Today: Charter schools, retail wages on Beacon Hill. Democrats debate in Vegas
After a long weekend (for some), comes one of the busier days on the political calendar with meat-and-potatoes political issues such as charter school expansion and minimum wage hikes on the agenda. Gov. Charlie Baker is scheduled to testify on his recently proposed charter school legislation before the Education Committee, which meets at 10:00am to take up some 30 bills related to charters. The Labor and Workforce Development Committee also meets to consider a number of bills, including one that would raise the minimum wage to $15 per hour for fast-food chains and big box retailers. Raise Up Massachusetts and other groups will host a rally in support of boosting the minimum wage on the State House steps.
Also on the political menu for today:
- Transportation Secretary Stephanie Pollack headlines a panel talk hosted by MASSterList and State House News Service on the future of transportation in the Commonwealth.
- The Committee on Health Care Financing holds a hearing on 30 bills dealing with insurance access, cost and coverage. Attorney General Maura Healey will be among those to testify.
- Former Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke speaks at the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce breakfast meeting.
- Sen. Ed Markey is expected to unveil legislation aimed a curbing gun violence during an event at Roxbury Community College.
And for a nightcap, the Democratic presidential candidates will debate on CNN at 8:30. Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders are expected to grab the lion's share of the attention, with former Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley, former Virginia Sen. Jim Webb, and former Rhode Island Gov. Lincoln Chafee looking to make a splash to help them break out of the low single-digits in the polls. Some observers say a strong performance by the frontrunners could help keep Vice President Joe Biden on the sidelines.
Data drop: State House News Service notes that Massachusetts Election Statistics 2014 book will be available Tuesday from Secretary William Galvin, offering data on voter registrations across the state for the 2014 elections and special elections held since 2012.
SPONSORED Undemocratic charter schools siphon money from public schools. www.massteacher.org/chartermap #KeepTheCap
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Poll :Voters want more candidates.
What do Elizabeth Warren, Joe, Biden, Mitt Romney and Jon Stewart have in common? They are all among the personalities who voters told pollsters from Western New England University they want to see enter the presidential race, MassLive reports. More than half of those polled say they want to support people not currently in the race, but 55 percent of those could not name a more desirable candidate. The same poll found that Massachusetts Democrats are more enthusiastic about the race than their Republican counterparts, that the economy is issue number one for voters and that Bay Staters don't think very highly of Donald Trump. http://bit.ly/1PqnQPF
Baker 'optimistic' EMC stays Massachusetts strong
With the Dell takeover of EMC a done deal, attention has turned to what the impacts will be on the Bay State. Dell is not saying how much of EMC will remain in place and for how long, but for his part, Gov. Charlie Baker said in a statement Monday he is 'optimistic' the data storage giant will continue to have "a robust presence locally for years to come," MassLive reports. http://bit.ly/1Qnryrz
EMC co-founder Roger Marino, meanwhile, tells the Herald the sale is a 'bittersweet' event for him and admits he is concerned for the fates of the 9,700 EMC employees based here in Massachusetts, the majority of them at the company's headquarters in Hopkinton. http://bit.ly/1R8Jdnc
The Boston Business Journal reports that one group likely very happy about the sale is EMC's top executives. A group of six that includes CEO Joe Tucci stands to see a $147 million windfall-$35 million of it in cash-based on severance provisions in place in the event of a change of ownership. http://bit.ly/1R8JtCt
Stergios: Receivership experiment is pro-charter argument
Ahead of today's legislative hearing on charter school expansion, Pioneer Institute Executive Director Jim Stergio writes in CommonWealth that the apparent slowdown in improvement in the Lawrence public schools under state receivership may be a strong pro-charter argument, especially when compared to other district recovery efforts. Stergios notes that New Orleans used publicly funded charter schools--and the ability to end-run around public unions--to recover from Katrina much more strongly and quickly than Lawrence schools have bounced back. http://bit.ly/1GaVQ0h
DA Ryan "puzzled' by 'bullying' claims
The medical examiner who reversed his finding that a six-month old baby's death was the result of homicide said in his own notes that Middlesex County District Attorney Marian Ryan acted unprofessionally and "bullied" him to stick with his original decision, the Globe reports, citing documents it obtained in the case. Ryan says she is "puzzled' by the allegations and said she was merely doing her job by vigorously representing the victim in the case. http://bit.ly/1REiAY0
Foreclosure bill has fans, critics
The Standard-Times takes a closer look at a bill that would reduce the legal window for challenging foreclosures from 20 years to three years. The legislation, filed by Sen. Michael Moore, D-Millbury, has already passed the Senate and awaits a House hearing. Supporters say it would protect homeowners who buy foreclosed properties, but some critics say the move would disproportionately impact minority communities, where subprime mortgages were more heavily used. http://bit.ly/1GaXQpl
Sun shines light on sleeping cop
The city of Lowell has suspended a police officer after the Lowell Sun published a reader-snapped photo-on page 1-of him apparently sleeping in his cruiser while on duty. Now the Sun, citing unnamed sources, is reporting the same officer, who the department has not identified, has been suspended in the past for similar snoozy infractions. http://bit.ly/1REa3En
Playboy to bunnies: Put some clothes on
In a nod to the impact of the Internet on the pornography industry it helped create, Playboy says is going to stop publishing photos of women posing in the nude when it launches a redesign in March. The magazine will still show women in provocative poses, mind you, but with (at least some) clothes on, the New York Times says,via the Globe. http://bit.ly/1NDZHFX
National headlines
State headlines
EMC-Dell Fallout
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