By Jay Fitzgerald and Keith Regan

07/07/2017

It's a deal | Tin cup donors | Poor Hartford

Budget votes, Pike lane reductions, Tufts-nurses mediator

After negotiators reached a compromise last evening on a new state budget, the House and Senate are expected to vote today on a new $40 billion fiscal blueprint for the state. ... DOT officials brief press on Mass Pike lane reductions that begin later today and last til Aug. 28 for the Commonwealth Ave Bridge replacement project, 185 Kneeland St., Boston, 9 a.m. ... A federal mediator meets with nurses and Tufts Medical Centeradministrators to try to avert a planned strike scheduled for next week, 99 Summer St., Boston, 10 a.m. ... U.S. Rep. Joe Kennedy visits Community Counseling of Bristol County to highlight its mental health and addiction treatment services during a day-long tour of health centers around the state, 1 Washington St., Taunton, 11 a.m. ... After a daylong suspension of negotiations, lawmakers continue negotiations on a compromise marijuana-regulations bill, 12 p.m. ... Senators caucus to discuss budget conference report, Senate President’s Office, 12 p.m. ... House meets in formal session, 1:30 p.m. ... Senate meets in formal session, 2 p.m.

Today's News

Lawmakers reach budget deal – details to come

A day after the House and Senate went at it over the course of budget and marijuana talks on Beacon Hill, conference committee members yesterday announced they had reached a compromise on a new $40 billion state budget, reports the Globe’s Jim O’Sullivan, SHNS’s Matt Murphy at the Lowell Sun and the Associated Press at the Herald. Details are expected later today on how negotiators dealt with projected revenue shortfalls that could hit as high as $1 billion. Also unknown: How lawmakers plan to deal with Gov. Charlie Baker’s proposed overhaul of Medicaid, the fate of the sales tax holiday, the state horse-racing fund and other thorny issues. Lawmakers are expected to vote on the budget today.

Governor throws weight behind House pot proposals

So where does the new budget deal leave State House talks over a compromise marijuana bill? House and Senate conference committee members resume negotiations later today on a pot bill – and Gov. Baker yesterday made clear he favors the House’s higher-taxes and elected-board veto provisions, reports Tori Bedford at WGBH. “This should be regulated like alcohol,” Baker said of marijuana. Really? Should pot and alcohol also be taxed alike? Just asking, governor.

WGBH

Baker holds out tin cup for independent agencies to contribute

Back to budget matters: The Massachusetts Development Finance Agency, the Massachusetts Housing Finance Agency and even the financially struggling MBTA all responded to the Baker administration’s request for financial help in balancing the state’s fiscal 2017 budget, reports CommonWealth’s Bruce Mohl and Colman Herman. But MassPort, which contributed last year, walked right by the bell ringers. Not everyone is happy with the administration hitting up independent agencies, including former state Sen. Patricia McGovern.

CommonWealth

Hartford bankruptcy?

Think times are tough here? Check out what’s happening in Hartford, Conn., where the mayor has hired the law firm of Greenberg Traurig LLP as restructuring counsel as the city weighs whether to file for bankruptcy, reports the Wall Street Journal. The state of Connecticut isn’t going to be of much help, since it’s facing its own two-year $5 billion budget hole. The Ct Mirror has more.

Wall Street Journal (pay wall)

Critics take aim at Baker’s appointment of gun-rights advocate to fish-and-game post

Democratic gubernatorial candidate Setti Warren is blasting Gov. Charlie Baker’s appointment of gun-rights leader Ronald Amidon as commissioner of the Department of Fish and Game, reports SHNS’s Andy Metzger at the Telegram. Meanwhile, the Herald’s Chris Cassidy reports the appointment sure looks like Baker’s centrist zig-zagging approach towards appointments, appeasing the left here, appeasing the right there, etc.

Carney eyes horse-racing partnership in Raynham

No one can ever call George Carney a quitter. Dreams of a casino at his Brockton Fairgrounds property were dashed by regulators, as was a bid to tap into the state’s casino-backed fund to revive horse racing there, but Carney now says he’s poised to launch talks with one of the country’s largest thoroughbred racing companies about bringing live horse racing to Raynham Park, Marc Larocque of the Enterprise reports.

Enterprise

Kingston hires top GOP consultant as he prepares to challenge Warren

As Republican Rep. Geoff Diehl weighs whether to run against U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, John Kingston, a wealthy Winchester businessman, is quietly laying the groundwork for a possible challenge to Warren, hiring GOP campaign consultant Mark Harris and meeting with top state Republican party officials, reports the Globe’s Frank Phillips.

