Wednesday, September 23, 2015
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By George Donnelly (@geodonnelly) with Keith Regan
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Mass. Transit: The future of transportation -- a MASSterList/State House News Service event:
Join us for a panel discussion featuring Transportation Secretary Stephanie Pollack, Charlie Chieppo, principal of Chieppo Strategies, and Rick Dimino, CEO of A Better City, on the vision for transportation in Massachusetts. It will be held Oct. 13, 7:30-9:30 at the Massachusetts Continuing Legal Education center, 10 Winter Place, Boston.
More details and registration here: http://bit.ly/1KADgeC
The action today: Is the T winter-ready?
Fall is here. Which means winter is around the corner. Which means Charlie Baker, who, politically speaking, "owns the T," will be checking up on his locomotive equipment today at MBTA staging facility in Dorchester. He will be joined by MBTA General Manager Frank DePaola and Chief Administrator Brian Shortsleeve, 1:30pm.
Revenue hearing: Tax breaks escape rational examination
Auditor Suzanne Bump yesterday introduced the preposterous notion of examining whether the Commonwealth's myriad tax breaks actually work. The venue for her request was the Revenue Committee, where Bump and Inspector General Glenn Cunha made the case for having access to more Department of Revenue records to determine if the $3.2 billion in annual credits and incentives delivers something resembling commensurate value. In essence, the auditor is powerless to audit the DOR. "We have no way of knowing if a $3.2 billion program is working," she told the committee. Her bill would give her more latitude to explore if the taxpayers are getting their money's worth for tax breaks, as Andy Metzger of the State House News Service reports.
Perhaps some additional data and digging would force lawmakers to question some tax breaks, which have a way of quickly taking on a life of their own. But the Legislature isn't strictly rational, as the ongoing film tax credit debate suggests. Here, plenty of information, including that the film credit generated 700 jobs at $108,000 per job, did not persuade lawmakers to drop the program, which cost $80 million in 2012. Cunha told the committee his bill would give him authority to really dig into the nitty-gritty details of the film tax credit. It sounds great. But with each passing year, the tax credit looks more like the Indestructible Hulk -- and no amount of economic data will vanquish it.
Cabbies to get their own app
Boston cabbies will soon have an app of their own to compete with Uber and other ride-sharing companies, according to the Boston Business Journal. It's called Way2ride, and it is expected to debut in Boston soon, the BBJ's David Harris reports. The app, developed by Verifone, already is being used in New York and Philadelphia. http://bit.ly/1YB7pnC
Breaking: Former state official used search firm for her own job prospects
The State House News Service is breaking this story this morning: "Before leaving her post atop the state's biotech-boosting agency last spring, Susan Windham-Bannister asked an aide to set up a call with a recruiter at the search firm choosing her successor." http://statehousenews.com/
The pot beat: A lackluster kickoff for ballot question
Some believe that the legalization of marijuana in Massachusetts is a foregone conclusion, but here are three reasons why it may not be a slam dunk. 1. The opioid epidemic, and the sentiment that pot is a gateway drug; 2. The experiences in Colorado and Washington state that may give voters pause; 3. Only about a dozen supporters showed up for the rally yesterday, which, while signifying not a whole lot, underscores the hard organizational work ahead for legalization. Michael Norton of the State House News was there. http://bit.ly/1FsHacx
Also on the pot beat: The Supreme Judicial Court ruled that police cannot stop motorists strictly to issue citations for marijuana possession, saying that the voters, in decriminalizing small amounts of pot, want police to pursue more serious matters. Here's John Ellement's story in the Boston Globe: http://bit.ly/1V8D14Z
The rent squeeze -- on industrial property
Boston's red-hot real estate market means that traditional industrial properties, and the jobs that come with them, are evaporating as landlords jack up rents and convert their parcels to more profitable uses. The Globe's Tim Logan details the trend, focusing South Boston sign-making company that employs about 100 people and likely will have to move soon. http://bit.ly/1G21DQw
Prospect of casino glut: Where's the guv on this?
