MASSterList: Trump passes to Tom Brady | Green Line Ext. worries await | Why convicted teachers keep pensions

****FRACKED GAS PIPELINES ARE PROPOSED ON THE PRETEXT THAT IT IS CLEAN ENERGY.

WE KNOW HOW FRACKING HAS DESTROYED COMMUNITIES, CONTAMINATED DRINKING WATER AND IS BLAMED FOR CAUSING EARTHQUAKES IN OKLAHOMA. 

PLEASE DO YOUR HOMEWORK BEFORE SUPPORTING THE ENVIRONMENTAL DESTRUCTION OF FRACKED GAS. 


 
Thursday, November 19, 2015

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By George Donnelly (@geodonnelly) with Keith Regan

Today: Gaming Commission; Facebook with Stan Governor Baker is traveling out of state with his family. Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito gives remarks at the Cranberry Country Chamber of Commerce, 58 East Grove St., Middleborough, 9 am. The Massachusetts Gaming Commission meets to discuss several agenda items, including Plainridge Park, MGM Springfield, and fantasy sports. It will be held at 101 Federal St., 12th floor, Boston, 10:30. Senate President Stanley Rosenberg hosts a Facebook Q&A at noon:https://www.facebook.com/senatorstanrosenberg   The Green Line Extension: The conundrum awaits Secretary of Transportation Stephanie Pollack's appearance yesterday at the House Committee on Bonding, Capital Expenditures and State Assetswas a reminder that the Green Line Extension debate will soon resurface and there won't be any simple answers. In others words, making a $1 billion overrun estimate into a more a palatable number will be fraught with political considerations. That's why yesterday she was talking about the potential need for the Legislature to authorize addition bonding - it already authorized $1.2 billion. "As I've said repeatedly the option of halting the project remains on the table until or unless we can develop a fiscally-responsible approach to completing the project." The DOT and MBTA Fiscal Management and Control Board will meet Nov. 30 to scrutinize the cost estimates for the project, and then again on Dec. 9 to explore options. Colin Young and Andy Metzger report on Pollack's Beacon Hill appearance. http://bit.ly/1MnQ6js   Late-night service on the T could soon fall victim to cuts, reports Nicole Dungca of the Globe, as ridership has been low. With about 13,000 weekend riders using extended hours to 2 am, the cost to subsidize each trip is over $13. More details on the cost-benefits here:http://bit.ly/1Haxi8L Public records law passes House; Senate will weigh it next year The House passed the first overhaul of the state's public records law in 40 years yesterday, but the measure won't be considered by the Senate until early next year. Overall, it represents a significant improvement, in the estimation of many, as current law is routinely abused by bureaucracies large and small because they can stonewall and overcharge with impunity. The fear of costing their agencies real money because of noncompliance should make record-keepers more diligent. Shira Schoenberg of MassLive gets into the nitty-gritty of the bill, including the cost per page, the timetable for answering requests and more.http://bit.ly/1HYPWQT   Healey jolts pipeline debate Debate on the need for additional natural gas in Massachusetts promises to become the commonwealth's most contentious issue.  Do we need additional capacity or can we manage with the natural gas supply we have by using less? On this question, Attorney General Maura yesterday sided with the environmental argument with a study that adds to the collection of energy reports that contradict each other. Massachusetts has four pipeline projects that would either widen existing pipes or create new ones, all inspired by utilities that say they need the gas. Here's a good overview of the pipeline situation in light of Healey's report by the Globe's Jack Newsham. http://bit.ly/1Nc9SCj   Donald Trump drags Tom Brady into his campaign "I have the temperament of someone that knows how to win. All you have to do is ask Tom Brady. Tom Brady always said Trump knows how to win. And he's a great guy and he's a friend of mine. But Tom Brady, will tell you, 'Trump knows how to win.' " - Donald Trump speaking to reporters last night in Worcester   Trying to make sense of Trump's appeal and durability has become a new genre of political writing, and the Globe's James Pindell has a good take today on Why Trump Won't Go Away. One reason, which isn't quite framed this way, is the media won't let him go away. "While his opponents struggle to raise money to get out their message, Trump is constantly on television news for free. He has only begun to air radio advertising in Iowa, New Hampshire, and South Carolina." http://bit.ly/1S66Z3P   Is Trump getting more measured as it looks more possible he could pull off the GOP nomination? It would not seem so to the casual observer, but the Herald's Howie Carr has a funny take about trying to draw out Trump to say outrageous things during a recent radio interview: http://bit.ly/1NF1JQZ   Hillary Clinton is Dick Cheney-esque So says Eric Fehrnstrom in a Globe op-ed, eagerly poking a stick into the beehive of Massachusetts Democratic hegemony with this critique: "... What makes Hillary Clinton the Dick Cheney of the Democrats is Libya. You heard that right - Clinton is to Obama in Libya what Cheney was to President Bush in Iraq." http://bit.ly/1kHaELa   Solar bill deal will have to wait An 11th-hour attempt to hammer out a solar energy bill between the House and the Senate failed to find common ground, pushing the effort to lift the net metering cap into next year. "House and Senate negotiators