Happening Today
DACA hearing, legislative hearings, and more
— U.S. Rep. Katherine Clark joins Cambridge Mayor Marc McGovern, MIRA Coalition and DACA recipients for a press conference on implications for Massachusetts residents of the DACA case being heard by the U.S. Supreme Court, Mayor’s Parlor, Cambridge City Hall, 795 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, 10 a.m.
— Senate President Karen Spilka and Sen. Timilty lead a tour through Stoughton, Milton and Randolph as part of the ‘SenaTOURS’ series to learn about trends, challenges and happenings in areas around the state, Stoughton High School, 232 Pearl St., Stoughton, 10 a.m.
— Gov. Charlie Baker attends the Marine Corps Birthday Luncheon, Boston Convention and Exhibition Center, 415 Summer Street, Boston, 11:45 a.m.
— The Revenue Committee once again takes up legislation that would establish a pilot program offering tax credits to promote live theater in Massachusetts, Room B-2, 1 p.m.
— Joint Committee on Telecommunications, Utilities and Energy review legislation dealing with natural gas regulations and safety-oriented bills, Gardner Auditorium, 1 p.m.
— Advocates of a ban on all flavored tobacco products rally outside the State House to bring attention to youth nicotine addiction and urge legislators to ban the products, State House steps, 3 p.m.
For more calendar listings, check out State House News Service’s Daily Advances (pay wall – free trial subscriptions available) and MassterList’s Beacon Hill Town Square below.
Today’s Stories
Job Board … Tuesday?
Because of a technical issue, we did not publish our Job Board Monday yesterday. But you can see our full job board at our web site or below. Our apologies for the mix-up.
Reconsidering: Deval Patrick once again mulling presidential bid
He ruled it out nearly a year ago. But he’s now ruling it in again (maybe). The New York Times reports that former Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick is indeed strongly considering a run for president – to the point of calling Joe Biden to let him know he’s weighing the move and contacting potential campaign workers. The Globe’s Victoria McGrane and Liz Goodwin and the Washington Post have more on the latest pol from Massachusetts to set his sights on the White House. In Patrick’s case, he clearly sees a moderate-liberal window of opportunity to run — and he’s clearly not impressed with the campaign of uber-progressive Elizabeth Warren, also from Massachusetts.
But as the Washington Post notes, one “complication” for Patrick will be to “extricate himself from Bain Capital,” the Boston private-equity firm with ties to yet another former Bay State governor and presidential candidate, Republican Mitt Romney. The Herald’s Joe Battenfeld says Patrick will have more to contend with than Bain Capital, such as the “drapes, the Cadillac, the finances, the pricey junkets.”
Let’s see. There’s Deval and Liz and Bill and Mike and …
The Globe’s Danny McDonald reviews the latest roster of presidential candidates, or potential candidates, with Massachusetts ties. There’s Deval, Liz, Bill and Mike and, until somewhat recently, Seth. And don’t forget Steve. And the nation awaits word from Jill. Never forget Jill. Hillary hasn’t.
Not so fast: Student oppose Scott Brown’s appointment as next head of New England Law
The Globe’s Joshua Miller reports that more than 150 students have signed a petition opposing the appointment of Scott Brown, the former U.S. senator and current U.S. ambassador to New Zealand, as the next president of New England Law. They pretty much confirm it’s all about politics, not his qualifications, saying Brown can’t serve because his “political and moral beliefs are so repugnant to those of the student body and the legal institution itself.”
So those who voted for Brown to serve as a selectman, state representative, state senator and U.S. senator were all politically and morally wrong to the point of being repugnant? OK.
Reports: State Police brass actually encouraged OT abuses
From the Globe’s Matt Rocheleau: “Several State Police supervisors regularly ordered rank-and-file troopers in a scandal-ridden unit to skip overtime shifts that they were paid for, a former trooper says in a newly unsealed court filing. The filing, submitted by the attorneys for one of the dozens of troopers implicated in the scandal, for the first time alleges that troopers were directed by their bosses when they racked up thousands of dollars in overtime for work that they did not perform.”
