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A GRAND BARGAIN show of force – BAKER, TRUMP back WARREN pot bill – MAYORS speak out on trans discrimination ballot question

CHARLIE BAKER'S MBTA FAIL! WE'RE STILL WAITING CHARLIE! 

- "Baker says he does have a vision for the T: 'Making it work,'" by Matt Stout, Boston Globe: "Governor Charlie Baker defended the scale of his vision for the state and its transportation network on Friday and knocked calls to infuse it with more tax-created revenue, offering a likely preview of the rhetoric awaiting his reelection bid this fall. 'Big vision does not equal tax increase, OK?' Baker, a Republican, said."

- "Democratic candidate for Governor tell us what Gov. Baker is doing wrong: On The Record," by WCVB Channel 5 Boston: Jay Gonzalez got the nomination from the Democratic Party for Massachusetts governor. He tells On The Record what's wrong with Gov. Charlie Baker."

- "US Rep. Richard Neal, House Democrats call DOJ's refusal to defend Obamacare provisions 'stunning attack on the rule of law,'" by Shannon Young, MassLive.com: "U.S. Rep. Richard Neal, D-Springfield, and other House Democrats condemned the Trump administration Friday after the Justice Department announced it would not defend key provisions of the Affordable Care Act. They further cast the administration's brief, which was filed in federal court Thursday, as an 'attack' on both the rule of law and the stability of the United States' health care system."

POLITICO Massachusetts Playbook: SPICER stumping for DIEHL today — KENNEDY’s Facebook exchange — HOUSE seeks STATE POLICE oversight

POLITICO Massachusetts Playbook: SPICER stumping for DIEHL today — KENNEDY’s Facebook exchange — HOUSE seeks STATE POLICE oversight

CHARLIE BAKER'S DUMB IDEAS! SMOKE & MIRRORS WITH THE BUDGET! 

- "House budget calls for State Police oversight and rebuffs Baker's Medicaid plan," by Matt Stout and Joshua Miller, Boston Globe: "House leaders unveiled a $41 billion spending plan on Wednesday that rebuffs Governor Charlie Baker's budget proposal on several fronts, thwarting his efforts to move 140,000 poor adults from Medicaid to private plans and insisting on tighter oversight of the scandal-scarred State Police. 

The $40.98 billion budget proposal also ditches Baker's call to shift millions of dollars of MBTA salaries from its operating budget onto its capital spending plan, a move House Speaker Robert A. DeLeo likened to paying people with a credit card. At the same time, the House instead funnels more money toward the T to help prop up its budget."

- "Gov. Charlie Baker: Minimum wage, paid leave, sales tax should be decided by lawmakers, not voters," by Shira Schoenberg, MassLive.com: "Gov. Charlie Baker said Tuesday that he hopes lawmakers -- not the voters -- will decide the fate of major economic issues, including the minimum wage, paid family leave and the state sales tax. 'I think we can probably do a better job of dealing with those issues that way than through the ballot,' [he said.]"

CHARLIE BAKER'S DOR FLOP....AGAIN! CHARLIE BAKER ALLOWED INCOMPETENT POLITICAL HACKS TO RUN AMOK!

- "Errant mailings by state tax department expose private data of 6,100 people," by Joshua Miller, Boston Globe: "The state's beleaguered Department of Revenue - already reeling this year after failing to deliver timely child-support payments and a data breach of sensitive businesses tax information - announced Wednesday that the personal information of thousands of people who pay child support was inadvertently sent to companies that do not employ them. Officials in the administration of Governor Charlie Baker said the faulty mailings mean the private data - including Social Security numbers - of about 6,100 people who owe child support were sent to the wrong addresses."

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MASSterList: Staying safe | Body-camera politics | Fare punt

MASSterList: Staying safe | Body-camera politics | Fare punt

MBTA eyes fare hike next year, but parking fee increases could come sooner   CommonWealth Magazine’s Bruce Mohl and the Globe’s Adam Vaccaro report that the T’s oversight board is now eyeing a probable fare hike in 2019 – after this fall’s elections, it should be noted – rather than increase them later this year. But the board is still looking at ways to reduce spending and raise revenues to plug an immediate deficit – and that could mean parking-lot fee increases. The board is also looking how to raise new and additional revenues over the long-term.

