The saying about New England’s fluid weather – wait a minute, and it’ll change – could also apply these days to the pronouncements coming out of Washington.
Maura Healey
Posted inState Government
Healey budget leans on surtax to drive up spending
Gov. Maura Healey proposed increasing state spending to more than $62 billion next fiscal year, relying on burgeoning income tax collections from the state’s wealthiest and a slew of other budget-balancing strategies in a spending plan unveiled Wednesday.
Posted inPolitics
Political Notebook: Maura Healey’s echo | Bitcoin strategic reserve?
There was talk of no new taxes, fixing the MBTA, and cutting red tape, all while avoiding direct references to Donald Trump.
Posted inState Government
Healey expands scope of shelter law shakeup
Gov. Maura Healey on Wednesday recommended statutory changes to the decades-old Right to Shelter Law.
Posted inGovernment
Emergency shelter commission backs recommendations for $1B program
A special commission tasked with offering solutions to the state’s overwhelmed emergency housing assistance program voted on Tuesday to approve a report with a series of recommendations, but no clear roadmap.
Posted inPolitics
Political Notebook: Golden Gate earthquake felt in Boston
When the fog in San Francisco lifted and the mayoral election tally rolled in, the outcome caught the attention of some people 3,000 miles away in Boston.
Posted inPolitics
Economic concerns drove shift to Trump, Healey says
Voters “were making a statement in part about how they were feeling in terms of their own personal welfare,” Healey said.
Posted inBallot Questions
The voters have spoken on Questions 1, 2 – or have they?
With most votes counted, the legislative audit question was approved by a margin of 71.5 percent to 28.5 percent. The MCAS question’s margin was 59-41.
Posted inBallot Questions
Political Notebook: Does Healey have coattails on Question 2?
Healey is opposed to Question 5, which would establish a minimum wage for tipped workers. She’s still considering her vote on Question 3 (unionization for Uber and Lyft drivers) and Question 4 (legalization of psychedelics). On Question 1, which would explicitly authorize the state audito to audit the Legislature, Healey doesn’t plan to take a stand, telling GBH she’ll “leave that to the voters.”
Posted inPolitics
Political Notebook: Ron Mariano, media critic | First lady or first partner?
“I mean, you guys have an obligation to write what’s really gonna happen,” House Speaker Ron Mariano huffed.
Posted inState Government
Healey spending bill bypasses climate talks in Legislature
Healey has expressed optimism that the Legislature will pass economic development legislation in a special session later this year, but the spending bill she filed on Wednesday suggested she isn’t confident that the House and Senate will reach a deal on climate legislation.
Posted inPolitics
Healey says she’s not interested in Harris administration post
“You know, I laugh at people with their speculation about stuff,” Healey said. “I want to be really clear: I am not interested in any job other than being governor.”
Posted inOpinion
Our judges should reflect the breadth of the legal profession
Attorneys with backgrounds in corporate law or as prosecutors are so overrepresented in Massachusetts courts it should set off alarm bells for anybody who believes in the promise of equal justice in the Commonwealth.
Posted inTransportation
Political notebook: Healey’s ‘tool kit’ task force | Pushback on merger of state agencies
“What we are really hoping to give [to the governor] is a tool kit that lists sources and uses. I am not so sure – again, I’m not a member of the task force, I’m staff to the task force — that they will get to the prioritization level. It’s possible, but we haven’t really discussed that yet.”
Posted inPolitics
Mass. delegates explain why they’re backing Biden in new survey
While President Biden faces unprecedented calls from within his party to step down as the Democratic nominee, members of the Massachusetts delegation who are headed to the national convention in Chicago appear largely supportive of Biden staying at the top of the ticket, according to a new survey.
Posted inGovernment
Healey’s capital spending plan puts bond bills in perspective
The state’s plan for actual capital spending dedicates $2 billion for housing over the next five years, and $400 million in fiscal 2025, which is a 30 percent increase over fiscal 2024.
Posted inPolitics
Political Notebook: Facebook frenemies, West End ghosts, missing the Trump train
When it comes to many politicians and social media apps like Facebook, there’s a give and take: They take shots at the tech behemoth, and they also give the company money.
Posted inPolitics
Healey’s mixed messages on what’s public and what’s private
politicians and politics are like fish and water. It’s what they constantly swim in, a choice they made, and it can sometimes be suffocating for them and their families.
Posted inEnvironment
Healey $1m ad campaign seeks to boost climate efforts
The “Climate Action is for All of Us” media campaign will attempt to educate residents on how they can participate in climate initiatives like electric vehicle adoption or residential solar programs.
Posted inCourts
Wolohojian confirmed on 6-1 vote
An Appeals Court jurist of 16 years and former partner at the firm now known as WilmerHale, Wolohojian’s nomination has drawn public scrutiny because of her past personal relationship with the governor. Healey and the judge shared a home in Charlestown for several years.
Posted inPolitics
Fires everywhere for Healey administration
Now, with more and more things going wrong at the same time, Healey is more willing to mix it up, lofting verbal volleys at those she regards as troublemakers. Her chief targets have been former president Donald Trump and Steward Health Care CEO Ralph de la Torre, although in both cases she often refuses to call them out by name.
Posted inState Government
No evidence Fiandaca did any work during transition
“For the purposes of a smooth transition, it’s important that when there’s a departure of someone so senior that we be able to call upon that person,” Gov. Maura Healey said. “So it’s normal. You see that in a lot of departures.”
Posted inImmigration
Healey’s ‘Washington solution’ to migrant crisis derails
Sen. Ed Markey issued a statement saying he would continue to push for more funding to help Healey support migrants coming to the state, but he said he could not vote for the overly restrictive immigration policies contained in the bill.
Posted inState Government
Hits and misses on millionaire tax spending plan
With the release of her budget on Wednesday – the second including millionaire tax money — Gov. Maura Healey made some interesting moves. She delivered on some wish-list projects, missed on a couple others, and proposed a way to turn millions of dollars in millionaire tax money into billions of dollars for budget priorities.
