STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE SEN. JENNIFER FLANAGAN, a Leominster Democrat, has become the first of five members of the powerful new Cannabis Control Commission, tapped by Gov. Charlie Baker to […]
Governor Baker
Posted inPolitics
Lawmakers reach pot compromise
FIRE UP THE SMOKING lamp. House and Senate negotiators finally reached a compromise on amending the voter-approved law legalizing marijuana in Massachusetts, agreeing to levy a tax of up to […]
Posted inEconomy, Health Care, Politics, State House News Service
Lawmakers rush overdue budget to Baker
STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE LARGELY DISCARDING SPENDING plans they approved in the spring, the House and Senate on Friday sent Gov. Charlie Baker a $40.2 billion state budget that holds […]
Posted inPolitics, State House News Service
Top House leader unaware of budget, pot links
THE HOUSE’S TOP POT negotiator said on Thursday he’s not aware of anyone from either the Senate or House who has tried to link the negotiations over the budget and […]
Posted inPolitics, The Back Story
Authorities offer financial help to state
Gov. Charlie Baker is asking some of the state’s independent authorities for help in balancing the fiscal 2017 budget, but it appears only three have stepped forward. The Massachusetts Development […]
Posted inPolitics, State House News Service
DeLeo puts pot talks on hold until budget done
HOUSE SPEAKER ROBERT DELEO said Wednesday evening that he asked House members of the committee negotiating marijuana legislation to pull out of talks with the Senate until an agreement is […]
Posted inEconomy, Opinion
Baker doubling down on failed biotech strategy
This opinion piece has been corrected in several spots (headline and story) to reflect the fact that $1 billion has not been spent by the Massachusetts Life Science Center. Only […]
Posted inEconomy, Politics, State House News Service
House to roll out rewrite of legal pot bill
STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE HOUSE LEADERSHIP WILL unveil its proposal to overhaul the voter-backed law legalizing marijuana in Massachusetts on Wednesday, setting up an expected debate and vote before the […]
Posted inTransportation
Drivers urge DPU to alter background checks
EDWARD HARUNK SAID driving for Uber gave him the flexibility to take care of his sick wife and bring her to doctor’s appointments whenever she needed. “Being an Uber driver […]
Posted inEconomy, Politics, State House News Service
Senate budget pinned on shaky revenue projections
STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE SENATE WAYS AND MEANS Committee members on Tuesday unanimously approved a $40.3 billion spending plan for fiscal 2018 that they said recognizes the state does not […]
Posted inPolitics, The Download
Baker plays budget man in the middle
It’s become a well-known part of the current dynamic on Beacon Hill: Though Democrats enjoy super-majorities in both legislative branches, the House leans right and often forms a tag-team with […]
Posted inPolitics, Transportation
The evolution of Stephanie Pollack
Photographs by Frank Curran STEPHANIE POLLACK AND Charlie Baker are the odd couple of Massachusetts politics. Pollack is short and Baker is tall. She’s a lifelong Democrat and he’s a […]
Posted inPolitics, State House News Service
Rosenberg likens Trump travel ban to Nazi Germany
STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE DRAWING LINKS TO Nazi Germany, the president of the Massachusetts Senate condemned the Trump administration’s move to bar entry into the country of nationals from seven […]
Posted inPolitics, State House News Service
Baker to veto pay raise
STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE HOURS AFTER FORMALLY RECEIVING their plan, Gov. Charlie Baker on Thursday afternoon informed legislative Democrats that he intends to veto a controversial package of pay raises […]
Posted inThe Download
Baker’s weak back
It wasn’t exactly Celtics’ player Cedric Maxwell exhorting his teammates “climb on my back, boys,” before carrying the team to victory in the 1984 NBA playoffs but Gov. Charlie Baker hoped […]
Posted inThe Download
An MBTA privatization do-over?
Call it politicians’ version of buyer’s remorse. The misgivings and backtracking of Republicans who had reluctantly endorsed Donald Trump? No, we speak of the local version now playing itself out, […]