitutional amendment calling for an income surtax on annual household income greater than $1 million. Read More
TEN-DOLLAR FEES PART OF $8.5 MILLION MBTA PARKING $$$ PLAN
6/18/18 5:00 PM
Drivers who park and ride from MBTA facilities during the work week will pay steeper prices at the more popular garages but could receive discounts at underused lots, under a policy adopted by the MBTA control board that will go into effect Aug. 1. Read More
MBTA JACKING UP PARKING TO $10 AT THREE GARAGES
6/18/18 3:48 PM
[Developing] Drivers who leave their cars in MBTA parking facilities during the work week will pay steeper prices at the more popular garages but could receive discounts at underused lots, under a policy adopted by the MBTA control board that will go into effect Aug. 1. Read More
NURSE STAFFING BALLOT QUESTION SURVIVES COURT CHALLENGE
6/18/18 3:17 PM
The initiative petition seeking to impose limits on the number of patients a nurse can be assigned to care for at a time can go to voters on the November ballot, the Supreme Judicial Court ruled Monday. Read More
SENATE SESSION - MONDAY, JUNE 18, 2018
6/18/18 1:21 PM
The Senate on Monday teed up a bill allowing individuals to designate their gender as "X" instead of male or female on driver's license and state ID card applications. The Ways and Means rewrite of a Sen. Karen Spilka-Patricia Jehlen bill is slated for consideration Thursday in addition to legislation already queued up relative to flame retardants, ivory trafficking, and unemployment insurance administration. Read More
WINNERS AND LOSERS IN SJC'S HISTORIC TAX RULING
6/18/18 11:54 AM
The Democrat-controlled Legislature's plans to use an income surtax to boost education and transportation spending went up in smoke Monday morning, and will force Beacon Hill leaders and candidates to go back to the drawing board. Read More
NURSE STAFFING INITIATIVE PETITION SURVIVES COURT CHALLENGE
6/18/18 10:58 AM
The Supreme Judicial Court ruled Monday that the initiative petition seeking to impose limits on the number of patients a nurse can be assigned to care for at a time can go to voters on the November ballot. Read More
SJC DERAILS INCOME SURTAX, CITES MULTIPLE SUBJECTS
6/18/18 10:39 AM
The state's high court on Monday struck a proposed $2 billion income surtax from November's ballot, ruling the question improperly mixes two different spending priorities and a major change in tax policy. The decision means voters will not decide one of the biggest state tax policy questions in decades - whether to stray from the uniform income tax rate and begin assessing a higher tax rate on people with the largest annual incomes. Read More
A judgement will be entered declaring Attorney General Maura Healey's certification of the petition "not in compliance" with the Constitution. [Photo: Sam Doran/File/SHNS] | Hi-Res
TRANSPO CHAIR SEES SURTAX RULING AS "LOSS FOR THE COMMONWEALTH"
6/18/18 5:12 PM
The state's high court on Monday struck a proposed $2 billion income surtax from November's ballot, ruling the question could pose a "conundrum" for voters by improperly asking them to make one decision on two distinct spending priorities and a major tax policy shift. Read More
Sen. Joseph Boncore said the SJC's decision is "certainly a loss for the commonwealth, the future of the commonwealth's transportation systems." [Photo: Sam Doran/SHNS] | Hi-Res
NORTH-SOUTH RAIL LINK COST ESTIMATE: AT LEAST $12.3 BILLION
6/18/18 1:48 PM
The cheapest version of a rail link between North and South station would run about $12.3 billion, and a more extensive version could cost about $21.5 billion, according to a draft study by the MBTA. Read More
REAX: FROM OUTRAGE TO JUBILATION AS SJC SWATS DOWN INCOME SURTAX
6/18/18 1:37 PM
Reaction was swift Monday morning to the Supreme Judicial Court's 5-2 decision derailing the constitutional amendment calling for an income surtax on annual household income greater than $1 million. Read More
IN REVERSAL, BAKER NOT SENDING FLIGHT CREW TO SOUTHERN BORDER
6/18/18 1:16 PM
In a sudden reversal, Gov. Charlie Baker's administration on Monday canceled its plan to send Massachusetts National Guard members and equipment to the southwestern U.S. border in light of the federal government's "inhumane" practice of separating undocumented children from their families, the governor's office said. Read More
HOUSE SESSION – MONDAY, JUNE 18, 2018
6/18/18 11:50 AM
House members held a brief and lightly-attended public session Monday ahead of what was expected to be a well-attended private caucus of House Democrats to discuss a health care reform bill. After processing bills affecting local affairs in Westborough, Norwood (five alcohol licenses) and Lenox, the House adjourned until Tuesday at 11 a.m. Second Assistant Majority Leader Rep. Paul Donato said roll call votes will start at 1:30 p.m. on Tuesday. Monday's session unfolded as lawmakers were beginning to come to grips with the fact that a cornerstone of their approach to education and transportation funding -- a proposed income surtax on the wealthy -- has been tossed off the November ballot via a Supreme Judicial Court ruling that came down Monday morning. Read More
CANNABIS ASSOCIATION CONVENING FORUM AS IT SEEKS TO BUILD POSITIVE IMAGE
6/18/18 8:00 AM
The sale of retail marijuana in Massachusetts is no longer a debate. It's an industry. So where's the industry association? Well, in the Mass. Continuing Education Center on Winter Place, as it turns out, on Wednesday morning. Read More
Friday, June 15, 2018
ADVANCES - WEEK OF JUNE 17, 2018
6/15/18 5:57 PM
The week ahead is shaping up as a potential Wonk World Cup: diversity, drama, dates with destiny. Health care, taxes and transportation are atop the agenda. Read More
HOUSE ASSESSMENTS AIM TO STABILIZE HOSPITALS AMID MARKET SHAKEUP
6/15/18 7:00 AM
The thrust of the House health care bill -- to stabilize the finances of lower-cost community hospitals by pouring money into their operations for the next three years -- may only be a stop-gap measure intended to put smaller providers back on their feet. What happens after that might be up to them. Read More
WEEKLY ROUNDUP – PRINCES OF THIEVES
6/15/18 5:44 PM
Spending money to make money may be a solid business strategy, but House Democrats are hoping that by spending money, they might actually be able to save money ... in health care. Read More
Activists marched inside the State House this week, contributing to four days of lobbying efforts around raising the minimum wage. [Photo: Sam Doran/SHNS] | Hi-Res
