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Middleboro Review 2

NEW CONTENT MOVED TO MIDDLEBORO REVIEW 2

Toyota

Since the Dilly, Dally, Delay & Stall Law Firms are adding their billable hours, the Toyota U.S.A. and Route 44 Toyota posts have been separated here:

Route 44 Toyota Sold Me A Lemon



Friday, December 4, 2015

MASSterlist: Who does the BRA work for? | Behind the clean energy job surge | Walsh gets some Wayfair feedback




 

Friday, December 4, 2015


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By George Donnelly (@geodonnelly) and Keith Regan
Today: Guv goes to Plainridge
But not to gamble. Gov. Baker will deliver remarks at the shiny new Plainridge Park Casino at the United Regional Chamber of Commerce Annual Lunch, , 301 Washington Street (Rte. 1), Plainville, 1:00pm.

The Labor Guild of Boston, an agency of the Archdiocese of Boston, hosts its annual Cushing-Gavin Awards dinner, a celebration of the labor management community, Boston Park Plaza, 50 Park Plaza, Boston, 6:00pm.
 
Daily News front page stirs controversy
In case you missed the New York Daily News' front page in the wake of the San Bernardino killings, the image is here, via MassLive: http://bit.ly/1QYn5iH
 
Beacon Hill needs its own little CBO
Charlie Baker is a data guy, and proud of it. The Legislature often lacks data, especially on the cost of proposed legislation. That's why a bill to create a Massachusetts version of the Congressional Budget Office makes so much sense.

Sen. Jamie Eldridge wants to create a fiscal office, in part because "One of my great frustrations in advocating for different pieces of legislation was that it was very easy for House Ways and Means or Senate Ways and Means to come back and say, 'that bill is too expensive' but really without a truly independent analysis to see if that's the case," he told Colin Young at the State House News Service.

He said he thinks it could be funded at $500,000 or less per year.
Of course, a state budget office would not only tell legislators that dreaming big may not cost that much money. It could also warn that that new regulations would kill jobs. For example, the CBO not too long ago noted that President Obama's proposal to raise the minimum wage to just over $10 would cost approximately 500,000 jobs. What's the impact in Massachusetts as the minimum wage moves to $11 in 2017? Nobody knows. In any case, why be only one of only seven states without a fiscal office? Here's more on Eldridge's proposal from SHNS: http://bit.ly/1XEbUjj(paywall)

MASSterList op-ed: Residents ask, Who does the BRA work for?
The authors of this op-ed, who live in the West End and the North End, say the BRA is not listening to residents' objections about large projects in their neighborhoods. "...The proposed projects are too massive, with a height and density inappropriate for the neighborhood; the developments would increase traffic in areas already burdened with gridlock; and the projects are moving forward despite the community's litany of serious concerns." http://bit.ly/1RqKHvJ
 
Walsh visits Wayfair, gets nudge on housing
Mayor Marty Walsh visited one of the fastest-growing companies in Boston, online retailer Wayfair, whose stock is soaring along with its local employee head count. What's on their minds? Housing."Most of what you see being built in Boston is the luxury, high-end housing. Housing most of us cannot afford," said one engineer in Globe reporter Megan Woolhouse's very interesting story on a high-flyer that is adding another 500 jobs to the 2,000 it already has in Boston.http://bit.ly/1TpaMJY
 
At the Elkeys, it's a bipartisan (or is it 'tri-partisan'?) celebration
Democrats and Republicans celebrated political wins together Thursday night at the ElKey -- a donkey-elephant chimera -- awards atop the Omni Parker House. Bill Weld was on hand to accept an award on behalf of Paul Cellucci. "It never would have worked out the way it did if Paul and I hadn't gotten together," said Weld. He said, "People knew they had a straight-shooter whose word was good who was in Suite 360. They didn't know that about me when we started out. All they knew was I was a prosecutor. They weren't so sure about that." Frank Bellotti, who was AG from 1975-87, among other things, said, "I'd like to be remembered for the fact that I could work with Republicans, accomplish great things with them, and still be fiercely a Democrat."
 
As United Independent Party founder Evan Falchuk noted at the party, the event was actually "tri-partisan." The awards honored a great range of political activities. Here's a few jotted down by a reporter who was not entirely focused on the ceremony the whole time: Fundraiser of the year - ML Ganley, for Coakley/Joe Kennedy/Tolman; communications director - Tim Buckley, for Baker; field director - Steve Moore, for Goldberg; media consultant - Will Keyser, for Baker; pollster - David Paleologos, of Suffolk U.; political operative - Roger Lau, for the Democrats Coordinated Campaign; and policy director - Elizabeth Mahoney, for Baker. -Andy Metzger, SHNS.
 
