Project 2025 school privatization supporters want Massachusetts to opt into Trump’s new federal school voucher scheme that sends PUBLIC taxpayer dollars to PRIVATE schools without accountability, defunding the public schools that serve most kids. Tell Governor Healey: protect Massachusetts students and say ‘NO’ to Trump’s school voucher program! Learn More: ProtectOurPublicSchools.com
Keller @ Large
“With its population of Black churchgoers and white retirees and suburbanites, the South Carolina Democratic primary became what its GOP equivalent had been before the Trump era — the place where insurgencies went to die.”
– Jonathan Martin of Politico on X
Hey @jmart - if you’re into exploring insurgent graveyards, why not add Massachusetts to your itinerary this fall?
Go ahead, type “Massachusetts voters anti-establishment backlash” into your favorite AI portal. It will tell you revolutionary energy is busting out all over our troubled slice of heaven.
Allegedly overripe Boomer pols like Ed Markey and Steve Lynch are battling fresh-faced primary challengers. Voter anxiety over cost-of-living issues seems impervious to Maura Healey’s assurances that she’s on top of it. Two years of establishment stalling of Diana DiZoglio’s audit crusade have supremely ticked off the huge majority that supported it. And every one of the record-tying nine ballot questions in November reflects some form of discontent with Beacon Hill.
Forget the Tall Ships Parade of Sail — Massachusetts governance is a parade of fail, and an infuriated electorate is poised to throw the bums out.
Right?
Not so fast.
Jon Keller is a MASSterList columnist.
HAPPENING TODAY
8:45 | Boston Mayor Wu visits the Piers Park Sailing Center and meets with young people to highlight the city's summer youth jobs program | Piers Park II, Piers Park Sailing Center, 95 Marginal Street, East Boston
10:00 | Department of Public Health holds a public hearing on proposed regulations that would block licensed healthcare providers and facilities from reporting medical debt to consumer credit agencies | More Info and Access
11:00 | House meets in an informal session | House Chamber | Livestream
11:00 | Senate meets without a calendar | Senate Chamber | Livestream
1:00 | Metropolitan Area Planning Council launches CommunityEV Carshare, a solar-powered electric vehicle carshare pilot program. The pilot will serve residents in public housing in Boston and Chelsea, as well as residents in Framingham and Quincy | MetroWest Regional Transit Authority headquarters, 15 Blandin Ave., Framingham
JOB BOARD
Field Director, Massachusetts Association of School Committees
Human Resources Business Partner, Recruitment & Retention, City of Newton
Mid-Career Fellowship, Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation
Program Analyst, Massachusetts Housing Partnership
Senior Investigator, AOI, Massachusetts Office of the Inspector General
Associate, Shepherd Strategies
Project Accountant, Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC)
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Colorectal cancer is largely treatable and preventable. Mass General Brigham is encouraging routine screening for patients over age 45 with a wide range of test options. Our providers treat every patient interaction as a chance to educate and offer screening.
FROM BEACON HILL
MILESTONE MARKER: Senate President Karen Spilka, who in 2023 presided over the lifting of term limits for her role, this weekend became the longest-serving Senate leader since William Bulger. Spilka’s relatively drama-free tenure comes after she took the reins at a time of turmoil. | State House News Service
DNA EVIDENCE: A new state law, signed as part of this year's budget, lifts the statute of limitation in rape cases where DNA later identifies a suspect. A North Attleboro woman and assault survivor who pushed for the change says she hopes it sends the message that justice doesn't have an expiration date. | Sun-Chronicle
NEWS NEXT DOOR
LIFE AND NEAR-DEATH OF A HOUSING LAW: An unlikely partnership between Sen. Elizabeth Warren and South Carolina Republican Sen. Tim Scott was one of the keys behind passage of a major housing bill that became law without President Trump's signature. Warren looks back on its winding progress. | New York Times
SEEING RED: Southeastern Massachusetts, where the GOP flipped a state Senate seat and President Trump made gains in 2024, is a hotspot for Republican candidates this year as voters seek alternatives and demographics shift. | Boston Globe
EYES ON NONANTUM: Newton City Councilor Alison Leary, a candidate for state rep, says she's drafting a letter to apologize for "awkward language" she deployed in a debate with Democratic primary opponent Rep. John Lawn. Leary says she was trying to highlight a difference between her voters and Lawn's backers in Nonantum when she said: "They don’t want housing. They don’t want immigrants. Many of them are Republicans." | NBC 10 Boston
WU WEIGHS IN: Boston Mayor Wu is out with details of new street-safety commitments after the death of cyclist Louisa Gag. The mayor is pledging to develop truck-safety legislation, consult with outside advisors, expand the use of permanent barriers along bike lanes and evaluate the intersection where Gag was killed. | WBUR
ON THE ROAD: A group called Walk for A New Dawn is walking across Massachusetts, due to arrive at the State House on Aug. 13, to push for a change to the state flag and highlight the Indigenous community's legislative priorities. | Berkshire Eagle
SPRINGFIELD CITY HALL SPAT: Springfield's city clerk and election commissioner, Gladys Oyola-Lopez, is charging that City Councilor Justin Hurst is harassing and retaliating against her for alerting the state in 2023 that she'd heard voters were getting paid to vote for him. Hurst, who denied those allegations, claims Oyola-Lopez will benefit financially from a pending city grant to a nonprofit. | NEPM
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JOB BOARD
Public Affairs Manager, Bentley University
Director, Toxics Use Reduction Institute, UMass Lowell
Legislative Affairs Manager, MassHousing
Legislative Coordinator, Massachusetts Municipal Association
Managing Editor, CommonWealth Beacon
Chief Financial Officer, Barnstable County Sheriff’s Office
Court Administrator, MA Supreme Judicial Court
Executive Director, LivableStreets Alliance
Organizing Director, City Life/Vida Urbana
