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Thursday, January 28, 2016

By George Donnelly (@geodonnelly) and Keith Regan

Today: Economic development bill; busy Senate session; Brandeis celebrates Gov. Baker and Lt. Gov. Polito will unveil economic development legislation, 10:30 am, in the press briefing room 157. The Senate meets in formal session at 11:00 am. Bills set to be taken up include climate change and emissions reduction legislation (S 2092) and a bill (S 469) regulating the processing of lobsters, both left over from the last formal session. The Senate also plans to take up a pay equity bill (S 2107) and one dealing with jury selection laws (H 1454). Brandeis University commemorates the 100th anniversary of the nomination and confirmation of Louis Brandeis to the United States Supreme Court. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg offers remarks. Former Brandeis president Frederick Lawrence moderates a panel including Supreme Judicial Court Chief Justice Ralph Gants and Mark Wolf, U.S. district judge for the District of Massachusetts. Attorney General Maura Healey attends. At Brandeis University, 415 South St., Waltham, 5:00 pm. Meet Steve, Marty's new friend Marty Walsh could bluff no longer. He was holding a pair of twos and knew the smart thing to do was to fold. For his troubles, and the trouble he put Steve Wynn through, the mayor will leave the table slightly ahead, just shy of $5 million extra, when you count the cost of the legal fees. The horrendous traffic issues in and around Sullivan Circle remain a challenge, yet the optimists (Gaming Commission Chairman Steve Crosby among them) say the casino may be the best way to fix them. Wynn pledged $25 million to help mitigate the traffic, a number that seems like a drop in the bucket. By way of comparison, the cost just to design a new Northern Avenue bridge is over $9 million. The Globe's Sean P. Murphy and Mark Arsenault have more on this budding friendship.http://bit.ly/1PCO914 There's level funding, and then there's no funding Charlie Baker and his number crunchers had to come up with $635 million in savings or revenue sources to close the 2017 fiscal year budget gap. Some of it, $150 million, will come from capital gains taxes that otherwise would go to the Rainy Day Fund; another $100 million is coming from a federal MassHealth payment and the sale of the Cambridge courthouse. A lot of budget line items were level-funded. And a good number of accounts were zeroed out, either eliminated or the state subsidy was eliminated. Here are some of them that add up to nearly $20 million: * MCAS low scoring student support ($4,628,426) * Statewide College and Career Readiness Program ($500,000) * Teacher Content Training ($247,517) * Community College Workforce Grant Advisory Committee ($750,000) * Mass Technology Transfer Center ($3,000,000) * Boston Regional Counter Terrorism Intelligence Center ($792,669) * Massachusetts Manufacturing Extension Partnership ($2,062,500) -- eliminated state subsidy * Stop Stroke Program ($500,000) * Travel and Tourism Promotion ($500,000) * New State Police Class ($5,850,000) And the budget always reveals ironies. Do we pay more for our state university system or our prison system? University of Massachusetts: $508,292,447 Department of Correctional Facility Operations: $569,740,073 Among the controversial elements in the budget is cutting welfare payments to the disabled and reinvesting them in job training. David Scharfenberg and Joshua Miller delve into this and the budget's broad themes: http://bit.ly/1Sl8nl6 D'Alessandro: T tough to fix without more money Former John Hancock CEO David D'Alessandro joined Jim Braude on "Greater Boston" last night to talk about General Electric, the millionaire's tax, and the T, which D'Alessandro explored in review commissioned by then-Gov. Patrick in 2009. On fixing the T, D'Alessandro, whose outstanding analysis of the T was largely ignored, said: "It's going to take a very long time... It's going to go well beyond Charlie Baker's years. But at least he's taking the responsibility. The legislature, they're giving him want he wants at this stage because they're afraid of it, they don't understand the T. I don't think they hope that he fails. But they don't want to be close to it should he fail... I think it's going to be very tough [to fix the T] without a gas tax or something."http://bit.ly/1lUJHmG DeLeo: It's time to deal with Uber Speaker Robert DeLeo gave his annual address to House members yesterday, stressing a few key themes, among them: there will be no new taxes or fees in this year's budget and it's time to regulate the ride-sharing industry. "We will find a way to make companies such as Uber and Lyft part of the permanent landscape in Massachusetts while keeping in mind the benefit that competition from taxicabs and livery companies brings to the marketplace," DeLeo told his members. MassLive's Gintautas Dumcius have five takeaways:http://bit.ly/1nQWFDH Imitation gun bill sent back to committee Story out this morning from Colin A. Young of the State House News Service: "A bill to require a high-visibility orange stripe on imitation firearms sold in Massachusetts that seemed poised to be debated and voted on by the House on Wednesday instead was sent back to a committee for further study."http://bit.ly/1nq74pn (paywall) Will Baker's film tax credit plan be a nonstarter? The Hollywood giveaway that is the film tax credit keeps gnawing at Gov. Baker. His budget includes a plan to limit any one film production to $7 million in credits and eliminate the ability to sell the credits back to the state. As Bruce Mohl of CommonWealth magazine reports, critics of the plan say Hollywood would take its action elsewhere. http://bit.ly/1VugNpF 30 percent at T made $100K  Just under 30 percent of MBTA workers earned more than $100,000 in 2015, the Globe's Matt Rocheleau and Todd Wallack report, thanks to a combination of overtime, back pay and retroactive raises. Two maintenance workers earned more than $300,000 with the highest-paid T worker bringing home $327,636.http://bit.ly/1PHmzWI  Healey warns drug maker on prices  Attorney General Maura Healey is warning Gilead Sciences Inc. that it may face legal action unless it lowers the prices of two hepatitis C drugs sold in Massachusetts, the Globe's Robert Weisman reports. Healey says the $84,000 Gilead charges for a 12-week course of treatment on Sovaldi and $94,500, for a second drug, called Harvoni, "may constitute an unfair trade practice in violation of Massachusetts law." The California-based company has asked to meet with Healey over the issue. http://bit.ly/1Sb27yk  Biz groups offer different views on gender pay bill  The Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce threw its support behind a bill aimed at closing the gender wage gap, legislation that is expected to be voted on as early as today in the Senate, the Globe's Sacha Pfeiffer and Jon Chesto report. The Associated Industries of Massachusetts, however, issued its own statement expressing concern that a new law would encourage "unbridled litigation."http://bit.ly/20uALEg  Opioid compromise likely to include prescription cap  As a committee hashes out disparities in various legislation aimed at curbing the state's opioid crisis, it appears likely that some cap on the amount of painkillers patients can receive at one time will survive the bill's journey into law, Eagle-Tribune State House reporter Christian Wade reports. Gov. Baker's proposed 72-hour cap has been seen as too limiting by some lawmakers, but compromises that would cap supplies at 7 days have emerged. http://bit.ly/1nQWHeK  Brockton's neighbors to have say on casino  The Massachusetts Gaming Commission will host a public input meeting to seek comments from residents of the communities surrounding Brockton, where a $677 million resort casino proposal awaits MGC action, the Enterprise's Marc Larocque reports. It will likely be late March before the Commission decides whether to move forward with reviewing the Rush Street Gaming proposal or wait until legal issues around a tribal casino in Taunton are resolved. http://bit.ly/1lWdXO4 Capuano: Trimmed Green Line extension puts federal funds at risk  U.S. Rep. Michael Capuano warned Wednesday that efforts to pare back the scope of the MBTA's stalled Green Line Extension project could put as much as $1 billion in federal funds at risk, WGBH's Tori Bedford reports. Capuano said plans to reduce stops along the extension may be enough to reduce ridership on the extension enough to disqualify it from receiving federal monies. http://bit.ly/1nq6k3q  Downing's focus for his last year Considered one of the bright lights of the Legislature, Sen. Ben Downing took many by surprise with his decision to step down at the end of his term. Here's a look at his agenda for his final year by Matt Szafranski of Western Mass. Politics & Insight.http://bit.ly/1OZK5sD New appointment Sam Tracy, a civil liberties activist and medical marijuana consultant, was sworn in as the newest member of Somerville's Human Rights Commission. He plans to focus his efforts on educating residents about their rights in a police encounter and supporting the Black Lives Matter movement within the city. REMEMBER: To send your tips to me at gdonnelly@massterlist.com. Op-eds and other commentary are invited for publication on MASSterList. Subscribe now for free!

