Note: The House and Senate are scheduled to hold formal sessions on Saturday, with votes expected on the gender pay equity bill and budget veto overrides, State House, 11 a.m.
| Today's News |
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| Trump’s Nixonian appeal to a new ‘silent majority’ |
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In his speech last night, Donald Trump never used the famous phrase “silent majority,” first coined by Richard Nixon in the late 1960s when he was appealing for support from Americans fed up with anti-war protests, counter-culture hippies, seemingly out-of-control crime and other societal disruptions of the time. But Trump might as well have used the phrase last night in Cleveland, for that’s exactly what he was doing: appealing to the “forgotten men and women of our country” and warning that “attacks on our police, and the terrorism in our cities, threaten our very way of life,” as reported by both the Washington Postand New York Times. The similarities between Trump’s speech last night and Nixon’s speech in 1969 are eerily striking. Btw: The Globe’s Scot Lehigh is already referring to Trump as ‘Tricky Trump,’ in reference to his claims about the economy.
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| Baker says he supports taxing Airbnb |
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Even though he has consistently said he opposes new taxes, Gov. Baker yesterday said he nevertheless could support applying the state’s hotel tax to Airbnb and other online lodging rental services, the Associated Press reports at Boston.com. The governor said such a tax was a simple matter of fairness and would create a level playing field for both hotels and online rental services. The Senate included the tax provision in its version of an economic development bill. Senate and House negotiators are now trying to hammer out a compromise on the economic-development legislation and the fate of the Airbnb tax proposal is unclear.
Boston.com |
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| House and Senate reach compromise on pay equity bill |
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House and Senate negotiators have reached a compromise on a gender pay-equity bill that appears acceptable to major business groups and Gov. Charlie Baker, reports SHNS’s Colin Young at the Berkshire Eagle. Negotiators clearly tilted toward a House version of the legislation that was embraced by business groups, including the Associated Industries of Massachusetts, after extensive talks. "The spirit and sense of what was proposed in the Senate is still there. The House worked closely with AIM and the people over there to make sure that the details reflected their concerns," House Speaker Pro Tempore Patricia Haddad said. "I don't think anybody ever in the entire process was against pay equity, it's always that the devil is in the details." The House and Senate are expected to vote on the compromise bill on Saturday and Baker has signaled he will sign it after its likely passage.
Berkshire Eagle |
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| When is a tie a win? When the Lottery – or Harvard Crimson – says so |
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The Lottery is significantly inflating its claims about the chances of players winning on scratch tickets, via setting the odds by counting people who break even on games as “winners,” reports the Globe’s Sean Murphy. Critics say the Lottery’s practice of counting ties as wins is highly deceptive. “Reasonable consumers would not equate a tie with a win,” said Mark Gottlieb, the executive director of Northeastern University School of Law’s Public Health Advocacy Institute, which opposes lotteries as a regressive tax.
The agency’s tie-is-a-win claim reminds us of the famous Harvard Crimson headline: “Harvard Beats Yale 29-29.” Except the Crimson’s claim was funny. The Lottery’s isn’t. |
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Sponsored
Consumers for Sensible Energy promotes responsible energy policies that assure adequate energy supplies at fair prices. We have joined the fight in Massachusetts against natural gas pipelines we don’t need, that transport fossil fuels we don’t want, and at a $3 billion cost to consumers we can’t afford. More information at www.ConsumersForSensibleEnergy.org. |
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| Healey’s crackdown on ‘copycat’ assault weapons draws protests, Baker questions |
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After initially saying Attorney General Maura Healey had the authority to crack down on the sale of “copycat” assault weapons in Massachusetts, Gov. Baker later backpedalled a bit, asking for more “clarity” on her controversial gun-control edict issued on Wednesday, reports the Herald’s Matt Stout and O’Ryan Johnson. “Given that her recent action potentially leaves tens of thousands of law-abiding citizens open to criminal charges, I believe it is important to protect those who purchased firearms they understood to be legal on or before” Wednesday, Baker said in a statement. “I strongly encourage her office to provide clarity for law-abiding citizens simply seeking to follow the rules.”
Baker’s request comes as outraged gun owners protest Healey’s edict aimed at reducing the sale of assault weapons by dealers who she says are skirting existing state gun-control laws. Protesters are demanding action from Baker and are calling for Healey’s recall or impeachment. But Baker indicated yesterday he generally supports Healey’s move, even though he’s requested clarifications.
Boston Herald |
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| Sorry, Scott: Baker is just not into Donald Trump |
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Former U.S. Sen. Scott Brown seems to care an awful lot about whether Gov. Charlie Baker, a fellow Republican who has repeatedly said he can’t and won’t support GOP nominee Donald Trump, votes in the presidential race this year. As reported by MassLive’s Shira Schoenberg, Brown said of Baker not voting: “(It) sends a terrible message to our youth, to our men and women who served our great country and the sacrifices they made. You've got to vote," said Brown, a Trump supporter. But Baker, who plans to vote in down-ticket races this fall, seemed unmoved by Brown’s patriotic rationale. "I've said I'm disappointed. It's the first time since I've been able to vote I don't anticipate voting in the presidential election," Baker said yesterday on WGBH's Boston Public Radio.
