Today: Housing front and center
Housing matters: Massachusetts chapter of the National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials sponsors an information day to brief legislators on their need for increased funding to serve low-income and elderly residents. Senate President Rosenberg offers remarks, along with Housing Committee co-chairman Rep. Kevin Honan, Financial Services Committee co-chairman Sen. Jamie Eldridge, House Speaker Pro Tempore Patricia Haddad, Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr, House Minority Leader Bradley Jones and Auditor Suzanne Bump, Great Hall, 12:15 pm.
Plus a housing report: Special Senate Committee on Housing, led by Sens. Harriette Chandler and Linda Dorcena Forry, holds a press conference to announce the release of a report examining long- and short-term housing issues facing Massachusetts. Senate President Stanley Rosenberg is among the expected attendees. Room 428,3:00 pm.
What do Massachusetts and Alabama have in common?
Massachusetts and Alabama both produced landslide victories for Donald Trump, with the main difference that Massachusetts produced a wider margin of victory for the businessman and reality TV star. Massachusetts produced the widest margin of victory for Trump in the Super Tuesday states.
Massachusetts:
Trump: 49.3%; Kasich: 18.2%
Alabama:
Trump: 43.8%; Cruz: 21.3%
Trump Shock Syndrome spreads
The undeniable reality of Trump as the likely Republican nominee continues to seep into the pores of the political establishment, producing Trump Shock Syndrome, a condition marked by alarm, far-fetched plans to usurp his nomination, and an urge to browse through Canadian real estate websites. The Boston Globe editorial today calls for Republicans to finally coalesce against Trump. "If Republican grandees like Mitt Romney really believe that Trump is as unqualified as they've been saying, they need to make it clear they won't support him in the general election. That would take a decisive show of spine, and a willingness to put country above party, that hasn't been much in evidence so far." http://bit.ly/1QrvPwO
Trump's "hostile takeover" of the GOP is explored by the Globe's Scott Lehigh: "Trump, a candidate with no coherent philosophy beyond narcissism, and with more slogans than substance, was the huge victor last night." http://bit.ly/1QT7AtF
Millions of Massachusetts residents depend on community hospitals for access to quality care. Currently, a few wealthy hospitals are paid up to 500% more than community hospitals for the same quality and services. These excessive payments put our community providers at risk, drive down wages, and increase health care costs for all of us. It's time to bring fairness to the local hospital industry.
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Too late to take it back
The Manchester Union Leader, which endorsed Chris Christie ahead of the New Hampshire primary, expressed regret that it backed the New Jersey governor after he endorsed Donald Trump for president last week. "Rather than standing up to the bully, Christie bent his knee," the paper's editorial reads. "In doing so, he rejected the very principles of his campaign that attracted our support." The question is, will Charlie Baker do the same thing? http://bit.ly/217gK59
Appearing behind Donald Trump last night, Chris Christie debuted as Trump-man in the background, and his facial expressions did not escape notice on Twitter, as Aimee Ortiz of the Globe notes: http://bit.ly/1QT36TJ
Clinton ekes out a Mass. win. Was Boston the difference?
Hillary Clinton narrow victory over Bernie Sanders in Massachusetts can in part be attributed to her 20,000 vote win in Boston, where she lost eight years ago. "I keep watching that TV because I want that yellow checkmark next to our name in Massachusetts," Mayor Marty Walsh said at a campaign party last night. "But I can tell you when that happens it's because of Boston. We won by 20,000 votes today." More on the Boston factor by Gintautas Dumcius of MassLive: http://bit.ly/1pnAohE
Ex-prez causes stir in polling spots
Can't the Clintons ever follow the rules? What's a poll worker to do when a former president starts hobnobbing inside a polling place? Eject him? "He can go in, but he can't approach voters," Secretary of State Bill Galvin told the Globe's Steve Annear after Bill Clinton entered polling places in West Roxbury and Newton, having his picture taken with someone in West Roxbury. "We just took the extra precaution of telling them because this is not a usual occurrence. You don't usually get a president doing this."http://bit.ly/217lW96
Three new state reps elected
Then there was another election for open seats, with Democrat Tom Walsh winning in Peabody, Stephan Hay winning in Fitchburg and Lunenberg. Democrat Gerry Cassidy ran unopposed in Brockton.