made a show of quickly assembling to take a swing at crafting a quick compromise, but 90 minutes later both sides acknowledged that it would take further discussions before a deal could be reached," Matt Murphy of the State House News Service reports. http://bit.ly/1MoFPno (paywall) MGM boosts Springfield investment bottom line  Seeking to allay fears about design changes to its Springfield casino, MGM now says it will spend $950 million to construct the downtown resort, $150 million more than originally planned, according to the Globe. MGM says the increased costs are mainly due to rising construction expenses since the casino was designed in 2012. http://bit.ly/1Yi3Qlc  Loophole means convicted teachers keep pensions  Five retired teachers are continuing to collect their state pensions despite convictions for child pornography, the Herald reports, due to a loophole in the current law that the Massachusetts Teachers' Retirement System is now seeking to fix. http://bit.ly/1QvQksK  T could ban political ads  The MBTA is poised to ban political advertising across the system after a dust-up over an anti-Israel ad, Boston.com's Adam Vaccaro reports. MBTA spokesman Joe Pesaturo tells the site the ban could be in place in a couple months and is aimed at reducing "unnecessary litigation which can arise from issue-based ads of this nature." http://bit.ly/1HasMqz  In Townsend, small-town politics leads to recall effort Residents in Townsend are seeking to recall the two sitting members of the board of selectmen, saying they are guilty of misfeasance and numerous conflicts of interest that were disclosed after the fact, the Nashoba Valley Voice reports. The recall was driven largely by the board's decision to hire a private firm to conduct the search for a new police officer, a vote critics say was done in violation of the state's Open Meeting Law because it was never discussed in public session. The group pushing the recall has until the end of the month to collect 614 signatures to trigger the election.  http://bit.ly/1SGVrUO  Walsh wants to raise smoking age  Boston Mayor Marty Walsh wants the City Council to raise the minimum legal age for buying cigarettes and other tobacco products to 21, the Globe reports. Boston would join 78 other communities in the Commonwealth to make the move, which drew criticism from retailers who want consistent rules statewide. http://bit.ly/1X0wzOk  A quick detour down Memory Lane Gov. Charlie Baker is on vacation now and on Monday he was taken on a trip down Memory Lane, back to his 2010 gubernatorial try when his role in financing the Big Dig was used as a cudgel by Democrats. A cheeky question from the Boston Globe's Scot Lehigh about how the state might pay for a North-South Rail Link - a proposed project that has inspired caution within the executive branch - even prompted Baker to name his predecessor who beat him to win a second term five years ago. LEHIGH: "Could you use that sneaky way you found of financing the Big Dig to get money for this?" BAKER: "You mean the way that 49 other states have used to fund a variety of really big projects including Governor Deval Patrick? Yeah. Maybe." -Andy Metzger, State House News Service TODAY'S DAY: Today is the Great American Smokeout Day, which challenges smokers to drop the habit for 24 hours. . REMEMBER: To send your tips to me at gdonnelly@massterlist.com. Op-eds and other commentary invited for publication on Massterlist. TODAY'S TOP STORIES National headlines  Trump supporters say he is the right man for America outside Worcester rally Donald Trump takes aim at refugees, mosques Seth Moulton opened his home, heart to a refugee - The Boston Globe Donald Trump holds rally in Worcester - The Boston Globe Republicans vie for Mass. primary (yes, Mass.) - The Boston Globe State headlines  Healey study on natural gas pipelines sees pros and cons - The Boston Globe MGM to announce boost in spending on Springfield casino - The Boston Globe House approves public records overhaul - The Boston Globe Late-night MBTA service on the chopping block again - The Boston Globe MBTA Budget Gap Threatens 'Extraordinarily Inefficient' Late Night Service MGM Springfield casino presentation draws applause, mostly positive reviews from near-capacity CityStage crowd Mass. Begins Certifying Sober Homes Lawmakers go home, turn lights out on solar bill - CommonWealth Magazine Massachusetts Attorney General's energy study 'seriously flawed,' Tennessee Gas Pipeline Co. says Should a teacher ask a student for a Facebook password? Massachusetts Senate says 'no' Senate compromise on Massachusetts solar bill fails to pass before winter recess MBTA will ban political advertising on public transit after anti-Israel ad controversy Hands-Free Driving Bill Moves One Step Closer Grand Prix Racing Is Headed To Southie. Are Taxpayers Getting Taken For A Ride? State Auditor tracks impact of homeless families housed in local motels Local headlines  Wareham selectmen OK medical marijuana dispensary for town Spinners, for sale since September, could be headed to local investors Council shoot down Fiorentini's requested tax shift Taunton, Wampanoags strike deal over police on tribal land Audit reveals overpayment of former Brockton Housing director City Council Opens Arms To Syrian Refugees | Boston University News Service Longtime Quincy City Clerk Joe Shea to retire early next year Worcester officials to poll residents about early voting State police barracks in Brookfield to close Dec. 13 Mayor Walsh proposes raising age limit for buying cigarettes to 21 - The Boston Globe