Boston Globe

Welcome to N.H., Massachusetts millionaires

Jilletta Jarvis, a Libertarian candidate for governor in New Hampshire, is urging Massachusetts millionaires and corporation to move to the Granite State if voters next year approve the ‘millionaire’s tax’ in the Bay State. “I will happily connect anyone with a couple amazing real estate agents,” she writes at Patch.com. SHNS’s Katie Lannan has more at the Newburyport Daily News.

Patch

Where administrative jobs come first: UMass Boston to close day-care center

They’re hiring away at UMass Boston, i.e. the politically connected. So they have to cut somewhere – and a day-care center that serves the children of faculty, students and poor neighborhood families must go, the Globe’s Laura Krantz and Kiana Cole report.

Boston Globe

Healey and other AGs go after DeVos over student loan deals

We’re losing track, but we’re pretty sure this is the 26th legal action Attorney General Maura Healey has taken against the Trump administration so far this year. From the BBJ: “Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey said on Thursday that Massachusetts and 17 other states plus Washington, D.C. filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Education and Secretary Betsy DeVos for delaying federal protections for federal student loan borrowers.”

BBJ

Texting tickets on the rise

We weren’t expecting this, considering how so many other roadway laws go unenforced in Massachusetts, via Jaclyn Cashman at the Herald:“Nearly 8,600 drivers were caught texting on state highways last year — more than double the number four years ago — and those statistics should push lawmakers to get the hands-free driving bill to Gov. Charlie Baker’s desk immediately.”

‘You’re down to blood relatives and friends at 15 percent’

We missed this hilariously brutal takedown yesterday of Chris Christie by GOP consultant Ryan Williams, an aide to Mitt Romney’s 2012 presidential campaign, who notes the N.J. governor has always enjoyed the “finer things associated with the politics” (private planes, prime ribs, nice restaurants) and, with an approval rating of 15 percent, he really doesn’t give a damn anymore about appearances, such as getting caught lounging on a state beach closed to the public.

Boston Herald

Study: Non-coastal New England would be economic climate change winner

Now this is looking on the bright side: Worcester County and the rest of the non-coastal areas of Massachusetts are among the places in the country that would actually benefit economically from climate change, according to a new study in Science magazine, reports Grant Welker at the Worcester Business Journal. The bottom line: People will flock to cooler areas to avoid the heat and/or coastal flooding.

Worcester Business Journal

‘Horrible’ is in the name, after all

Beverly Mayor Mike Cahill wants answers on how a vulgar sign containing a personal attack on a local resident made its way into the annual July Fourth Horribles Parade in Beverly Farms, Ariana MacNeil of the Salem News reports. Parade organizers say they’re looking into the incident and will have more to say about it next week.

Salem News

Thursday’s votes show N.E.’s Dems don’t always march lockstep on immigration

David Bernstein at WGBH notes that all 20 New England Democrats voted against an anti-sanctuary-cities funding bill yesterday in Washington, but a third of them, including Reps. Steve Lynch and William Keating, on the same day voted for a bill that adds penalties for convicted criminals who return to the United States after being deported. The upshot: The delegation isn’t as bleeding-heart liberal as you might think on immigration, Bernstein writes.

WGBH

Sunday public affairs TV

Keller at Large, WBZ-TV Channel 4, 8:30 a.m. Guest: Political consultant Dianne Hessan, who discusses her ongoing work with a large focus group of Trump supporters and how they view today’s current events.

This is New England, NBC Boston Channel 10, 9:30 a.m. With host Latoyia Edwards, this week’s focus: ‘South of the City,’ as part of the show’s ongoing look at what New England has to offer during the summer.

This Week in Business, NECN, 10 a.m. Repeat of last week’s show with Massport CEO Tom Glynn and Alison Nolan, GM of Boston Harbor Cruises, both discussing harbor events this summer.

CEO Corner, NECN, 10:30 a.m. Repeat of a previous show featuring State Street Corp. chief executive Jay Hooley.

On The Record, WCVB-TV Channel 5, 11 a.m. This week’s guest: Robert Massie, Democratic candidate for governor, who talks with anchor Ed Harding and co-anchor Janet Wu.

CityLine, WCVB-TV Channel 5, 12 p.m. With host Karen Holmes Ward, this week’s focus: New England’s Native Americans.

Today's Headlines

Metro

Despite drop in crime, some neighborhoods still feel besieged - Boston Globe

Boston’s Irish community on edge after contractor is deported - Boston Herald

Abrupt ICE moves on undocumented are stirring great anxiety - Dorchester Reporter

Massachusetts

Former Framingham deputy police chief sues town, department - MetroWest Daily News

Mayor questions how vulgar sign got into horrible’s parade - Salem News

Polito tours lower Cape port projects - Cape Cod Times

The hottest spots of affluence in Massachusetts - Boston Business Journal

GE stock sinks to lowest point of 2017—and it could get worse - Boston Business Journal