Massachusetts Hack-A-Rama: Boston Convention & Exhibition Center
Baker Halts BCEC Hack-O-Rama!
The Convention Scam
Wednesday, February 3, 2016
By George Donnelly (@geodonnelly) and Keith Regan
|
Today: Next step for millionaire's tax?
The Legislature will reconvene a Constitutional Convention today, and an item to be considered is the ballot referendum that would create a graduated income tax in Massachusetts, one that would tax incomes over $1 million by 4 percent more than regular income tax rate. "While all of the attention will be on item 10 on the agenda, Senate President Stanley Rosenberg and House Speaker Robert DeLeo has said lawmakers will move through the agenda in order, unsure of how far they will get in one day," the State House News Service's Matt Murphy reports.
The Women's Bar Association holds its annual legislative breakfast and plans to discuss its 2016 priorities: pay equity bills (S 983, H 1733); the Massachusetts Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (H 1769); gender identity nondiscrimination bills (S 735, H 1577); civil and criminal penalties for female genital mutilation of minors (S 1116, H 1530); and civil legal aid funding in the 2017 budget. Treasurer Deborah Goldberg is scheduled to speak at 10:15 am. Event begins in Great Hall, 9:30 am.
Housing and Economic Development Secretary Jay Ash participates in a panel discussion with Somerville Mayor Joseph Curtatone and the general manager of District Hall to discuss "sustaining and expanding the innovation economy" as part of the Northeastern University School of Public Policy and Urban Affairs's Myra Kraft Open Classroom series. At Northeastern University, West Village F, Room 20, 40A Leon St., Boston, 6:00 pm.
The price of power and the state's $100K toll collectors
The Commonwealth posted its 2015 payroll database this week, making the search for state employee salary data a breeze. In short, it's surprising how much some people make and how little other people receive in compensation for their efforts. The governor's salary is set at about $151,000, and yet his cabinet members make $10,000 more annually. Two of the most powerful men in the state, Senate President Rosenberg and Speaker DeLeo, make $104,000.
On the other hand, a dozen toll collectors made more than the Speaker of the House in 2015. And 17 in all made over $100,000. It must be an overtime thing, for the annual salary for a toll collector is about $70,000. By doubling his salary, presumably with overtime, a motor equipment mechanic in the Department of Transportation earned more than the governor -- $158,000. Five corrections officers earned more than the governor in 2015. An elevator inspector made more than the governor.
The Globe analyzed the state payroll and found that 13,167 employees earned more than $100,000 in 2015, about 10 percent of the payroll. Total payroll: $6.9 billion. It would be interesting to see how much of that total comes from overtime. My guess: close to a $1 billion. What if the state put in controls to reduce OT by 20 percent? Matt Rocheleau of the Globe digs into the numbers here: http://bit.ly/1JX4phq
Martha Coakley bows out in Suffolk U. controversy
She reportedly was waiting in the wings. Then the attempt to force out Suffolk University president Margaret McKenna got ugly, and former AG Martha Coakley announced yesterday she is not a candidate for the job. "It's a situation that has many women in this town watching in horror, myself included," writes the Globe's Shirley Leung. One could reasonably expand the legion of horrified to most of the Suffolk students, faculty and alums. Leung explores McKenna being on the wrong side of gender politics here:http://bit.ly/1o4CsKE
Stergios: T should go slow on fare increases
As the MBTA weighs adopting a significant fare increase to help close its operating deficit, the Pioneer Institute's Jim Stergios writes in the Globe that the agency should stick by its riders while pushing for more reform. "No progress will be made at the MBTA until management accepts that it can no longer rely on bailouts from the legislature or sizable fare increases to close budgetary holes. Only when it recognizes that it must earn increases through better service will a change in organizational culture be possible."http://bit.ly/1PUj0wx
Budget hearing: Tackling MassHealth costs
The state Auditor, Attorney General and Inspector General all have a bulls-eye on waste and fraud within the MassHealth system, which is budgeted at $15.4 billion, a 5 percent increase, in the governor's proposal for the next fiscal year. AG Maura Healey, testifying before the Joint Committee on Ways and Means, asked for a 4 percent increase in the Medicaid Fraud Unit, a number already in the governor's budget; Auditor Suzanne Bump asked for some $700,000 above the governor's proposal for more auditors. "More auditors means more audits. Whereas this unit had seven audits in progress last year at this time, there are currently 15 in progress. And, more audits means more savings," Bump is quoted in Katie Lannan's story for the State House News Service. http://bit.ly/1mcGHSM (paywall)
