Happening Today
Salem school turnaround
Gov. Baker, Secretary of Education Jim Peyser, Salem Mayor Kim Driscoll, Sen. Joan Lovely and Rep. Paul Tucker tour classrooms at Salem-Bentley Elementary School and participate in a roundtable discussion about the school’s turnaround efforts, 25 Memorial Dr., Salem, 8:30 a.m.
Senate budget, Day II
The Senate continues deliberations on the Senate Ways and Means Committee’s $40.3 billion fiscal 2018 budget, Senate Chamber, 10 a.m.
House formal session
House meets in formal session and is expected to take up two immigration-related bills – one preventing inmates from doing out-of-state work on a Mexican border wall and the other preventing use of state resources to help ICE on immigration matters, 11 a.m., House Chamber.
Selectmen talk marijuana law
Massachusetts Selectmen’s Association hold a regional meeting to discuss the law legalizing adult use of marijuana, Massachusetts Municipal Association, One Winthrop Square, Boston, 11:30 a.m.
Governor’s Council
Governor’s Council holds its weekly assembly with votes possible on the nominations of attorney Dalila Argaez Wendlandt as an Appeals Court judge and attorney Arose Nielsen as a Juvenile Court judge, Council Chamber, 12 p.m.
McGovern on the air
U.S. Rep. James McGovern is a guest on ‘Boston Public Radio,’ WGBH-FM 89.7, 12 p.m.
Biden addresses Harvard seniors
Former Vice President Joe Biden is the speaker at Harvard University’s 2017 Class Day, Tercentenary Theatre, Harvard Yard, 2 p.m.
Veterans treatment graduation
Gov. Baker attends the Essex County Veterans Treatment Court Graduation, Lawrence District Court, 2 Appleton St, Lawrence, 2 p.m.
Head Start visit
Gov. Baker visits a Head Start program and childcare center at the Greater Lawrence Action Council, 305 Essex St, Lawrence, 3:15 p.m.
Today’s Stories
More cuts, Part II
Lots of news on the federal-budget front. Actually, it’s two federal-budget fronts: President Trump’s proposed overall federal budget and the ongoing fight over ObamaCare – and their ramifications on Massachusetts.
The Globe’s Matt Rocheleau has an excellent breakdown on how individual federal agencies and programs would fare under the White House’s overall federal budget that seeks to slash spending. U.S. Reps. Richard Neal, Joseph Kennedy and Katherine Clark and U.S. Sen. Ed Markey are ripping into proposed deep cuts within domestic programs and agencies, reports Shannon Young at MassLIve. An Associated Press report at the Patriot Ledger looks at proposed funding reductions, in particular, at the Environmental Protection Agency.
Meanwhile, SHNS’s Matt Murphy and Michael Norton (pay wall) report on the reaction of state leaders, including Gov. Baker, on proposed NIH and Medicaid cuts – on top of Medicaid reductions that would result from gutting ObamaCare. The Globe’s Priyanka Dayal McCluskey has a piece on an Urban Institute study that says Massachusetts would get hit particularly hard if the sweeping health-care bill approved by House Republicans becomes law.
For Sale: Logan Airport?
Besides the draconian federal budget the Trump administration has proposed, the White House is also eyeing a plan to privatize many federal, state and local assets such as airports, bridges, highway rest stops and other facilities to help fund the president’s massive infrastructure-improvement proposal, reports Michael Laris at the Washington Post.
Baker: Extra anti-terrorist precautions will be taken at concert this holiday weekend
Gov. Charlie Baker says that law enforcement authorities will indeed be taking additional precautions ahead of this Memorial Day weekend’s Boston Calling music festival, in the wake of the deadly Manchester, England terrorist bombing, reports SHNS’s Matt Murphy at Wicked Local. Though Baker said there are no current threats of venues being targeted for violence, he urged residents to remain “vigilant.” Meanwhile, the Boston Herald reports that Boston Police Commissioner William B. Evans said he has spoken with the FBI and police will be beefing up security at other venues, including Fenway Park and the TD Garden.
Second challenger eyes DuBois’s state rep seat
A Brockton Republican says he will move into the district of state Rep. Michelle DuBois—who sparked controversy and made national headlines by warning of an immigration raid that never occurred —to challenge her in the 2018 election, Marc Larocque of the Enterprise reports. Craig Pina said his decision to challenge DuBois was sparked by her Facebook raid posting. An independent candidate, Robert Taylor, has also said he would move into DuBois’ district to run against her.