In some cases, commanders allegedly told troopers to “run silent, run deep” when it came to skipping OT shifts, thus proving this, if true: There are definitely some knowledgeable WWII movie buffs within State Police ranks.
The Herald’s Andrew Martinez has more on the new court-filing revelations. Our quick question: Was State Police Colonel Kerry Gilpin aware this might be coming out when she recently announced her retirement? Just thinking aloud.
State: Storage closets are not appropriate ‘safe rooms’ at schools
Emma Murphy at the Lowell Sun reports on a recent state investigation that found that some school districts are using inappropriate “safe rooms” where agitated students can chill out for whatever reasons. One Billerica school’s “safe room” had nails sticking out of its wall, while another “was built into a storage closet that was still being used for storage,” Murphy writes.
Fighting fire with fire: Healey collects $4M from merciless debt collector
Melissa Hanson at MassLive reports on Attorney General Maura Healey’s recovery of $4 million from a hyper-aggressive debt collector who was putting the squeeze on thousands of financially vulnerable people to pay off debts stretching back years ago. The Globe’s Adrian Walker has more on the crackdown on Portfolio Recovery Associates.
Take your pick: Do you want the $18 billion, the $50 billion or the $75 billion transportation-tax plan?
The Globe’s Matt Stout reviews the various plans, including a proposed gas tax hike and the proposed Transportation and Climate Initiative (TCI), that could end up costing motorists billions of dollars in coming years to pay for state transportation improvements. The Globe’s Shirley Leung says the transportation debate is basically coming down to two proposals on the table: An $18 billion plan favored by Gov. Charlie Baker and a $50 billion all-the-bells-and-whistles plan favored by transit advocates. But wait … the Herald’s Sean Philip Cotter adds up all the transportation plans out there and comes up with yet another price-tag number: $75 billion.
So there you go, taxpayers. Take your pick.
‘Cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome’
Unless the courts and/or the Cannabis Control Commission intervene, the sale of vaping products for marijuana-medicinal reasons will resume today, as a result of a recent court ruling that partially lifted Gov. Charlie Baker’s ban on the sale of all vaping products in Massachusetts. The Globe’s Naomi Martin has a good explainer piece on what’s legal, and not legal, on the vaping front.
But what we found interesting is another Globe piece by Naomi Martin on a new pot-related illness, called “cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome,” that hospitals have recently noticed – a nasty illness that causes “days-long vomiting episodes” in patients. “It’s honestly hell,” says one person who stopped smoking pot after vomiting for 16 straight days.
Speaking of vaping and smoking in general, from Shira Schoenberg at MassLive on expected Beacon Hill action tomorrow: “Massachusetts House to vote on bill banning flavored tobacco products, including menthol, and taxing e-cigarettes.”
Academic fight: BU’s possible hiring of teacher irks Jewish community
David Gertsman at the Jewish News Syndicate is harshly criticizing Boston University for considering hiring Sarah Ihmoud, a cultural anthropologist and currently a postdoctoral fellow at BU, to a full-time teaching position, despite what he describes as her past “pattern of false, anti-Israel” academic work that “consistently distorts sources and history to fit her views.”
Enes Kanter on balancing basketball and politics: It’s not easy
At Boston Magazine, Thomas Stackpole interviews Celtics star Enes Kanter, who, when he’s not playing basketball, is a one-man political pain-in-the-neck too Turkey strongman Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. From Kanter: “Think about what it’s like: Your dad is on trial, your family members might go to jail a couple of months later, your neighbors get tortured and raped in jail. I have to go out there and play NBA basketball, compete every night, and at the same time think about whether I am doing enough to help all of those people.”
Btw: Kanter participates in a congressional briefing today in Washington on the human rights situation in Turkey, an event hosted by U.S. Rep. Seth Moulton, according to SHNS (pay wall).
Lawmaker wants protection for Narcan-carriers
State Sen. Joan Lovely wants lawmakers to put protections in place for doctors and others who administer the overdose-reversing drug Narcan to addicts, ensuring they do not lose insurance coverage or face higher premiums for possessing the antidote, Christian Wade reports in the Salem News.