Rare map recovered by sharp-eyed BPL employee
Noticing a rare map for sale in an antique dealer's catalog that looked just like one that was stolen from the Boston Public Library, the BPL's map curator Ronald Grim was able to prove it was indeed the library's, and had it returned. The map, by explorer Samuel de Champlain circa 1612, depicts the New England coast and parts of Canada and was on sale for $285,000. Shelley Murphy of the Globe has more details here on Grim's detective work. http://bit.ly/1NupAH2

Clean energy jobs surge, but how real is the total?
A report commissioned by the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center says clean energy jobs in the state have jumped to nearly 99,000, up by almost 40,000 jobs in five years. But just what is a clean energy job? Bruce Mohl of CommonWealth Magazine delves into the methodology, noting "...where those numbers come from is hard to grasp." http://bit.ly/1Q4Jevq
 
Judge tosses Boston's Wynn suit 
Suffolk Superior Court Judge Janet L. Sanders tossed out the city of Boston's lawsuit against the Massachusetts Gaming Commission over the issuance of a resort casino license to Steve Wynn in Everett, possibly putting an end to months of high-profile legal maneuvering marked by controversial leaks to the press Thursday. The Globe reports that in addition to ruling the MGC followed the law, Sanders also castigated the city in her ruling for filings that she called "inflammatory descriptions," and "hyperbole" that "tend only to obscure the factual allegations." The ruling clears a major hurdle for Wynn's $1 billion proposal and the city, which has already spent $1 million pressing the issue, says it is considering whether to appeal. http://bit.ly/1lebKOJ 

MGM details changes to Gaming Commission 
Meeting in Springfield, meanwhile, the Massachusetts Gaming Commission heard from MGM officials about the design changes they want to make to their casino development. MassLive reports that Chairman Stephen Crosby says the commission will consider both MGM's input and that of city officials and local residents before voting on the changes. But he sounded amenable, saying the most important consideration is preserving the mixed-use nature of the project. "[I]f they're tweaking each of those elements and all of the elements are still there, then on the face of it that makes me feel better," Crosby said. http://bit.ly/1YNawbi 

Lynch sees progress after FAA meeting on Logan noise 
Hundreds of residents turned out in Milton for a meeting with the Federal Aviation Administration over the increased impacts from Logan Airport noise, the Patriot Ledger reports.  U.S. Rep. Stephen Lynch, who convinced the FAA to hold the meeting by threatening to hold up part of the agency's budget, said he felt the four-hour meeting was productive. "I think we had a few breakthroughs," he said. http://bit.ly/1O7pmlm 

UMass Foundation to divest from coal  
The UMass Foundation said Thursday it would shift investments in its $770 million fund away from coal companies to more "socially responsible" options, Boston Magazine reports. The move comes a year after the Foundation established a committee to look into the issue. http://bit.ly/1HKmWMT 

Tax the millionaires? It won't add up
So says BBJ managing editor Craig Douglas, who notes that since the Bush tax cuts expired in 2013, the number of millionaires in Massachusetts has actually declined. Thus the movement to rework the state tax law to add a surtax on incomes over $1 million will only cause millionaires to flee the state "like a bunch of flying monkeys." http://bit.ly/1N0F6cm

Sunday public affairs TV listings:

- WCVB-TV Channel 5, On The Record, 11:00am: This week's guest is Boston City Councilor-elect Annissa Essaibi-George. With moderators Ed Harding, anchor at NewsCenter 5, and State House reporter Janet Wu.
 
- WCVB-TV Channel 5, CityLine, 12:00 pm: Nadeem Mazen Cambridge City Councilor & founder of Mass Muslims is joined by Executive Director of the Muslim Justice League Shannon Erwin and president and founder of NuDay Syria, Nadia Alawa. Karen Holmes Ward hosts the program.
No trivial matter: Mike Deehan is back with a few words
MASSterList founding editor Mike Deehan and now WGBH political reporter hosted the second Pints of Order Trivia Night earlier this week and he filed this report:

If you missed Tuesday night's second ever Pints of Order Trivia Night, you are a sad sucker. Or, more likely, you just like Christmas Tree lightings and adorable alpacas more than you like nachos. Anyway, here's what you missed: Fun was had, drinks were drank and Senate President Stan Rosenberg was on hand to ask the following question: Name the fictional political character who said: "If you want to get some cardio exercise, you have to have a heart."

If you want to know when the next trivia night or other outing is going to be, get in on the official Pints of Order Facebook group, brought to you by the Edward M. Kennedy Institute: https://www.facebook.com/ groups/1053724278000540/

Congratulations to the teams "Making Trivia Great Again!"(mostly hacky reporter-types) and "Massterlist or Die Trying" (which ironically included in its ranks the writer of a certain other morning email) for co-winning the contest. They won special mugs! See below:
 
Also, Mr. Deehan, while he had the forum, wanted to share a SONG OF THE FRIDAY: "Missing You," off the Rolling Stones' 1978 disco-era release "Some Girls." 


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