STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE A GROUP OF PROGRESSIVE Democrats will push to set a $6,500 limit on the maximum tax credit high-income earners in Massachusetts can receive under a tax […]
Charlie Baker
Posted inCriminal Justice
Baker pardons four men for decades-old offenses
AS HE CLOSES in on the end of his final term, Gov. Charlie Baker on Wednesday issued the first pardons of his nearly 8 years in office, wiping away criminal […]
Posted inState Government
Report calls big chunk of tax cap funds ‘illusory’
THE STATE is preparing to pay out $1.4 billion in “illusory” funds under the tax cap law, giving wealthy taxpayers a huge windfall, according to a report from the left-leaning […]
Posted inHealth
Medicaid waiver makes money available for housing, nutrition
THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT on Wednesday approved a five-year, $67 billion agreement with the state of Massachusetts that will govern how the state administers its Medicaid program. Gov. Charlie Baker said […]
Posted inHealth, State Government
Lessons learned from failed birth control law
DRAWING LESSONS from a Massachusetts birth control law that failed to work as planned, a reproductive rights group released a toolkit on Monday offering a series of recommendations to lawmakers […]
Posted inImmigration
Baker blames Washington, not DeSantis
GOV. CHARLIE BAKER on Sunday did not criticize Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida for flying immigrants from Texas to Martha’s Vineyard last week. Instead, he blamed Democrats and Republicans in […]
Posted inTransportation
Poftak sees T turning corner with Orange Line reopening
MBTA GENERAL Manager Steven Poftak said on Sunday that he believes the successful refresh of the Orange Line over the last 30 days could be a turning point for the […]
Posted inState Government
Baker presses forward with hefty tax cap refunds
GOV. CHARLIE BAKER said on Friday that he intends in November to start mailing taxpayers tax cap checks equal to an estimated 13 percent of their 2021 personal income tax […]
Posted inState Government
Auditor certification paves way for $2.9b in tax cap credits
MASSACHUSETTS RESIDENTS could soon be receiving tax refunds in the mail after state Auditor Suzanne Bump officially certified that the state’s tax cap law has been triggered and taxpayers are […]
Posted inPolitics
Did Charlie Baker win last week’s state primary?
HE WAS NOT on last week’s primary ballot, but Charlie Baker – or at least his brand of more middle-of-the-road pragmatism – had a good day at the polls, at […]
Posted inState Government
Baker changing rules on tax cap giveback
THE BAKER ADMINISTRATION is preparing to change the rules for returning roughly $3 billion in excess tax collections so the governor can send out checks to Massachusetts taxpayers before he […]
Posted inEnergy, Environment
Baker signs climate bill, despite ‘deep misgivings’
DESPITE “DEEP MISGIVINGS’ about some of its elements, Gov. Charlie Baker signed into law on Thursday a climate change/energy bill that he said would help Massachusetts retain its standing as a […]
Posted inPolitics, State Government
Here’s what Baker signed, amended, and vetoed
GOV. CHARLIE BAKER on Wednesday took a slew of legislative actions, clearing his desk of many of the major bills that were sent to him in the final days of […]
Posted inGambling
Let the betting begin – in a number of months
GOV. CHARLIE BAKER on Wednesday signed a law legalizing sports betting in Massachusetts, joining more than 30 other states that have authorized sports betting since the US Supreme Court overturned […]
Posted inEnergy, Environment, State Government
Baker says climate change bill is giving him agita
GOV. CHARLIE BAKER indicated on Tuesday he is having difficulty reaching a decision on whether to sign the climate change/energy bill the Legislature sent him. At a press availability, Baker […]
Posted inHealth, State Government
Baker returns public health bill unsigned
GOV. CHARLIE BAKER on Monday refused to sign a bill overhauling the state’s public health system, instead returning it to the Legislature with an amendment. The intention of the bill […]
Posted inEnergy, Environment
Baker proposes major changes to climate change bill
GOV. CHARLIE BAKER sent the Legislature’s climate change bill back with amendments that appear to rewrite it significantly, including reinstating the governor’s original call for using $750 million in federal […]
Posted inState Government
Mariano open to tinkering, scrapping, or postponing tax cap law
HOUSE SPEAKER Ron Mariano, clearly frustrated with Gov. Charlie Baker, suggested on Friday that the Legislature could modify, scrap, or delay the 1986 tax cap law that is expected to […]
Posted inState Government
Baker says he’s leaving state in good shape financially
GOV. CHARLIE BAKER on Thursday signed into law a $52.7 billion state budget for fiscal 2023, representing an unusually high 9.3 percent growth in spending over the prior year. The […]
Posted inState Government, State House News Service
Cap to give ‘north of $2.5b’ in excess tax revenue back to taxpayers
GOV. CHARLIE BAKER said on Thursday that he expects a law passed by voters in 1986 will require the state to return more than $2.5 billion to taxpayers in the […]
Posted inCriminal Justice
Baker won’t sign no-cost prison calls without dangerousness bill
GOV. CHARLIE BAKER is making another go at passing elements of his criminal dangerousness bill, this time with a bit of high-stakes legislative horse trading. Baker, in signing the fiscal […]
Posted inOpinion
Rep. Day and Sen. Eldridge belittle our stories as victims
A “WELL-CRAFTED public relations tour?” For over eight months, more than a dozen survivors have gathered the courage to tell the public how we survived being beaten, threatened, and harassed […]
Posted inRace/Racism
Baker signs law banning hairstyle discrimination
GOV. CHARLIE BAKER on Tuesday signed the CROWN Act into law, making Massachusetts the 18th state to ban discrimination based on “natural hairstyles.” The governor held a joyous bill signing […]
Posted inTransportation
MBTA turnaround taking longer than we want
THE INITIAL TURNAROUND of the MBTA in Gov. Charlie Baker’s first term had been such a good story that it is a whole chapter in his recent book. But pandemic-induced […]