With the Mashpee Wampanoags gaining federal approval for a reservation, and thus a casino, the potential for of two casinos in southeastern Massachusetts (Taunton and Brockton) grows. Globe columnist Shirley Leung wants Gov. Baker to sort out the mess. "What's at stake is the future of legalized gambling in Massachusetts. Build too many gambling palaces, and the market may fall like a house of cards." Baker wants the Gaming Commission to make the call, and they will address the matter tomorrow. Here's Shirley's column: http://bit.ly/1G1OMO9
More casino news: Judge seems wary of overriding MGC
The judge hearing the various lawsuits seeking to stop Steve Wynn's Everett casino from proceeding seemed reluctant to override the decision of the Mass. Gaming Commission, according to Bruce Mohl at CommonWealth. During a hearing Tuesday, Judge Janet Sanders heard arguments from the cities of Revere and Boston as well as rival Mohegan Sun about why their challenges should be allowed to move forward, but seemed to lean towards deferring to the commission, Mohl writes. "The court should not be wading into these kinds of policy decisions," Sanders said.
Baker: Charter cap a "disgrace"
Gov. Baker came out forcefully in favor of efforts to lift the state's cap on charter school enrollment, calling it a "disgrace" that 37,000 students sit on waiting lists, the Globe reports. At a pro-charter rally, Baker said he supported both legislative efforts and a ballot push to remove the limit on charter schools, which the Globe notes sets the stage for a hard-fought battle on Beacon Hill.
T's financial picture called "bleak"
Gov. Baker's MBTA Fiscal Control Board issued its first report on the transit systems financial health Tuesday, calling the system's long-range outlook "bleak" but saying the search for solutions is already underway, WBUR reports. With costs of running the system and covering old debt rising at three times the rate of revenue, the system is on track to see a $170 million deficit in 2016 grow to $427 million by 2020.
Is a Biden-Patrick ticket Obama's pick?
The Herald tries to add a fresh dash of local spice to the Presidential election, citing a blog post that lays out a scenario in which former Gov. Deval Patrick joins a Joe Biden-led ticket -- with the support of President Obama -- then becomes the Democratic nominee after Biden serves just one term. The Herald story, based on a post from former NYT Magazine editor Ed Klein, all but debunks itself, quoting former Bay State Democratic party Chair Philip W. Johnston, who calls the scenario "completely crazy" and adds: "There's no way anyone can take that seriously."
Springfield seethes after MGM drops high-rise plan
In Springfield, MassLive reports that MGM's decision to drop a 25-story tower from its plans for a downtown resort casino are not sitting well with residents and local officials, many of whom now worry they were sold a bill of goods when they supported the casino at last year's election. MGM says the change will not affect the amount of overall investment it makes in the city. MassLive notes the tower would have been the third-highest in the city and been visible from the major highways dissecting the city, MassLive notes. http://bit.ly/1NSQCco
State pension takes oil-and-gas hit
A new study says the fossil-fuel holdings in the Massachusetts pension system dragged the fund down to the tune of more than $520 million last year, Boston Magazine reports. Trillium Asset Management says the fund bled an average of $10 million a week due to poor performance of traditional energy company stocks--a trend likely to continue. That could provide fuel to divestment movements already being organized by major unions and others, the magazine notes.
Dan Rea stumps Baker (not Walsh) on 50-year-old sports trivia
Once a stumper, this question is now a gimme for either Boston Mayor Marty Walsh, Gov. Charlie Baker and maybe Bill James: What significant Boston sports event occurred on Sept. 16, 1965? Hint: Dan Rea was in attendance. Rea took the opportunity to present some personal and Red Sox history last Wednesday when he put that question to Baker and Walsh. After a pause, Walsh provided the correct answer: A no-hitter pitched by Dave Morehead. "Now I feel completely inadequate," Baker said before it was revealed that Rea had tipped Walsh to the correct answer. After the governor learned of the deceit, he said, "What I'm never going to forget is that you screwed me, on the radio. On live radio." Walsh said, "It was Dan Rea." Baseball-Reference.com provides the play-by-play of a game where Morehead and Cleveland's Luis Tiant both pitched complete games as the Sox won 2-0 before a crowd of 1,247. Rea said the stadium was "empty" but he was one of the few there to witness it. "Beat Luis Tiant two-zip. Tiant was pitching for the Indians, and I was there that day," Rea said. He said, "I was there. I had a buddy of mine who was playing on the Indians at the time. -Andy Metzger, SHNS
How to reach me and MASSterList
Nothing makes me happier than comments, tips, suggestions. Also, opinion articles also will be considered. Please don't hesitate to weigh in on what we're missing and where we should look. Reach me at gdonnelly@massterlist.com or on Twitter @geodonnelly.
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