TODAY'S TOP STORIES

National headlines  Donald Trump gambles he's bigger than Fox News with his boycott of final Iowa debate - The Boston Globe Bernie Sanders idealism and unconventional profile mask skills as political tactician - The Boston Globe Sen. Warren pleased to see snow blower from Mass. in nation's capital - The Boston Globe State headlines  Caps likely for prescription painkillers | Haverhill news | eagletribune.com Boston chamber throws its support behind pay equity bill - The Boston Globe Baker budget would hold MBTA funding steady AG calls on Gilead to lower price of hepatitis C medicines - The Boston Globe House Speaker DeLeo Cites Schools, Energy And Ride-Hailing As Top Priorities For 2016 Unique Union Deal Lets MBTA Workers Pad Pensions Baker diverts $150m from rainy day fund - CommonWealth Magazine Baker: Tax credits should help local firms - CommonWealth Magazine City of Boston ends its long opposition to Wynn casino in pact set to pay city $2 million a year - The Boston Globe Local headlines  Passionate Powwow on Tewksbury High's 'Redmen' Mascot Rivera recall heads back to the Board of Registrars Winter storm takes its toll in Salisbury His Retirement Announced, Downing Buckles Down for Rest of Session... - Western Mass Politics & Insight Mashpee town manager: School board should make decision on Hyde Surrounding community input meeting for Brockton casino to be held Thursday 3 Brockton Democrats debate before 9th Plymouth District primary MBTA exploring options to reduce Red Line overcrowding | Dorchester Reporter Boston diners are the most generous tippers in U.S., according to Zagat and Google - Boston Business Journal Capuano: Green Line Extension Cuts Could Cost MBTA $1 Billion In Federal Funds Donald Trump yard sign set ablaze in Hull DCR's Nantasket Beach plan: 10 years, $78 million House vote marks breakthrough for indoor tanning bill Worcester says farewell to retiring veterans agent Bernie Sanders' Democratic presidential campaign officially sets up shop in Springfield Charlie Baker unveils budget; no new taxes Nearly 3 in 10 MBTA employees made more than $100,000 in 2015 - The Boston Globe BRA won't budge on size of Chiofaro towers - The Boston Globe Baker's budget reins in health program for the poor; adds 280 jobs for DCF - The Boston Globe Volunteers tally homeless on Boston's streets - The Boston Globe