Friday, February 12, 2016
By George Donnelly (@geodonnelly) and Keith Regan
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Today: Baker at charter school event
Gov. Baker will attend the Truth About Charters campaign launch, Nurses Hall, 2 pm. The event is being organized by Great Schools Massachusetts and a handful of other pro-charter groups as part of a ballot initiative to lift the cap on charter schools. The State House News Service's Michael Norton has a preview, noting earlier this week, Baker was criticized by public school advocates for being too focused on charters. http://bit.ly/1QbIcyG (paywall)
AICUM event: Sen. Michael Moore, co-chair of the Legislature's Joint Committee on Higher Education, will participate in a forum organized by the Association of Independent Colleges and Universities in Massachusetts. The forum will cover college affordability, financial aid, will feature financial aide professionals from area colleges. College of the Holy Cross, Hogan Center, Room 328, 1 College St., Worcester, 10 am.
With market turmoil, fears of recession surface
The market tanked again yesterday, now down 10 percent year-to-date as confidence in the economy is waning. On one level, stock prices are simply barometers of anticipated performance. Investors are scared, and the fear feeds on itself.
But it's not only investors who are afraid. Financial advisers, the people paid to protect investors' money, are worried too. Eaton Vance, the Boston-based asset manager, took a survey of advisers, finding that nearly half believe it's possible the US economy will enter recession by the end of the year, as Greg Ryan of the Boston Business Journal reports.
The political implications of an economic downturn are abundant, notably the Commonwealth's sunny projections for revenue growth and the reliance on a surplus of capital gains (often buoyed by stock sales) to balance the budget. For what it's worth, we see plenty of market gyrations, slowing growth, but no economic cataclysms.
Expanded space for farm animals challenged at hearing
A bill that would compel farmers in Massachusetts to keep farm animals in less restrictive pens was heard yesterday before the Committee on Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture. The hearing likely was a stop for the proposal's eventual spot on the ballot this fall. Although committee co-chair Sen. Anne Gobipointed out, "We don't have factory farms in Massachusetts," supporters stressed the need for more humane treatment. "I could not imagine immobilizing these active, social animals in tiny cages for their entire lives," said one supporter. The initiative would raise the price of eggs, but the numbers vary, as Andy Metzger of the State House News Service reports: http://statehousenews.com/news/2016357 (paywall)
Paid family leave proposal endorsed by federal official
U.S. Deputy Secretary of Labor Chris Lu was in Massachusetts calling for the need for states to pass paid family leave legislation. "It's unconscionable that in the richest nation in the world, we don't have a national paid leave policy," so he's supporting state and local initiatives, including a bill sponsored by Sen. Karen Spilka. The bill has no price tag, said Jon Hurst of the Retailers Association of Massachusetts, who added: "This drumbeat of continual greater mandates upon employers, it has to stop." More from Shira Schoenberg of MassLive. http://bit.ly/1RuLFHK
National Grid workers authorize possible strike
With their contract expiring on Feb. 28, members of Boston Gas Local 12003 USW have voted to authorize a possible strike against National Grid. The union, which represents 800 workers, claims National Grid is hiring contractors who "lack the experience and expertise" to do the work, including fixing gas leaks. The union also claims National Grid is pushing concessions on benefits and wages. More from Gintautas Dumcius here:http://bit.ly/1V8jkpU
Why and how Baker endorsed Christie
The Globe's Frank Phillips mulls over a few theories about Gov. Baker's last-minute endorsement of Chris Christie, who has since suspended his campaign: "Governor Charlie Baker may be just a bit more calculating and crafty than his budget-geek, Mr. Fixit image implies." http://bit.ly/1RvJV0W
Wynn 'bullish' on Everett casino's future
Steve Wynn told investors and analysts in a conference call that he is "confident and positive" about the prospects for his Everett resort casino, Bruce Mohl of CommonWealth magazine reports. Wynn cited the location's proximity to Logan Airport and its growing roster of international flights, including major cities in China. Wynn said work to clean up the brownfield site could begin as early as April. http://bit.ly/1SloFMA
Revere's Arrigo wants to negotiate with Wynn
Not as bullish is new Revere Mayor Brian Arrigo, who wants to negotiate a surrounding community agreement with Wynn but is barred from doing so because of an agreement his predecessor made with Mohegan Sun when that company was hoping to land a license for is own casino at Suffolk Downs, Mohl reports. The agreement remains in place because Mohegan continues to appeal the Massachusetts Gaming Commission's decision to award the Boston-area casino license to Wynn. http://bit.ly/1WhwQrq
U.S. senators seek funds to battle opioid crisis
Led by members of the Massachusetts delegation, a group of U.S. senators is calling for $600 million in emergency funding to begin addressing the country's opioid crisis, Peter Urban of the GateHouse Media Washington bureau reports in the MetroWest Daily News. The call came as the Senate Judiciary Committee approved a bill that would shift more resources toward prevention and treatment and away from law enforcement. http://bit.ly/1mwpnZb
Dental students to get opioid training
Back in the Bay State, meanwhile, Jessica Bartlett of the Boston Business Journal reports that students in the state's three dental schools will be getting enhanced training on best practices for prescribing opioid pain relievers to patients. The plan, announced by the schools, Gov. Baker and the Mass. Dental Society, follows similar guidelines established in the state's medical schools. http://bit.ly/1TcvTBd
In New Bedford, five OD's in five hours
And from New Bedford comes a stark reminder that the crisis continues to roil in many parts of the state: Curt Brown of the Standard-Times reports that police and emergency medical crews responded to five overdoses in a span of five hours on Wednesday. None of the overdoses were fatal and for one man, it was his sixth overdose and the fifth time he was treated with Narcan by responders. http://bit.ly/1PqYOz6
Former Education Secretary: Bernie's free college plan not realistic
Paul Reville, the state's secretary of education under Gov. Deval Patrick, told WGBH that presidential candidate Bernie Sanders' plan to offer free tuition at all public colleges and universities is "probably unrealistic in the near-term." Reville said the political will for such a move simply doesn't exist and said the focus instead should be on reducing college costs for students who need help the most. http://bit.ly/1Kfq84D
Baker's charter bill puts pressure on lawmakers
Gov. Charlie Baker's legislation aimed at lifting the state's cap on charter schools is putting pressure on lawmakers facing opposition at home to the measure and increasing lobbying pressure and may strain the agreeable relationship between the governor and the Legislature, Ella Torres of the Lowell Sun reports. http://bit.ly/20XkrMH
Sunday public affairs TV
Keller at Large, WBZ-TV, 8:30 am. Political analysts Charley Manning and Joanna Weiss discussing New Hampshire primary fallout and what happens next in the presidential race.
On the Record, WCVB-TV, 11:00 am. David Paleologos, director of political research at Suffolk University will analyze the New Hampshire primary results and explain what it means for candidates in the weeks ahead, including Super Tuesday on March 1.
This Week in Business, NECN, 12:30 pm. Boston Business Editors Roundtable with Shirley Leung of the Boston Globe, Doug Banks, BBJ Editor and NECN Business editor Peter Howe. On the docket: business angles to Presidential politics; controversy at Suffolk University; and Boston development projects.
CEO Corner, Sunday 8:30 pm. NECCO CEO Mike McGee on keeping a 150-year-old candy company fresh. Plus this year's SweetHearts sweet stories promotion. And what's new this year on those conversation hearts?
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