Cut! Rodrigues reiterates his opposition to open-ended extension of film tax credit
The state’s controversial film-industry tax credit isn’t due to expire until 2022, but they’re already debating whether to eliminate the sunset provision. And Michael Rodrigues, chair of the Senate Ways and Means Committee, sure sounds like he’s in no hurry to lift the provision, reports Bruce Mohl at CommonWealth magazine.
Kennedy’s gambit worked: Let Liss-Riordan beat up Markey
The Globe’s Joan Vennochi gives U.S. Rep. Joseph Kennedy grudging respect for skipping Sunday’s climate-change forum at Stonehill College, saying he did so simply because he could do so without suffering any political damage in the U.S. Senate race. Besides, Shannon Liss-Riordan was there to beat up Ed Markey for him. Btw: Benjamin Kailat MassLive and Saraya Wintersmith at WGBH have more on the climate-change forum that was most notable for who wasn’t there.
Do-over demand: Hedlund says compressor station review should start anew
He wants them to take another look. Weymouth Mayor Robert Hedlund is pressing state officials to restart the process of reviewing the controversial natural gas compressor station planned for his community after utilities said last week they don’t need the extra capacity the project would provide, Jessica Trufant at the Patriot Ledger reports.
Shared anxiety: International students, colleges worry as visa process slows
They’ve managed to buck the trend–so far. The number of international students in Boston-area colleges and universities was actually up last year–and has doubled since 2006–but some higher education officials say longer time frames to obtain student visas and the overall political climate toward immigration has them worried the trend won’t hold. Carrie Jung of WBUR has details. And then there’s this, from Nina Totenberg at WGBH: “The Harvard Law Student And DREAMer Whose Fate Could Be Decided By Supreme Court.”
Car 54, where are you? Framingham explains dearth of patrol officers
They’re working on it. That’s the message from the Framingham Police Department to residents who say cops are taking too long to respond to calls and are not a visible-enough presence on the city’s streets. Jim Haddadin at the MetroWest Daily News reports some 20 officer slots are on hold because of medical and military leave and other issues, forcing some officers to be pressed into doing triple shifts to fill the temporary gap.
ROE Act Tzedek Salon
In many states, access to abortion is hanging on by a thread. Donald Trump and politicians like him are stopping at nothing to ban abortion. But in Massachusetts, we are pushing forward. In Massachusetts. This month, we will be hosting a Tzedek Salon discussion with Kim Kargman, organizing manager at Planned Parenthood Advocacy Fund of Massachusetts.
Jewish Alliance for Law and Social Action
Boston Speakers Series: Bob Woodward
A journalistic icon, Woodward is associate editor of The Washington Post. He, along with Carl Bernstein, uncovered the Watergate scandal detailed in their Pulitzer Prize-winning book, All the President’s Men. Woodward has written 19 bestselling books on American politics, most recently: Fear: Trump in the White House.
2019 New England State and Local Tax Forum
The New England State and Local Tax Forum is a one-day conference designed to provide an annual update on significant state and local tax developments from across the nation with a particular focus on New England.
New England State and Local Tax Forum
Boston Speakers Series: Bob Woodward
A journalistic icon, Woodward is associate editor of The Washington Post. He, along with Carl Bernstein, uncovered the Watergate scandal detailed in their Pulitzer Prize-winning book, All the President’s Men. Woodward has written 19 bestselling books on American politics, most recently: Fear: Trump in the White House.
Today’s Headlines
Metro
Suffolk Downs redevelopment nears final approval – Boston Herald
Massachusetts
Website names Greenfield as best place to pay off debt – Greenfield Recorder
Transformation of former MetroWest Daily News facility on schedule – Worcester Business Journal
Telecommuting tax break may have limited impact – Daily Hampshire Gazette
Nation
White House infighting flares amid impeachment inquiry – Washington Post
History says Bloomberg 2020 would be a sure loser – Politico
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