Tuesday, September 29, 2015
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By George Donnelly (@geodonnelly) with Keith Regan
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Today: The governor to testify on his clean energy bills
Gov. Baker will testify on two clean energy bills before the Joint Committee on Telecommunications, Utilities, and Energy. The hearing begins at 1:00pm. Gov. Baker's bill (S 1965) authorizes long-term contracts for hydroelectric power and the governor's other proposal (H 3724) increases the net metering cap for solar generators. Nine other bills are before the committee. Other hearings include:the Committee on Financial Services; the Public Service Committee; the Committee on Tourism, Arts and Cultural Development; the Committee on Public Health; and the Committee on Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture.
To access the State House News Service's comprehensive political schedule, SHNS subscribers can go to: http://bit.ly/1LiRLcR
Another (just as important) hearing: Let there be more housing
While the governor likely will steal the spotlight today testifying on the challenges of the Massachusetts energy market, there will be an equally important hearing earlier in the day at Legislature's Joint Committee on Housing. A group of housing-creation advocates, including developers, public officials, and nonprofit leaders, will testify for a bill to jumpstart more housing in Massachusetts. The bill, Hm1111, proposes something radical: It requires that all zoning allow the possibility of multifamily housing. In some tony suburbs, such a provision would cause serious agita. Among those testifying will be Michael Hogan of A.D. Makepeace; Somerville Mayor Joe Curtatone; and Brenda Clement of Citizens' Housing and Planning Association.
Boston is in the process of building a glut of luxury rental housing. Homes for average-income people remain in short supply. Unless the rules are changed (and developers can build more density by right), supply will never meet demand. A few housing facts:
- Massachusetts issued permits for 14,500 units in 2014
- North Carolina, with a population about 50 percent larger (and a lot more land), issued permits in 2014 for more than three times as many units: nearly 50,000
- Average housing price in North Carolina: $148,000
- Average home price in Massachusetts: $359,900
- Average home price in Raleigh, NC: $248,500*
- Average home price in Boston: $589,000*
*Realtor.com
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Is Open Meeting Law reform on the way?
The Legislature is soon expected to advance reforms to the Public Records Law, and the question remains whether it will do anything about its even weaker sibling in government transparency, the Open Meeting Law. MASSterList correspondent John Hilliard, who has written extensively on the shortcomings of the Open Meeting Law, follows up today on bills that would give the law some teeth and also allow boards that must abide by the law to use online methods to reach the public. http://bit.ly/1VoeovO
Chris Dempsey: Not ruling out a run for office
Chris Dempsey, the leader of No Boston Olympics, one of the leading voices against the Olympics coming to Boston, sat down with the Boston Business Journal's Greg Ryan for a Q&A about the political landscape now that the dust has settled from the Olympic bid. Dempsey, who's doing some consulting for a UK company that does apps for the transportation industry, says, that while he has no plans to run for office, he's not ruling it out either. http://bit.ly/1L1RzN6
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, 7:30-9:30am at the Massachusetts Continuing Legal Education center, 10 Winter Place, Boston. More details and registration here: http://bit.ly/1KADgeC
The tomato sauce caucus
What occupies the mind the most powerful individual in the Massachusetts Senate and goes well on a plate of linguine with some parmesan? Marinara, aka "tomato sauce." After reporters showered Speaker Robert DeLeo and Gov. Charlie Baker with questions on Monday afternoon, a reporter offered Senate President Stanley Rosenberg the floor. "Well, I'd like to talk about -- This is the season for making tomato sauce," Rosenberg offered before taking on matters of state policy that interested the news media. Rosenberg disclosed the keys to his "famous" sauce to the UMass alumni magazine including removal of the seeds of the tomato. "Seeds make the sauce bitter. If you remove the seeds you don't have to add sugar." -Andy Metzger, SHNS
Baker aims to fix DCF with clear mission
Gov. Charlie Baker said he will reform the Department of Children and Families to put the agency's focus squarely on the mission of keeping kids safe, the Globe reports. Baker's reforms rely heavily on internal changes, including a new supervision policy, a new recruitment strategy to attract and keep qualified social workers, and stiffer requirements for criminal background checks of parents suspected of neglect. DCF will also reopen a Worcester office closed in 2010 as a money-saving move. Advocates responded favorably to the changes, but said more resources may still be needed at the agency, something Baker has not ruled out. http://bit.ly/1L0Pu3X
City Council's unusual site for meeting: Suffolk County House of Correction
The City Council will meet at the Suffolk County House of Correction with a goal to better understand why inmates return to jail. "Our goal is to improve recidivism outcomes, especially in those populations that are disproportionately impacted," said Councilor Tito Jackson in statement that was quoted in Meghan E. Irons' story. http://bit.ly/1LiPUEV
Union support seen as key for DCF turnaround
If Gov. Baker is able to reform an agency that has proven difficult to fix in the past may depend on the support he currently enjoys from the union representing the agency workforce, WGBH's Mike Deehan reports. The union has had "a seat at the table" since Baker took office and union representatives were among those flanking Baker when he announced his reform plan Monday. http://bit.ly/1RdfhqF
Will public cash fuel Indy race?
The organizers behind the plan to bring Grand Prix racing to the streets of South Boston next year have been meeting with officials to secure public commitments for the splashy event, the Herald reports. It appears the group -- who the Herald notes is being represented by some of the same firms involved in the failed 2024 Olympics bid -- has yet to formally ask for support from state agencies such as Massport, which controls the roads around the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center where the race would be staged next Labor Day and has an agreement with the city that any public costs will be reimbursed. http://bit.ly/1RddoKy
'Other' is most common medical-marijuana condition
The vast majority of Massachusetts residents certified to purchase medical marijuana do not have one of the eight medical conditions specifically called out in state law, the Lowell Sun reports. More than 22,000 patients have received certificates for undisclosed conditions -- likely including post-traumatic stress disorder and chronic pains -- compared to just 18 who are using it to treat ALS and 756 for cancer. http://bit.ly/1FCV5wW
Clark moving up the ranks
US Rep. Katherine Clark continues to move rapidly up the Democratic pecking order in Congress, having been named senior whip by House Democrats on Monday, Gatehouse Media reports. The Melrose Congresswoman has been an assistant whip since January. http://bit.ly/1FEWYJl
MGH to pay over drug thefts
In a case that underscores the reach of the opioid epidemic, Massachusetts General Hospital has agreed to pay $2.3 million to resolve allegations stemming from the theft of more than 16,000 pills, including oxycodone, by nurses and other employees, the Boston Business Journal reports. The Federal investigation also found other examples of wrongdoing in the control of narcotics, including an employee who was injecting himself with Dilaudid while at work. http://bit.ly/1QJdXL5
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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