On the count of three: House showdown with Sheriff Hodgson
Speaking of immigration matters, Michael Bonner of the Standard-Times previews today’s debate and votes by the House on bills that would essentially block proposals by Bristol County Sheriff Thomas Hodgson to deputize his employees to work for Immigration and Customs Enforcement and to send prisoners to work on President Trump’s proposed Mexican border wall.
More on the Baker administration’s favorite patronage-hire dumping grounds
The Globe’s Frank Phillips confirms that the Baker administration really likes environmental agencies, so much so that more than half a dozen hires in the departments have strong political or personal ties to top administration officials, particularly Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito and Secretary of Energy and Environmental Affairs Matthew Beaton. And, yes, the Department of Conservation and Recreation is involved.
Danny Ainge’s son to run for Congress in Utah
Tanner Ainge, the son of Boston Celtics GM Danny Ainge, is running for Congress in Utah as a Republican, trying to fill the soon-to-be vacated seat of Rep. Jason Chaffetz, reports Nik DeCosta-Klipa at Boston.com.
Something Baker said has apparently ticked off Setti Warren
Democratic gubernatorial candidate Setti Warren is holding a press conference this afternoon in response to comments made by Gov. Baker yesterday, the Warren campaign has announced. The governor “implied” that Warren is only interested in representing certain groups, the campaign release states, citing comments made by Baker to State House New Service and reported at the Salem News. We think we know what Warren is implying, but we’ll wait to see what he actually says about what he thinks Baker is implying, for the governor’s comments sure looked mighty innocuous.
Jim Brett: ‘Tip O’Neill’s not coming through that door tonight’
Jim Brett, head of the New England Council, is only joking when borrowing a famous line from Rick Pitino. But his point, as David Bernstein writes at WGBH, is that New England’s Congressional delegation can no longer expect to throw its weight around in Washington like it used to in decades past. So it’s going to just have to work harder to protect the region’s interests in the age of Trump and GOP Congressional domination, Brett says.
Fidelity’s Abigail Johnson sings the praises of digital currencies
Who would have thought? The usually publicity shy Abigail Johnson, chair and chief executive of Boston’s powerhouse Fidelity investments, has A.) Given a rare public speech and B.) Revealed she’s a huge fan of digital currency technologies such as bitcoin and blockchange, reports the BBJ’s Greg Ryan. She spoke yesterday at, of all places, a New York blockchain conference and she also revealed that Fidelity is experimenting with digital-currency technology at its employee cafeteria.
Uber and Lyft drivers honked off over background-check rules
More than 150 prospective drivers for Uber, Lyft and other ride-for-hire companies packed a state hearing yesterday to complain that new background-check policies are simply too strict, sometimes bordering on the absurd, reports the Herald’s Jordan Graham: “The reason I was denied was for multiple serious (driving) offenses,” said one angry attendee. “These offenses occurred in 1957 — 59 years ago.”
Boston chamber backs Sen. Lesser’s high-speed rail study
The Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce has endorsed Sen. Eric Lesser’s call for a study of high-speed rail between Springfield and Boston, as part of the chamber’s efforts to develop a statewide development strategy to boost Massachusetts’ economic competitiveness, reports Gintautas Dumcius at MassLive. It’s somewhat of a surprise because the east-west rail idea has been largely, until now, a western Mass. issue. The dynamics have obviously changed somewhat with the chamber’s support for a study.
Convention center rumble?
Mayor Marty Walsh isn’t happy that the state is talking about possible uses of vacant convention-center land for purposes other than an expansion of the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center – and, as the Globe’s Shirley Leung rightly notes, the mayor has a point: The city spent millions for that land and should have a say on its future, if not primary say.
Target to pay state $625K for data breach that hit nearly a million people here
From Gintautas Dumcius at MassLive: “Massachusetts is slated to receive $625,000 as part of a massive $18.5 million multi-state settlement after an investigation into Target’s 2013 data breach. The breach involved almost one million credit or debit cards in Massachusetts, according to the Bay State’s attorney general, Maura Healey, whose office announced the settlement, calling it the ‘largest national data breach settlement to date.”
