Middleboro Review 2: POLITICO Massachusetts Playbook: The road to congestion pricing

Saturday, July 1, 2023

POLITICO Massachusetts Playbook: The road to congestion pricing

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BUMPAH TO BUMPAH — New York City just got the green light for a first-in-the-nation congestion pricing program. Local transit advocates want Massachusetts to be next.

Lawmakers and the business community are open to it — well, conversations about it fueled by a Senate budget amendment that would create a commission to study congestion pricing and other ways to ease the state’s traffic woes.

“Particularly with the approval of New York City's plan, the time is right to take a really serious look at the role that roadway pricing and tolling strategies could play,” A Better City President and CEO Kate Dineen told Playbook.

Past efforts for traffic-based tolls have stalled . The House and Senate both passed bills to create a congestion-pricing commission in prior sessions, but were thwarted by then-Gov. Charlie Baker.

Yet there’s an added sense of urgency as more drivers turn to electric vehicles, Senate Transportation Committee Chair Brendan Crighton said.

“With our major source of transportation revenue coming from the gas tax, and our strong push to switch folks to electric vehicles, inevitably we're going to see less and less revenue coming from our transportation system,” Crighton, who filed the Senate amendment, told Playbook. A new toll program could not only help reduce traffic, he said, but also help replenish any lost revenues.

If the amendment fails to make it into the state budget, lawmakers will have another shot this session through bills filed in both the House and Senate to create the study commission. And they appear to have an ally in the corner office: Gov. Maura Healey previously said she supports “a real look at” congestion pricing “whether it’s a pilot or something else.”

But don’t expect to see the state roll out a new tolling system anytime soon . Even if a commission is created this session, it wouldn’t produce a report until 2025, Crighton said.

GOOD THURSDAY MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS. Traffic is about to get a whole lot worse — temporarily, at least — when the Sumner Tunnel closes next week. Drivers heading into downtown Boston from the North Shore could see "multi-mile" backups .

TODAY — Healey attends a closing reception for the 60th anniversary of President John F. Kennedy’s state visit to Ireland. Acting Gov. Kim Driscoll speaks at naloxone training and advocacy day at 11:15 a.m. at the State House and keynotes CHAPA’s annual dinner at 6 p.m. at the BCEC. Boston Mayor Michelle Wu attends an Age Strong Commission event at 11 a.m. at the Irish Social Club of Boston.

Tips? Scoops? Traffic fixes? Email us: kgarrity@politico.com and l kashinsky@politico.com .

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WHAT'S ON CAMPBELL'S DOCKET

— FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: Attorney General Andrea Campbell is leading 18 of her colleagues in a new amicus brief defending Rhode Island’s restrictions on large-capacity firearm magazines. Gun shop owners are challenging the state’s 2022 law banning gun magazines that hold more than 10 rounds of ammunition (Massachusetts has the same rule). But the attorneys general argue that the Second Amendment allows for “reasonable” firearms regulations, such as magazine restrictions, to curb gun violence.

DATELINE BEACON HILL

— “‘I get my butt kicked every 20 minutes’: Life in a state legislature’s superminority,” by Liz Crampton, POLITICO: “In Massachusetts, Senate Republican Patrick O’Connor feels comfortable bucking the values of the national Republican party by voting with Democrats on social issues like LGBTQ rights. He also focuses his attention on trying to steer money to his district. ‘I never have a free weekend and it’s because you have to work extra hard to prove yourself in this state,’ he said.”

— “State to cut UI benefits to 26 weeks,” by Christian M. Wade, Eagle-Tribune: “The state Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development announced on Tuesday that the unemployment rate for the state’s 21 metropolitan labor areas has stayed at or below 5.1% over the past year. It’s the first year since 2019 those rates stayed below that level, the agency said. Under state law, that triggers an automatic reduction in the maximum weekly jobless benefits allowed under the unemployment insurance system.”

— “Sexual education in Massachusetts schools: State sends proposed framework to public comment,” by Lance Reynolds, Boston Herald: “Supporters argue the new framework is ‘grounded in science’ and offers ‘medically accurate, age-appropriate’ material, while opponents say the lessons are better suited to be taught outside the classroom.”

— “Impunity Service,” by Dan Atkinson, Boston Institute for Nonprofit Journalism: “[T]he POST list only covers the final suspensions and decertifications for officers. ... Other state documents, meanwhile, show how some officers spend years being disciplined for violations like falsifying information and being too drunk to show up for work while remaining on the force.”

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HEALEY WATCH

— “Massachusetts Gov. Healey gives one last public pitch on Ireland trade mission,” by Adam Reilly, GBH News: “On the 60th anniversary of John F. Kennedy’s landmark visit to Ireland, on which he became the first sitting U.S. president to visit that country, Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey used the last public event of her own trade mission to distill the pitch she’s been making all week to its essence.

‘In this moment where there are some states in the United States that are going backwards on equality — that are taking away reproductive freedom, access to healthcare, denigrating our immigrant communities, taking away LGBTQ+ freedoms and protections — Massachusetts is standing very strong, and making sure we’re clear that we will be a welcoming place and an inclusive place,’ Healey said to loud applause.”