Everyone has an opinion about the T …   Callie Crossley at WGBH and Renée Loth at the Globe both have some advice for the MBTA and both share this view, among other opinions: The T had better get its act together or ride-sharing companies like Uber and Lyft are going to eat its lunch. Btw: A union representing T workers, the Office & Professional Employees International Union Local 453, also has an opinion: It thinks Democrat Jay Gonzalez should be the next governor ultimately overseeing the transit agency. SHNS’s Michael Norton (pay wall) has more on the union endorsement. Anti-violence rally will take aim at Smith & Wesson plant   As thousands of Bay State students prepare to join Wednesday’s nationwide school walk out, a group of activists in Springfield say they’ll take their case to the gates of the Smith & Wesson facility in the city, Patrick Johnson reports at MassLive. Organizers say they’re targeting the company because of its role in manufacturing the AR-15, the assault-style weapon used in the Florida school shooting last month.  MassLive CLICK ON LINK FOR MORE MASSACHUSETTS INFORMATION

MASSterList: Rollout delay | Principal on leave | 'There is a vision'

MASSterList: Rollout delay | Principal on leave | 'There is a vision'

THIS FROM:

POLITICO Massachusetts Playbook:TEFLON CHARLIE — AFT president calls for gun proposal opposition — POT’s mellow rollout

- "Chabot: Charlie Baker's overtime problem swells," by Hillary Chabot, Boston Herald: "The first-term Republican is facing a rash of swollen OT in key state agencies including the MBTA and the state police - areas already under scrutiny as Baker gears up for re-election. But a new trouble spot could be the Department of Transportation, where many Pike holdovers earn more than $100,000 in overtime."

TEFLON CHARLIE STRIKES AGAIN - A new Barr Foundation/MassINC poll has gauged Massachusetts voters' dissatisfaction with the state's transit situation, and they say it's gotten worse over the last five years. But voters aren't laying blame on Gov. Charlie Baker.

The statewide survey found 68 percent have a favorable view of Baker - and 57 support how he's dealt with local transportation systems. These same respondents said improving highways, roads, and bridges and public transportation should be among the state's top priorities.

That latest data point showing seemingly impossible-to-tarnish support is more good news for Baker's reelection campaign. He has pinned much of his political hopes on transit, despite Democrats' attempts to rake him over the failures of the system like last week's Red Line derailment.

The numbers also add credence to national Democrats' lack of interest in getting involved in the Baker race - consider Rhode Island Gov. Gina Raimondo's praise for him at the NGA this weekend. When asked about Dem chances at defeating Baker this November, Raimondo (a Democrat) punted: "Charlie, I think, is very popular and is doing a good job," she said. "I've enjoyed working with him, and we have a good bipartisan, collaborative relationship."

T official: ‘There is a vision’   With transit mishaps occurring now at almost a daily rate, MBTA officials are urging patience, saying recent reforms will soon bear results, and a T board member is asserting: “We are building reliability in the system and we are improving the system and we are doing it every day ... I think it’s important for folks to understand, there is a vision.” The Herald’s Matt Stout has more. Bruce Mohl at CommonWealth magazine reports how Keolis, overseer of the T’s commuter rail system, does seem to be turning a corner in improving operations. In a separate piece, Mohl reports that T vice chairman Steven Poftak “wants to execute on projects in the pipeline before considering whether new revenues are needed.” To be clear: Poftak is not ruling out the need for new revenues, i.e. fare increases, just that they’re not a priority now. Boston Herald

No ticket, no rail ride   Speaking of mass transit, from SHNS’s Andy Metzger: “Commuter rail riders departing from South Station will need to show their tickets before boarding evening trains starting this spring under a program designed to boost revenues on the system. Ticket checks began at North Station last September but they were suspended in January due to winter weather, according to Keolis Commuter Services, which runs the commuter rail for the MBTA. The so-called Fare is Fair checks will start for the afternoon rush hour at Back Bay in March, and then at South Station in May." SHNS (pay wall)

South Coast Rail promises, AKA Charlie Baker's Brain Fart

South Coast Rail promises, AKA Charlie Baker's Brain Fart

POLITICO Massachusetts Playbook BAKER up, TRUMP down in new poll — POT SHOPS go cash-only — KORNEGAY new MassHousing chief

POLITICO Massachusetts Playbook BAKER up, TRUMP down in new poll — POT SHOPS go cash-only — KORNEGAY new MassHousing chief

MASSterList: Cannabis chaos | Secret bridge plot? | Globe house cleaning

MASSterList: Cannabis chaos | Secret bridge plot? | Globe house cleaning

POLITICO Massachusetts Playbook Return to normal on BEACON HILL — The POT conundrum — NARAL backs KERRIGAN

POLITICO Massachusetts Playbook Return to normal on BEACON HILL — The POT conundrum — NARAL backs KERRIGAN