Electronic tolling: Why not everywhere?
Electronic tolling gantries that are being installed on the Mass. Pike will go live by the end of the year, Transportation Secretary Stephanie Pollack told lawmakers yesterday, technology designed to replace toll takers. New rates will be set, but the total amount will be revenue neutral, reports Colin A. Young of the State House News Service. New tolling technology raises the question of expanding it to other highways, especially in a state desperate for transportation revenue. "What opportunities do we have in terms of tolling other roads, recognizing that there's a substantial amount of dollars that could be brought in in a fair and reasonable way," asked Sen. Thomas McGee. That would be a "bigger conversation," responded Pollack. More here: http://bit.ly/1Tnop0e
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Brockton casino hearing draws crowds on both sides
The developers behind a proposed Brockton casino told the Massachusetts Gaming Commission at a lengthy and packed public hearing that a potential tribal rival gaming hall in Taunton could be tied up in legal battles for a decade or longer, Marc Larocque of the Enterprise reports. During the four-hour-plus hearing, Brockton Mayor Bill Carpenter emphasized the city's need for the economic boost the casino would bring, while opponents emphasized divided public opinion -- the city voted in favor of the project last fall by a margin of just 143 votes. http://bit.ly/1Y0RaPb
Tribe threatens suit if license awarded
The would-be developers of the Taunton casino, the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe, indicated it would sue to block the Brockton project should the MGC grant it the Region C resort license, George Brennan of the Cape Cod Times reports. http://bit.ly/1oOQIav
Runaway Red Line driver had past safety violations
The driver of the runaway Red Line train had 13 violations of MBTA rules on his record, including five related to public safety before the incident in December, Nicole Dungca of the Globe reports. Because the safety mishaps -- including one in which his train derailed in a maintenance yard -- were spread out over several years, they did not trigger T rules calling for automatic dismissal. http://bit.ly/1QqYu1w
On Election Day, new candidates for state senate
A Framingham High School senior says he'll challenge longtime Sen. and Ways and Means Chair Karen Spilka in the fall, Amanda Beland of the MetroWest Daily news reports. Jake Binnall plans to run as a Republican. http://bit.ly/1LUIu67
Meanwhile, in Western Mass., Andrea Harrington said she would be a Democratic candidate for the Senate seat being vacated by Benjamin B. Dowling, according to a report from the Berkshire Eagle's Jim Therrien. Harrington, who is from Richmond, said she will rely on her experience as an attorney and a parent to young children in her bid to represent the 52-town district. http://bit.ly/1QKZuNd
Beaton lukewarm on offshore wind
Speaking to an offshore wind conference on Tuesday, Secretary of Energy and Environmental Affairs Matthew Beaton said the Baker administration is interested in seeing the technology take root but isn't making commitment because of concerns about cost, Bruce Mohl of CommonWealth magazine reports. "We've by no means closed the door," said Beaton, who reiterated that hydroelectric power is currently seen as the most cost-effective form of renewable energy for the Bay State. "We have a very open door to the future of offshore wind in the Commonwealth. It's coming down to just making it work at the right price points." http://bit.ly/1T7AjuW
Another reason Nantasket matters
Energy and Environment Secretary Matt Beaton took his wife on their first date to Nantasket Beach, a factoid he disclosed at a place far removed from the natural majesty of the seashore: a March budget hearing held in the politburo-esque Gardner Auditorium. Beaton told lawmakers he credited the Hull strip of surf and sand with the relationship that led to his family, which includes three children. "I took my wife on our first date at one of our public state beaches, so I am very interested in seeing those be preserved and recognize the great opportunity, and without our state beach my three kids might not be here today," Beaton told lawmakers seated at the dais. Sen. Tom McGee followed that up with a plug for the Metropolitan Beaches Commission before Rep. Stephen Kulik advised, "Mr. Secretary, your comments maybe were a little too close to too much information." Rep. Paul Brodeur said, "I'm intrigued by the possibility of the press fact-checking your last statement." Though he didn't mention the beach by name in his testimony, Beaton later said it was Nantasket. I'll take his word for it. - Andy Metzger, State House News Service
REMEMBER: To send your tips to me at gdonnelly@massterlist.com. Op-eds and other commentary are invited for publication on MASSterList.
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