— "Healey admin can’t say how much Ireland trip will cost, will be partly taxpayer funded," by Matthew Medsger, Boston Herald: "The Healey administration cannot yet say how much her mid-work week trip to Ireland will cost taxpayers, but her days on the Emerald Isle represent the continuation of a relationship between the states worth nearly half the Commonwealth’s annual budget, according to the Irish Foreign Minister. ... The trade association between Ireland and the Bay State is currently worth about $27 billion per year."

FROM THE HUB

— “After 7 hours of proceedings, Boston council approves one override for $4.2b operating budget,” by Danny McDonald, Boston Globe: “There was drama aplenty, but in the end the Boston City Council on Wednesday mostly left Mayor Michelle Wu’s $4.2 billion municipal operating budget for next year alone, passing only one of five prospective overrides to Wu’s spending plan. … The one override that did pass will bring a $584,000 bump in pay for municipal officers, who provide security at buildings such as City Hall. … But even the one override measure the council did approve is already being met with questions from the Wu administration, which said Wednesday night it would be reviewing the legality of the move.”

— “Developers again asked to bid on land near Southie convention center,” by Greg Ryan, Boston Business Journal: “The Massachusetts Convention Center Authority scrapped a previous bidding process in April amid community concerns and opposition from elected officials. … The agency is calling for office, commercial, industrial and similar uses across two D Street lots southwest of the Aloft and Element hotels and a third lot behind Aloft on E Street.”

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THE RACE FOR CITY HALL

— “Mayor Perry to seek re-election,” by Will Broaddus, Eagle-Tribune: “Mayor Neil Perry plans to run for election to a third term in municipal elections Tuesday, Nov. 7. … Matthew Wicks, who left the Air Force last September after four years of service and now works as a machinist at SL Chasse Steel in Hudson, N.H., is currently seeking signatures in support of his candidacy.”

— “Taunton mayor's ex-chief of staff launches bid to unseat her. Who turned out for kickoff?” by Daniel Schemer, Taunton Daily Gazette: “Mayor Shaunna O'Connell's former chief of staff has thrown his hat in the ring to challenge her for the mayor's job in the upcoming November election. Longtime Taunton business owner Ed Correira held his campaign kickoff Wednesday night, June 21."

PLANES, TRAINS AND AUTOMOBILES

— “‘We are really lucky to have her’: For disability community, historic MassDOT board hire Lisa Iezzoni inspires confidence,” by Samantha J. Gross, Boston Globe: “Nationally renowned writer, researcher, and Harvard Medical School professor Dr. Lisa Iezzoni will represent MBTA riders on the state Department of Transportation board of directors, an announcement that drew cheers from the disability community who say her appointment represents ‘the voice of accessibility.’ ... Healey on Wednesday also appointed former state senator and mayor Thomas M. McGee, A Better City President Emeritus Richard Dimino, and Ilyas Bhatti, former commissioner of the now-defunct Metropolitan District Commission, to serve four-year terms on the board.”

FROM THE DELEGATION

— “Auchincloss takes tax talk to Fox audience,” by Matthew Medsger, Boston Herald: “U.S. Rep. Jake Auchincloss penned an op-ed published by Fox News on Wednesday, titled ‘I’m a Democrat, and here’s what I think Republicans should do if they want to pass tax reform,’ in which the Congressman from Newton tells House Republicans they may be able to put together a package that will pass the upper chamber and ultimately become law, but only if they work with Democrats.”

— “Senators probe employers’ use of ‘manager’ title to avoid overtime,” by Lauren Kaori Gurley, Washington Post: “The probe by Sens. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) follows the release of a report that found that many employers in the United States offer positions labeled ‘manager’ with salaries just above the federal overtime cutoff to avoid paying overtime.”

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MIGRANTS IN MASSACHUSETTS

— “How Migrants Flown to Martha’s Vineyard Came to Call It Home,” by Edgar Sandoval, New York Times: “[Deici] Cauro is one of at least four migrants who have quietly stayed behind on the island, forming bonds with a community that opened what doors it could. Cauro, 25, is working as a landscaper. Her brother, Daniel, 29, and her cousin, Eliud Aguilar, 28, found jobs in painting and roofing. … Many of the 49 migrants who were flown to Martha’s Vineyard are still struggling. Some have not yet obtained work permits, and many are still living in shelters, unable to afford permanent housing.”

TRUMPACHUSETTS

— “Dennis restaurant dumps singer after her Trump event appearance,” by Rachael Devaney, Cape Cod Times: “[A]fter she sang the national anthem at a presidential campaign event for Trump on April 27 in Manchester, New Hampshire, Michael Pearson, owner of the Harvest Gallery Bar in Dennis, cleared [Cape-born country singer Carly] Tefft's live music from his venue's calendar.”

FROM THE 413

— “The new rural affairs director makes first official visit to Berkshires. Here's what she had to say,” by Sten Spinella, Berkshire Eagle: “[Anne] Gobi’s first major task will be to conduct a review of state grant opportunities and to mitigate any barriers to rural and small towns. The director will also hold office hours and provide technical help for rural towns to take advantage of grants.”

— “Salaries for serving on Amherst Town Council to double to $10K next term,” by Scott Merzbach, Daily Hampshire Gazette.

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HEARD ‘ROUND THE BUBBLAH

HAPPY BIRTHDAY — to Ben Jarrett, Amish Shah, Jason Ostrander, Katrina Gaddis , Rep. Katherine Clark’s campaign manager, and to state Sen. Liz Miranda.

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