Monday, December 7, 2015
By George Donnelly (@geodonnelly) and Sara Brown
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Today: The deer hunters, the sequel; Young Republicans party
The deer hunt in Blue Hills continues today and tomorrow as dozens of hunters comb over parts of the 7,000-acre reservation with the aim to further reduce the deer population.
Gov. Baker joins other political leaders at the State House's annual ceremonial lighting of a 15-foot Chanukah Menorah. Other scheduled attendees include Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito, House Speaker Robert DeLeo, Secretary of State William Galvin, Attorney General Maura Healey, Treasurer Deborah Goldberg and Rabbi Rachmiel Liberman, of Congregation Lubavitch Jewish Educational Center. Grand Staircase, 4 pm.
Gov. Baker Joins Lt. Gov. Polito, Mass GOP Chair Kirsten Hughes, House Minority Leader Brad Jones and Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr as special guests at a Christmas and holiday party hosted by Massachusetts Young Republicans, 6 pm, The Brahmin, 33 Stanhope St, Boston
Slipping slots: Another symptom of the coming gambling glut
I could never figure out why people gamble in machines that are carefully calibrated to defeat them over time. All the same, throwing money in a slot machine is some folks' idea of entertainment, and yet a high percentage of slot players likely never know what their odds are of winning. That is, unless they read "Strictly Slots" magazine or happened to have caught Globe reporter Sean Murphy's story yesterday on how area casinos are raising the payouts to lure more customers. These days, the region's slot machines are paying out about between 91 and 92 percent of what they take in. Plainridge raised its payout by about 1.5 percent, to nearly 91.5 percent, since opening in June. It would seem to be a reaction to competitors such as Twin Rivers and Foxwoods, who have raised their payouts.
But as Murphy reports, giving back more money to bettors, even 1.5 percent of the total take, costs the state about $1 million per month in revenue, everything else being equal. When Massachusetts finally has three more gambling venues running, look for the revenue projections of all of them to fall short. There's only so much gambling money in Massachusetts to go around. Here's more from Murphy's slots story: http://bit.ly/1jJc9a3
Rename Yawkey, says Globe columnist
The Red Sox' dismal track record as major league baseball was being integrated, along with racist remarks attributed to former Red Sox owner Tom Yawkey, should compel the city to rename the street and T stop that bears his name, writes Globe columnist Adrian Walker. "At a time when activists, especially on college campuses, are clamoring for renaming monuments to racist history, it's long past time for Boston to think long and hard about the official Yawkey legacy."
What's next for Walsh in Wynn battle?
Now that Mayor Walsh's attempt to block Wynn Resorts' Everett casino has been shot down by Superior Court Judge Janet Sanders, what other cards can the city play to counter Wynn? That's the question Garrett Quinn of Boston magazine explores, listing four options, none of which seem that appealing. http://bit.ly/1OPBY3q
City's restaurant health code violations pile up
There were some 1,100 health code violations at city restaurants between Jan. 1 and Nov. 29 this year, the Boston Business Journal's Eric Convey reports. For a database of violations by neighborhood and restaurant, click here:
Joe K III undecided on Kinder Morgan
Congressman Joe Kennedy told a business group Friday his is undecided about the Kinder Morgan gas pipeline project. Speaking at a New England Council event, sponsored by Kinder Morgan, he told reporters at the event: "...I think that we have to get to that clean renewable energy future. The question is how do we get there at a price that ratepayers can afford." Gintautus Dumcius of MassLive has more.
City may bring back BYOB
Some Boston City Councilors are seeking to end the city's BYOB ban, with a hearing scheduled today at 12:30 at City Hall. The ordinance, sponsored by Councilors Michelle Wu and Stephen J. Murphy, will only allow restaurants in outside neighborhoods permit patrons bring outside liquor. There will be limits to how much beer or wine a customer can bring, the Herald's Laurel Sweet reports. Also, BYOB would also only be available to restaurants with 30 seats or fewer. http://bit.ly/1N5WE6S
Several pols eyeing Petruccelli's seat
Local lawmakers are considering running for the soon-to-be vacated Senate seat of Anthony Petruccelli, who announced Friday he's leaving for a lobbying job. State Rep. Aaron Michlewitz saidhe is considering it. "It's an important decision, one I certainly don't take lightly and one I want to give some real strong thought to," said Michlewitz to the Herald's Matt Stout. "I didn't have a sense (he was leaving). ... I'm going to take the next couple of days to think about it." Another local politician who is considering it is Revere Mayor Dan Rizzo, who said he plans on making a decision by Tuesday. He said he has been speaking to people around the district about him running. "So far it's been very warm and receptive. I guess I have to come to the conclusion myself that I'm ready for another 90 or 120 days of intense campaigning and fundraising." http://bit.ly/1HPd4l2
Warren's focus is 2016 Senate landscape
Conspicuously absent from some Presidential campaign events, U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren is focusing on the national Senate picture in 2016, hoping to use her progressive credentials to help Democrats retake the chamber, the Globe reports. Warren tells the Globe she will eventually endorse a Democrat for president, but in the meantime "committed to doing whatever I can to help Democrats retake the Senate." http://bit.ly/21IpRfB
Baker blasted for boomerang retirees
The Baker administration has rehired 70 Department of Transportation employees who had taken the early retirement buyout deal, a move that lawmakers say undermines the cost-savings mission of the package, the Herald reports. The Herald's Hillary Chabot says the rehires were legal but some lawmakers say the net result is a pension boost of $90,000 for workers who returned, costs that will burden future budgets. http://bit.ly/1jJCuVA
Lawmaker says T not promoting weekend service
Rep. Josh Cutler says the MBTA is not doing enough to promote the revival of weekend service on the Greenbush and Plymouth/Kington branches of the commuter rail, and even ignored an offer of $50,000 worth of free ads from a South Shore radio station, the Patriot Ledger reports. Cutler has been on T leaders to do more to let the public know about the service since January, but the Ledger says T officials only reached out to his office after a reporter inquiry. http://bit.ly/1NQzdSu
Cambridge tries 'participatory budgeting'
The city of Cambridge will let residents directly decide how to spend $600,000 in taxpayer funds for the next fiscal year, WBUR reports. The experiment in "participatory budgeting" - which the station says has its roots in Brazil a quarter century ago - will allow residents aged 12 and up to vote online or at certain town events on where the money should go. http://wbur.fm/1SIEY2J
Brown tops $1M in pay at BU
Boston University President Robert Brown's 2013 pay was pegged at $1.18 million, according to a survey by the Chronicle of Education reported in a Boston Globe story. That makes him the highest paid college president in the area. Northeastern's Joseph Aoun came in second at $999,000.http://bit.ly/1IziwJ3
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