Happening today:
9:30 a.m. | Gov. Maura Healey joins administration officials and community college presidents to make a budget announcement related to workforce development | Bunker Hill Community College, 250 New Rutherford Avenue, Boston
10 a.m. | Massachusetts School Building Authority meets | To access, contact maria.puopolo@massschoolbuildings.org
10 a.m. | Sen. Jehlen, Rep. Stanley and the Mass. Healthy Aging Collaborative host a legislative briefing on "dementia friendly communities," and housing and transportation policies with an "aging" lens. | State House, Room 428
11 a.m. | Uber and Lyft drivers gather and make a collective drive to Uber local headquarters in Saugus, where organizers say they will demand the ride-hailing platform reinstate workers "unfairly deactivated" and voice support for legislation (HD 2071 / SD 1162) that would give drivers for the companies the ability to unionize, access to a base pay rate and protections such as unemployment insurance. Drivers will leave Lynn at 11:45 a.m. and plan to arrive at Uber's offices at 168 Broadway in Saugus by 12:15 p.m | 596 Lynnway, Lynn
11:15 a.m. | Mass. Gaming Commission meets. The agenda calls for possible votes on sports betting-related regulations and a discussion of an annual report involving the sports wagering business manager
Noon | Governor's Council meets. Gov. Healey has not yet initiated the process of judicial nominations, which constitute the bulk of the council's work. The next step is likely an executive order to reconstitute the Judicial Nominating Commission. | Council Chamber
2 p.m. | Gov. Maura Healey, Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll and cabinet secretaries announce their full FY24 budget. | State House
Freshman Gov. Maura Healey’s day of reckoning has arrived.
The Cambridge Democrat makes her big reveal on how she plans to deliver on campaign-trail promises during her first year in office when she files her first state budget on Wednesday.
Healey is expected to start the day by laying out the details of her plan to provide free community college to Bay Staters over 25 who do not have college degrees, a source close to the administration told MASSterList.
The governor and other administration officials are slated to “make a budget announcement related to workforce development” at Bunker Hill Community College at 9:30 a.m., according to her public schedule.
She’s likely to lay out the details of the “MassReconnect” program that was a major cornerstone of her campaign and which she teased in her inaugural address in January. The program is intended to make higher education more accessible to Massachusetts residents while simultaneously boosting the state’s skilled workforce.
Earlier this week, Healey unveiled a sweeping $742 million tax relief package — her first major step toward delivering on her goal to make Massachusetts more affordable. It provides savings for families, renters, seniors, farmers, commuters and more.
The full scope of the governor’s spending goals come into view today. She’s previously promised at least 1% of the state’s budget to environmental and energy agencies and investments in a so-called “green bank” to boost clean-energy projects and attract new businesses to the commonwealth.
But the governor’s proposed budget is but the first step in a months-long annual process that will largely be driven by the Legislature.
House and Senate lawmakers have historically taken cues from the spending roadmap laid out by governors past, and Healey’s first budget as governor will serve as a beacon for how her policy initiatives will be greeted by the Democrat-led Legislature.
For Healey, it will also serve as a message that will begin to define her fledgling administration’s priorities.
Taxpayers still paying to keep the peace at Baker’s private home
Bay Staters are still footing the bill for police details outside the home of former Gov. Charlie Baker almost two months after he left office. The Republican governor who opted out of seeking a third term left for a new job as president of the National Collegiate Athletic Association where he’s making about $3 million a year, but State Police are still working security outside his private home on the taxpayer’s dime, writes Christian Wade for The Salem News.
Keeping Bay Staters in state
Healey defended a sweeping tax relief plan unveiled earlier this week during her first appearance with WBZ’s Dan Rea as a way to “give people reasons to stay here, to raise their families here, to settle here, to grow their businesses here.” Progressives within her own Democratic Party were quick to criticize handouts they see as being too favorable to business and higher-income residents.
Showdown for mayoral hopefuls in Salem
Five candidates vying to step in as the next mayor of Salem faced off on Tuesday over downtown development, public transportation… and of course how to handle the spooky city’s Haunted Happenings events. The city’s longtime mayor, Kim Driscoll, stepped down earlier this year after being elected lieutenant governor, writes Dustin Luca of The Salem News. A special election is scheduled for May 16.
Where are they now: #Mapoli newsmakers on the move
Amid the changing of the guard from Republican Gov. Charlie Baker’s administration of yesteryear to Democratic Gov. Maura Healey’s new order have shaken up the who’s who in the world of Massachusetts politics. State House News maps out the new lay of land.
State slashes gas rates just in time for spring
State regulators have approved additional natural gas supply rate reductions that will deliver a cost savings of about 10% to customers beginning March 1 and lasting until May 1, writes Western Mass News. National Grid and Eversource Gas of Massachusetts previously lowered gas supply rates effective Feb. 1, 2023, and Dec. 1, 2022, respectively.
State House News | Western Mass News
State eases requirements for top administrators amid shortage
State education leaders have approved a plan to grant provisional licenses to principals and vice principals, along with a slew of other changes aimed at helping public school districts ease a chronic shortage of administrators, writes Christian Wade of The Eagle Tribune.
Time’s up: State inspector tells BPS to crack down on late buses
The state inspector general’s office on Tuesday said it “remains extremely concerned” over a troubling trend of late school buses and urged Boston Public Schools to hold the third-party contractor responsible.
DeSimone wins Attleboro special mayoral election
Attleboro City Councilor Cathleen DeSimone won Tuesday’s special mayoral election, beating out three other candidates for the right to serve out the rest of current Bristol County Sheriff Paul Heroux’ term. DeSimone credited the sheer volume of doors she knocked on during the brief campaign with helping her lock down 49 percent of the votes cast.
Revere’s Arrigo won’t seek reelection
Revere Mayor Brian Arrigo says he won’t seek a third term in office in November, opening up the corner office in the Bay State’s 20th largest city for the first time since 2019. The Globe’s Tonya Analez reports Arrigo plans to continue his public service career but for the time being to do so “outside of elected office.”
Worcester Charter School gets OK over local objections
The state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education has voted to approve the Worcester Cultural Academy charter school, despite objections from the city’s mayor and school superintendent, who wanted the board to dig deeper into the school’s backers.
Rural challenges: Hilltown officials outline bevy of concerns in a visit by state auditor
Rural towns need infrastructure too. That’s one of the messages local officials from the smallest communities in Hampshire County to new State Auditor Diana DiZoglio during her recent visit to Goshen (2020 population: 960), James Pentland of the Daily Hampshire Gazette reports.