MassLive
| Galvin says Baker is wrong, wrong, wrong on au-pair easement controversy |
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While Gov. Baker defended his plan to grant luxury condo developers a small easement on the State House lawn so they can build au pair suites, Secretary of State William Galvin said the governor is just wrong when he asserts the Massachusetts Historical Commission has approved the easements, reports the Globe’s Frank Phillips. “It is simply not true,’’ Galvin said of Baker’s comments yesterday that the agency has OK’d developers’ plans. “He is twisting what the (commission) letter says.” Baker generally dismissed the controversy over granting the easement of state land to the condo developers, who want to build three au pair suites to make their multimillion-dollar condos more attractive to buyers. “All it is a window wall,’’ Baker said.
Boston Globe |
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| Biogen CEO to step down |
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It’s big news when the head of one the state’s largest biotech companies steps down – and that’s exactly what Biogen’s George Scangos is doing, saying he wants to return to the West Coast to spend more time with his family, after six years running the famous Cambridge biotech, reports Don Seiffert at the Boston Business Journal. Biogen’s board will immediately start a search for a replacement and says it "expects the transition to occur over a period of a few months,” with Scangos staying on as CEO in the interim, Seiffert reports.
BBJ |
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| Boston school teacher takes on Hyde Park’s Rep. Angelo Scaccia |
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Virak Uy, a Boston Public School teacher, is challenging the longest continuously serving member of the House, Angelo Scaccia of Hyde Park, reports Adam Gaffin at Universal Hub, citing a piece at the Bulletin. “I really care about education, education is key to everything – that’s the main reason why I’m running,” Uy, a longtime Hyde Park resident, told the Bulletin. “As an educator, I have worked on the frontline to help children achieve academic success.”
| Swan Jr. unloads on the NRA |
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Ben Swan Jr., one of three Democrats vying for the Springfield House seat currently held by his father, unloaded on the National Rifle Association in response to a survey the group sent to help it decide whether it would endorse the candidate. Dan Glaun of MassLive reports that rather than answer the NRA’s pop quiz, Swan chose to respond with a harsh letter decrying the NRA’s current position against even widely supported gun reforms. “It is my sincere hope that your organization will reassess its legislative tactics and cease your obstructionist campaigns, which in my honest opinion have cost too many individuals their lives," Swan wrote, noting that he is a supporter of the Second Amendment and proud of Springfield’s role as a center of gun manufacturing.
MassLive |
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| Abington hit with wrongful death suit after Whitman couple killed by falling tree |
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A Boston attorney has filed a $400,000 a wrongful death claim against the town of Abington on behalf of the estates of a Whitman couple who died when a rotted tree fell onto their moving car in April, reports Maria Papadopoulos at Wicked Lowell. Manuela Teixeira, 51, and Franklin Teixeira, 49, were killed when the tree smashed onto their BMW as they were driving along Rockland Street. “The liability of the Town of Abington is clear because the town owned the property the tree was on, either knew or should have known of the dangerous condition of the tree, and failed to remove it before the accident,” attorney Nicholas Carter of the Boston law firm Todd & Weld LLP wrote to the town.
Wicked Local |
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| Safety first in North Reading, last in Boston? |
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Massachusetts drivers are far safer than their New York counterparts and the safest drivers of all in the Bay State hail from North Reading, a new report finds, reports Madeline Bills for Boston Magazine. Rated by EverQuote on data collected through its safe-driving discount app, North Reading drivers rate an 81 on average; those from Boston scored a 70—worst in the state.
Boston magazine
| UMass solar will save $6.2 million—eventually |
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The University of Massachusetts is installing 15,000 solar panels on its Amherst campus, as part of a $16 million project that is expected to save the university $6.2 million in energy costs over the next two decades, according to an Associated Press report via WPRI. ConEdison will own the panels and sell the electricity produced to the university, which says it will save $89,000 on electricity in the first year.
WPRI |
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| Happy retirement, Engine One |
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The oldest fire truck still in active use in Massachusetts has finally retired, falling just short of 60 years of service, Shelby Ashline reports in the Daily Hampshire Gazette. The truck, a 1957 Dodge that seats two firefighters (modern models carry seven) and pumps water about half as fast as modern trucks, will be taken out of the town of Warwick’s active fleet this year, thanks to the purchase of a new $550,000 tanker. “It still works great, ” Warwick’s fire chief said. “It’s just too old and too small.”
Daily Hampshire Gazette |
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| Sunday public affairs TV |
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Keller at Larger, WBZ Channel 4, 8:30 a.m. Jon Keller welcomes WBZ colleague Paula Ebben, who's been in Cleveland for the Republican National Convention, for a ‘debrief’ on what went on this past week and the mood of Massachusetts delegates as well as how the media handled coverage of the convention.
On The Record, WCVB Channel 5, 11 a.m. Guest: U.S. Rep. Michael Lynch
This Week in Business, NECN, 11 a.m. Discussion about the proposed ride-sharing legislation on Beacon Hill, with Scott Solombrino, the CEO of Dav El, who represents the perspective of taxi and limo drivers; in addition, the CTO of Lumenpulse talks about the company’s lighting business and the Globe’s Shirley Leung looks at some of the top business stories of the week.
CEO Corner, NECN, 11:30 a.m. The show takes a look at the resurgence of vinyl record albums through the eyes of Newbury Comics CEO Mike Dreese, who’s selling more records than CDs these days, and Bob Hertig, a founder of U-Turn Audio, maker of high quality turntables for hipsters and audiophiles alike.
City Line, WCVB Channel 5, 12 p.m. This week’s focus: Hidden Gems & Star Crossed Lovers, with Chris Chaun Bennet on fashion, Renita Mendonca on her new restaurant, and Huntington Theater Company’s partnering with the Codman Square Academy Charter School.
| Today's Headlines |
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| Metro |
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| Massachusetts |
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| Nation |
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