Special election puts Cassidy over the top
Brockton's new state representative will be Gerry Cassidy, a longtime aide to the late Sen. Thomas Kennedy. He prevailed in a three-way Democratic primary yesterday, garnering 880 votes. Turnout was 11 percent. Cassidy faces no opponent in the March 1 final election. More in the Brockton Enterprise here: http://bit.ly/1o5ClhZ
Goldberg questions capital gains shift
Gov. Baker's plan to divert $150 million in capital gains into the 2017 budget "will likely raise red flags with the rating agencies," Treasurer Deb Goldberg testified at yesterday's budget hearing. In November, credit agency Standard & Poor's downgraded Massachusetts' credit outlook from stable to negative, in part because of the use of reserve funds. Baker's budget would add upwards of $282 million into the fund, potentially pushing it to $1.545 billion. More from the State House News Service's Michael Norton here: http://bit.ly/1KWUhQS (paywall)
Lawn on D upgrades may include table reservations
As the Massachusetts Convention Center Authority readies the popular Lawn on D outdoor space for its third season - and seeks to cut into the $2 million in red ink it bled last year -- new ideas include the potential for visitors to reserve tables from food vendors, the Herald's Donna Goodison reports. The authority is seeking a vendor who will sign a three-year deal to create a food and beverage destination and cater special events. http://bit.ly/1NPCNpt
Brown endorses Trump
Former U.S. Sen. Scott Brown formally endorsed Donald Trump for the GOP Presidential nomination Tuesday, and David Bernstein of WGBH thinks he knows why. Although a spot on the ticket as VP candidate -- which Trump dangled at an event with Brown last month -- may be a long shot, Bernstein surmises that Brown is "making a smart bet on the likelihood of Trump helping to set him up with a good job, however the presidential campaign thing ends up." http://bit.ly/1NPDkrl
Healey stumps for Hillary
Attorney General Maura Healey returned to the site of her former glory Tuesday, donning her high school basketball game jersey to join a rally in the same gym where she sank swishes to back Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, according to the Herald's Chris Villani. http://bit.ly/20GmOmG
Fitchburg councilors to vie for Rep. seat
Two Fitchburg city councilors will face off for the right to represent the 3rd Worcester District at the State House following Tuesday's primaries, George Barnes of the Telegram reports. Stephan Hay won the Democratic nomination with more than 60 percent of the vote and Dean A. Tran earned a spot on the March 1 ballot by winning a write-in campaign. http://bit.ly/1TD2PUd
Baker bites on 'snake island' plan
Gov. Charlie Baker says he supports a Division of Fisheries and Wildlife plan to populate an island in the Quabbin Reservoir with scores of poisonous timber rattlesnakes, downplaying safety concerns raised by those who live and recreate around the water source, WBZ Radio's Don Huff reports. "If they swim off the island, first of all, it's a long way from the islands being discussed to get to shoreline anyway," Baker said. "And secondly, if they do, their likelihood of survival is pretty small." http://cbsloc.al/1KpH0VQ
T has high hopes for Mattapan parcel
The MBTA says it has strong interest from developers interested in transforming a Mattapan parking lot it owns into housing or a mixed-used development, according to Bill Forry of the Dorchester Reporter. The T has been trying to market the 2.5-acre site since 2008 and nearly had it sold in 2014 to a local charter school, a deal that fell through after it became public. http://bit.ly/1TCUYFZ
New Bedford debates ads on buildings
The New Bedford City Council has unanimously approved studying whether to solicit advertising to be placed on publicly owned buildings, an idea that has stirred debate in the Whaling City, Mike Lawrence of the Standard-Times reports. While the proposal would exclude some building, such as City Hall, some are concerned the move could tarnish the historic image the city cultivates to attract tourists. http://bit.ly/1PRwDq6
Baker sets aside $15 million for low-income renewables
Gov. Charlie Baker said Tuesday the state will spend $15 million to drive adoption of rooftop solar and thermal heating systems in households with low and moderate incomes, Todd Feathers of the Lowell Sun reports. Baker hopes the funds can create 300 solar and 500 thermal installations on properties for which it would otherwise be financially out of reach over the next several years. http://bit.ly/1QbXkX1
Maria Stephanos debuts on WCVB tomorrow
Maria Stephanos' debut on WCVB will be tomorrow, Feb. 4. We incorrectly reported she will start later in the month.
|
| TODAY'S TOP STORIES |
National headlines
State headlines
Local headlines
|
No comments:
Post a Comment