Today: Baker's mystery vote; elderly budget priorities
It's a pivotal day in the race for president, as primaries are held in 13 states, including Massachusetts. Locally voters will also chose state representatives in Peabody, Brockton and Fitchburg and Lunenburg
Make no mistake: Gov. Charlie Baker will cast a ballot against Donald Trump in today's GOP primary election in Massachusetts. "I've made clear that I'm not voting for Donald Trump," the Republican governor told reporters on Monday. "He's not my guy and he's not my candidate."
But who is Baker's guy? He's still not saying and declined to disclose whom he's voting for today, as Colin A. Young of the State House News Service reports. http://bit.ly/1WTcIw8
After Gov. Baker goes to vote in Swampscott, he will read the classic "Green Eggs and Ham" to students at the St. Brendan School in Dorchester as part of the 19th annual Read Across America.
Mayor Marty Walsh also reads a book to students at St. Brendan School as part of a Read Across America event, 12:45.
Rep. Stephen Kulik and Sen. Benjamin Downing chair a House and Senate Ways and Means Committee hearing on the environment, energy and transportation in the fiscal 2017 budget. The Departments of Agriculture, Conservation and Recreation, Environmental Protection, Energy Resources, Public Utilities, Fish and Game, and Transportation are scheduled to testify, along with the Massachusetts Aeronautics Commission and the Registry of Motor Vehicles, Gardner Auditorium, 10 am.
Sixteen elder-focused groups rally at the State House and plan to discuss their budget priorities for the 2017 fiscal year, including increased home care eligibility and the removal of $15.4 billion in MassHealth funding from Executive Branch control. According to event organizers, the elderly population in Massachusetts will increase 46 percent from 2015 to 2035, Grand Staircase, 11 am.
Pure coincidence: Senator's bill would shed light on municipal lobbying
A day after it was revealed a politically wired consulting firm has the full ear of Boston Mayor Marty Walsh, a Brockton state senator on Monday filed a bill that requires municipal lobbyists to disclose their clients and compensation in public filings. The legislation is modeled after a similar state lobbying disclosure law, said Sen. Michael Brady. "I ran on a platform that included trust and transparency in government. I take that responsibility seriously," Brady said in a story by SHNS's Michael Norton.
No mention of O'Neil/Goldman Group, which has very close ties to the Walsh administration, getting the mayor to pose for a promotional photo with a 400-pound seal at the New England Aquarium, as the Globe reported over the weekend.
The education lobby pushes back
School aid funding is "woefully inadequate" - that seemed to sum up the sentiments of lawmakers and school officials in reaction to Gov. Baker's level of education funding as the Legislature works on its version of the 2017 budget. The increase in school aid averages 1.6 percent, but some districts, like Brockton, are looking at almost flat funding - just .2 percent. "I hear all about STEM. I hear all about MCAS 2.0, and we're trying to do that, but when I keep having to cut the technology budget by millions of dollars every year to keep teachers in the classroom, I don't have the money for curriculum and our class sizes are approaching 35," Brockton Superintendent of Schools Kathleen Smith said to Ways and Means yesterday. More from Katie Lannan of the State House News Service. http://bit.ly/1nfyKwI
Late-night service, RIP
In the end, it died with barely a whimper, a foregone conclusion. Late-night MBTA service on Friday and Saturday nights was eliminated yesterday by the T board, a move that will save about $14 million. The move is rife with symbolism (just how Podunk, retrograde and unfun is Boston when you can't take public transportation after 12:30 on a Friday night?) and social injustice (it's low-wage earners who mostly are hit hardest). But on a practical level, perhaps the private sector can provide some help, as Nicole Dungca of the Globe reports. But it was the private sector that never kept up its support for the expanded hours, writes WGBH's Mike Deehan, who fished out a 2-year-old press release heralding the new service. That was then. This is the era of the MBTA Fiscal Management and Control Board.
Meanwhile, fare hikes for the T loom. Which will it be, nearly 10 percent or 6.7 percent, the two options presented by the T? Globe columnist Dante Ramos previews the decision, which will be voted on by the T control board March 7. "...The hikes would help the T catch up with repairs that should have been made years ago. Letting the status quo fester will only make things worse." http://bit.ly/1RD7DXl
Jewish legislators ignore anti-boycott bill
A bill that would divest state pension funds from companies engaged in boycotting, divesting or sanctioning Israel is languishing in committee. But that's not why Brett M. Rhyne of the Jewish Advocate wrote the story. The bill, sponsored by Rep. Steven Howitt, a Republican from Seekonk, lacks support from 10 legislators who went on a "learning tour" to Israel in December, sponsored by the Jewish Community Relations Council. Also, he writes, "There are no Jewish legislators among the 24 cosponsors of HD4156," reports Rhyne. "With the exception of the bill's sponsor, Howitt, the lone Jewish Republican in the legislature, no other Jewish legislator has expressed support for the bill." http://bit.ly/1Uvr0Ej
Joyce probe expands to Easton project
The probe of Sen. Brian Joyce has expanded as federal prosecutors have subpoenaed documents involving the building of a $43 million affordable housing project in Easton, Andrea Estes of the Globe reports. Joyce represented the developers of the project at the former Oliver Ames & Son Shovel Co., which is in his district. The Globe recently reported last week that investigators are looking at a large solar project he helped gain approvals for at Stonehill College. http://bit.ly/1VOm6AI
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Democrats see registered voter decline
Some 20,000 voters have moved out of the Democratic party ahead of today's Super Tuesday vote, Matt Stout of the Herald reports. The vast majority, about 16,000 became unenrolled voters, enabling them to vote in either party's primary, while about 3,500 shifted to the GOP. Secretary of State William Galvin cites the Trump phenomenon for the shift. http://bit.ly/1TNxOhn
Northeastern snubs city on gun hearing
Boston City Council members ripped a decision by Northeastern University to avoid a public hearing to answer questions about its decision to arm its campus police force with semiautomatic rifles, Travis Andersen of the Globe reports. Northeastern said the hearing was unnecessary since it already consulted with Boston police about its decision, which first came to light in December. http://bit.ly/1RiplN9
Reading the energy bill tea leaves
CommonWealth magazine's Bruce Mohl tries to the read the political tea leaves on what exactly the omnibus energy bill the House is expected to release next month may look like and finds lawmakers attempting a "balancing act." Mohl said lawmakers are likely to give Gov. Baker a win on hydroelectric subsidies but also back adding to the region's natural gas pipeline capacity, all with an eye on stabilizing energy prices. http://bit.ly/1WTapJl
Brockton plays waiting game on casino
The Massachusetts Gaming Commission will hold one final public hearing on a proposed casino at the Brockton Fairgrounds Tuesday night, then it will be time for the city and casino developers to wait and see how the commission moves forward, Marc Larocque of the Enterprise reports. Mass Entertainment and Gaming is expected to make a final presentation on its $677 million casino proposal before public input is taken. The MGC is expected to decide by the end of this month whether to allow the Brockton proposal to move forward or to wait on developments around a possible tribal casino in Taunton. http://bit.ly/1RCZa6u
Weld: Trump's bluster may be an act
Former Gov. William Weld said Donald Trump's outsized campaign personality may all be an act designed to help him garner unceasing media coverage, Chris Cassidy of the Herald reports. Weld, who has endorsed John Kasich, said he could support Trump in the fall if he "settles down" but did not close the door on supporting the Democratic nominee. http://bit.ly/1SeRF7V
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