‘The Masshole parking trifecta’
What do you when you see a car parked too far from the curb, in a handicap space and with ‘a crushed bike lane marker underneath’? Take a photo and post it as proof of a true ‘Masshole parking trifecta,’ as Adam Gaffin aptly describes it.
Senate puts film credit in starring role in budget talks
State senators have approved a budget amendment that would bar the film tax credit from being applied to individual salaries over $1 million and require that film crews spend 75 percent of their time and money in the state, Bruce Mohl of CommonWealth Magazine reports. The move all but assures the hot potato issue will again be the subject of debate on Beacon Hill, where it has survived a slew of attacks in recent years.
AG probing Easthampton High
The office of Mass. Attorney General Maura Healey has opened an investigation into Easthampton High School, though it’s not clear exactly what the probe is looking at, Mary C. Serreze of MassLive reports. Earlier this month the district banned the display of the confederate flag in the school in the wake of an apparently racially motivated assault in the school’s parking lot in March.
No, Amy Rosenthal is not a pediatrician
Due to inaccurate information in a story that we linked to yesterday, we incorrectly stated that Amy Rosenthal, the newly appointed executive director of Health Care for All, is a pediatrician. She’s not a pediatrician. Our apologies, Amy!
Author Talk and Book Signing with Gregory N. Flemming
Author talk and book signing with Gregory N. Flemming, author of At the Point of a Cutlass: The Pirate Capture, Bold Escape, and Lonely Exile of Philip Ashton
State Library of Massachusetts
Space Spotlight at Clarks Americas, Inc.
Join NAIOP Massachusetts for a tour of the new Clarks headquarters in Waltham! Hear from Tammy Diorio of Clarks Americas, Inc., Jim LaValley of Stantec, and Steven Kelly of Timberline Construction as they discuss Clarks’ vision for the space, real estate considerations and challenges, and the design and construction process that brought this space to life.
The New England Employee Benefits Council’s Annual Employee Benefits Summit & Trade Show
Get insight/guidance on the hottest topics in employee benefits. Register early! Last year’s event sold out. Featuring Dr. Tuckson, one of the 50 Most Influential Physician Executives in Healthcare.
New England Employee Benefits Council
Update from Governor Baker: Technology and Economic Development in Massachusetts
Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker addresses the North Shore Technology Council to share his administration’s economic development successes to date and the future of the technology sector in Massachusetts.
North Shore Technology Council
Salute to Veterans
The Boston Business Journal presents a new program to recognize veterans and organizations that are making employment and advancement strides with veterans as the nation nears Memorial Day.
Looking Under the Covers at UTEC Mattress Recycling
At UTEC Mattress Recycling, tearing apart beds and recycling steel and foam is just part of the story. Come learn about the world of mattress disposal and how UTEC is teaming up with the state and other institutional partners to divert tons of materials away from the waste stream. Special guest: Secretary of Energy & Environmental Affairs Matthew Beaton.
UTEC and The Boston Foundation
Today’s Headlines
Metro
BPD Commissioner refutes serial killer theory for bodies found in waterways – Boston Globe
Board shoots down electronic billboard in Brighton backed by mayor – Universal Hub
Black Harvard students hold their own commencement ceremony – WBUR
Massachusetts
Drivers urge DPU to alter background checks – CommonWealth Magazine
Gardner Museum: ‘We want our paintings back now.’ – Boston Globe
Easthampton High School under investigation by Mass. AG’s office – MassLive
Worcester city council considers options for retail marijuana – Telegram & Gazette
Lead paint continues to affect thousands in Mass. – MetroWest Daily News
Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, wife Priscilla Chan visit Quincy High – Patriot Ledger
Court orders middle-mile operator to protect service – Berkshire Eagle
GOP Health care bill would hike uninsured rate in Mass.to 10.3 percent, report finds – WBUR
Single family home sales up 58 percent in Worcester – Worcester Business Journal
Lowell council eyes payment-in-lieu-of-taxes from LGH – Lowell Sun
Nation
Fox News retracts controversial article on Seth Rich’s death – Washington Post
Russia contacts with Trump campaign worried ex-CIA chief – New York Times
GOP will reject budget but still try to impose austerity – New York Times
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