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Friday, June 19, 2015
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What's up Friday
Four secretariats from Gov. Baker's administration share their priorities and vision for the Commonwealth's economic future at MassEcon's Annual Conference. The four secretariats are Jay Ash, Secretary of Housing and Economic Development; Matthew Beaton, Secretary of Energy and Environmental Affairs; Stephanie Neal-Johnson, Undersecretary & Chief Operating Officer of Labor & Workforce Development; and Stephanie Pollack, Secretary & Chief Executive Officer of the Department of Transportation... Don't miss the second annual Celebration of Summer honors Boston native Donna Summer with a free roller disco event at City Hall Plaza, 6 pm.... And don't forget to buy dad a tie... even if he doesn't wear ties.
The burden of being a "critical" state employee
We all became familiar with the idea of the "essential" state worker -- those who had to come to work during snowstorms, leaving the others with the logical label of non-essential and the butt of jokes. But now, with an early retirement incentive plan underway, there's a new criterion has made its way around state government: the "critical" worker. Those are the ones who may be eligible for the early retirement deal but have been classified as "critical" and thus are out of luck.
One such worker, a dedicated MASSterList reader and 34-year veteran of the MassDOT's Merit Rating Board named Donna Brennan, contacted me the other day looking for answers.
In two previous early retirement offerings, people at the Merit Rating Board were eligible, but not this time. Here's how Donna Brennan tells the story:
On, Friday, May 8, I filled out my ERIP papers and called the retirement board and GIC for the required counseling. I was prepared to submit my application on Tuesday. On Monday, May 11 at 4PM my office received a memorandum from the Registrar of Motor Vehicles informing us that all positions within the Merit Rating Board were considered "critical" thus making the Merit Rating Board ineligible to participate in the Early Retirement Incentive Program. I was shocked - my entire agency was blindsided by this news.
In fairness, the state couldn't just have the potential of 5,000 people randomly walk off the job. Some department and individuals had to be put off limits for the incentive, which adds either five years of tenure or age to the pension equation. But it is curious that the merit rating board, which maintains driver records, would receive a "critical" classification. As it turns out, fewer than 2,700 state workers took the state deal and Donna Brennan still wants the same offer other state workers received.
No shrinking violet, Brennan has appealed to several bureaucrats, and was told that because her position is funded by "assessed accounts," it and others like were deemed "critical." According to a spokesman at A&F, "assessed accounts" employees, those that receive funding from industry, were ruled out for the retirement incentives.
Brennan keeps pushing, noting that another agency that's funded by chargebacks was allowed to participate in the incentive. She called Gov. Baker on the "Ask the Governor" segment yesterday on WGBH radio to try to find out why she couldn't take the incentive. The governor said he'd look into it.
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The job numbers are booming - and here's a quick Mass Econ quiz
Yesterday's unemployment numbers continued the good news about the Massachusetts economy: 4.6 percent, the lowest number since 2007. And the numbers are even tighter in Boston and environs, where the unemployment rate is closer to 3.5 percent. But the Commonwealth has a ways to go before it reaches its all-time low. The question: What was the lowest unemployment rate on record, and in what year did it occur? (Answer below)
Here's more on the good numbers from the Boston Business Journal:http://tinyurl.com/q9szsqn
Charleston shooting and the local impact
Both the Globe and the Herald have extensive coverage and local reactions to the dreadful shootings in Charleston. Among the coverage, a column by the Herald's Jessica Heslam http://tinyurl.com/p264xxp and a story with reaction from local church leaders in the Globe. http://tinyurl.com/qg3z93j
Baker takes back confederate flag remark
When he realized he was on thin ice and it was quickly cracking beneath him, Charlie Baker took back his comments yesterday about the confederate flag. Jim Braude laid out a political landmine, and Charlie stepped on it. Here's the story from MassLive, via the AP. http://tinyurl.com/q2k982r
The Pope's plea on climate change
Much will be written on Pope Francis' encyclical on climate change and the need to protect the planet. Yesterday's take by Jack Sullivan in CommonWealth aptly captures how this pope is breaking the mold. http://tinyurl.com/nzyvd44
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Falling in love with slots all over again
The Boston Globe's Shirley Leung visits the soon-to-open Plainridge Park Casino and likes what she sees: "There's no smoking. The ceilings are high, and the space, I dare say, is airy. Earth-tone colors abound. In other words, tasteful by any standard." Look for the lovely photos embedded in the column. In other words, gambling, finally, will be here in Massachusetts and isn't it wonderful?http://tinyurl.com/nq4kwab
A tale of two headlines:
A little controversy is brewing over the sale of the ancient city-owned parking garage in Winthrop Square in the Financial District. The city council must approve the deal, and some people think the city is selling it for cheap. Which story would you rather read?
City garage site deal is snarled in bureaucracy (Boston Globe
vs
Councilors could vote Wednesday to hand over downtown garage to BRA based on agreement they don't have at a price they don't know (Universal Hub)
Thanks to DB Reiff for sending my way.
Globe: There is no Mass. travel-gate
The Boston Globe weighs in the controversy about former Gov. Patrick's travel spending generated by a Herald report on "off-the-books trusts" with a lengthy report by David Scharfenberg that finds no wrongdoing. That's the opinion of Rep. David Linsky, whose House Post Audit and Oversight committee was looking into the matter.
10 Mass. hospitals with the worst grades
Some hospitals are better than others in terms of preventing errors and infections. In a welcome departure from the "best" this or that, the BBJ's Jessica Bartlett lists 10 of Massachusetts hospitals with the lowest grades from the LeapFrog Group, a nonprofit that examined records and gave grades.
Medical device tax repeal splits Mass. delegation
The medical device tax, which funds part of the Affordable Care Act, was repealed in the House of Representatives yesterday. The tax - 2.3 percent of sales - is highly unpopular among the state's booming medical device industry, and Mass. delegation was split on it, as the State House News' Michael Norton reports. http://tinyurl.com/ov5llpv
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Will the Flacks turn to Congress to address devastating loss?
Still smarting from defeat Wednesday night, Flacks' manager Connor Yunits issued this wonderful mock press release:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 18, 2015 Flacks decline to pursue recount; Ask for special investigation Boston - The Flacks today announced that they would no longer pursue an official recount of yesterday's contested results in the 2nd Annual Hacks vs Flacks softball game. "While there remains significant disagreement over the meaning of last night's results, we don't think a recount is the best interest of the people," said Flacks manager Conor Yunits. "Our dugout has always put people before softball politics, and we continue to do so." The Flacks also announced today that they are calling on Congress to investigate possible secret softball camps being run with funds earmarked for public radio. "It just seems a bit suspicious," said Flacks pitcher Matt Fenlon. "When I'm out on the mound mowing down everyone from the Boston Globe and State House News, and then giving up bombs to public radio reporters and producers." The Flacks asked the general public to cease all pledges to both WBUR and WGBH until the investigation concludes. Added Flacks catcher Kate Plourd Johnson, "Billy Baker was out at home."
Quiz answer: It was May 2000. The unemployment rate, usually around 3 percent, dipped to 2.6 percent. Those were the days -- until the bottom fell out of the economy in 2001.
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Baker apologizes for remarks on Confederate flag - The Boston Globe
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