Middleboro Review 2: POLITICO Massachusetts Playbook: House boosts spending in budget proposal

Friday, April 26, 2024

POLITICO Massachusetts Playbook: House boosts spending in budget proposal

MONEY MOVES — House Democratic leaders’ push for fiscal prudence hasn’t stopped members from adding millions of dollars in spending to the fiscal year 2025 budget — with potentially more on the way.

After two days and more than 800 amendments, House lawmakers have tacked on nearly $60 million to their initial $57.9 billion budget proposal.

The five mega-amendments lawmakers have approved so far push the spending plan that initially came in about $150 million below the governor’s budget blueprint closer to what Maura Healey first proposed — despite the stark warnings from House leaders about the state’s precarious fiscal picture.

House Speaker Ron Mariano had told reporters ahead of his chamber's budget debate that he and House Ways and Means Chair Aaron Michlewitz weren’t considering a cap on earmarks “per se.” But, he added: “We both agree that we will be looking at earmarks with how it fits in with the priorities that we’ve established in this budget. … We need to be consistent in our message on spending, and we intend to be.”

So far, the increase isn’t far out of step with what the House has done in recent fiscal years, according to a report from the Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation. From fiscal 2022 to fiscal 2024, House lawmakers added an average of $108 million to their version of the state’s biggest spending bill.

The House still has more than 600 amendments that representatives will have to get through today or risk debate bleeding into the weekend — which we can guarantee no one wants.

GOOD FRIDAY MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS . In other budget news: The $426 million supplemental budget that would fund the emergency shelter system through the end of the year and cap shelter stays for many people for nine months hit Healey’s desk Thursday after moving quickly through both chambers.

Though the bill appears to be more in line with the House proposal, Senate Ways and Means Chair Michel Rodrigues insisted that the chamber came away with some wins — the commission that would study the sustainability of the emergency shelter system, for example, was something the Senate pushed for, Senate President Karen Spilka said.

The bill would also lift to-go cocktails and outdoor dining out of legislative limbo, permanently extending the pandemic era provisions that expired as the month began.

TODAY — Healey attends the Inauguration for University of Massachusetts Amherst Chancellor Javier Reyes at 10:30 a.m. in Amherst and announces a new program to support tree plantings in environmental justice communities at 1 p.m. at Stefanik Elementary in Chicopee. Boston Mayor Michelle Wu attends a tree planting in East Boston at 10 a.m.

THIS WEEKEND — Senate President Karen Spilka is on WBZ’s “Keller @ Large” at 8:30 a.m. Sunday. Rep. Stephen Lynch is on WCVB’s “On the Record” at 11 a.m. Sunday. Rep. Seth Moulton is on NBC10 Boston’s “At Issue” at 11:30 a.m. Sunday.

Tips? Scoops? Birthdays? Email us: kgarrity@politico.com and lkashinsky@politico.com.

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DATELINE BEACON HILL

— “Mass. House passes measure targeting ‘deepfakes’ in campaign ads,” by Matt Stout, The Boston Globe: “The Massachusetts House passed a measure Thursday that would require political candidates, super PACs, and others to disclose whether they use artificial intelligence-generated material in campaign ads or other materials, marking one of the Legislature’s first efforts to target ‘deepfakes’ on the campaign trail. House leaders tucked the Republican-filed language into a sweeping amendment they passed late Thursday as part of their ongoing voting over the chamber’s state budget proposal.”

— “Robots with weapons? Bill would make that illegal in Massachusetts,” by Kinga Borondy, Telegram & Gazette.

— “Healey touts Mass Leads Act in visit to Chelmsford cleantech company,” by Peter Currier, The Lowell Sun.

FROM THE HUB

HAYDEN’S VIOLATION — Suffolk District Attorney Kevin Hayden has paid a $5,000 civil penalty for violating the conflict of interest law by allowing his staff to issue — and then failing to retract — a statement “aimed at discrediting” opponent Ricardo Arroyo in the 2022 Democratic primary for the seat, the state Ethics Commission said Thursday.

Hayden signed an agreement admitting he let his staff put out a statement challenging Arroyo’s assertion, which was backed up by court documents , that allegations of sexual assault levied against him as a teenager and unearthed by The Boston Globe weeks ahead of the primary election were “unfounded.”

Hayden told the Ethics Commission he did not review the press release before it was sent out. But the commission concluded he “knowingly or with reason to know used his official position … to secure for himself the unwarranted privilege of using valuable public resources for his own personal political advantage.”

James Borghesani, communications chief for the DA’s office, took responsibility for the missive on Thursday, saying in a statement that the quote in question “was written and released by me with no participation or coordination from the DA.”

Except it was then-deputy communications chief Renee Algarin, who has since left the office for the Healey administration, who emailed the statement to Playbook in 2022. Asked about that discrepancy, Borghesani said he wrote it and passed it along to Algarin to send out because he was out of the office and without access to the press distribution list.

Hayden’s belated slap on the wrist is the latest aftereffect of a scandal-rocked race that’s caused widespread fallout in Boston politics — contributing to Arroyo’s ouster from public office last year and costing Rachael Rollins her job as U.S. attorney in an embarrassment for the Democratic power brokers who helped land her the gig.

The DA’s punishment is a vindication of sorts of Arroyo, who said in a statement Thursday that he has “always maintained that Kevin Hayden betrayed the public’s trust and illegally used [the office] to win his campaign.” Arroyo added that he’s “grateful” to see the Ethics Commission holding Hayden “accountable.”

PROTESTS FOR PALESTINE — Responses poured out from politicians and advocates Thursday as pro-Palestinian encampments that first sprung up at Columbia University continued to spread into Massachusetts.

The mass arrest of students at Emerson College early Thursday morning sparked solidarity from students across the city — and put city leaders on alert. Boston City Council President Ruthzee Louijeune cautioned against a “heavy-handed” response, though she acknowledged there were “legitimate public safety concerns” brought by the encampment police cleared from Boylston Place, while Mayor Michelle Wu supported Boston Police’s response .

Rep. Ayanna Pressley, meanwhile, called on university leaders to “ensure that there are no academic repercussions for peaceful student protesters,” and urged law enforcement to prioritize student safety. More from The Boston Globe and WBUR .

PLANES, TRAINS AND AUTOMOBILES

— “What's faster: train or car? Worcester to Boston commuters say it's not that simple a choice,” by Sam Turken and Bob Seay, GBH News.

YAHD SIGNS AND BUMPAH STICKAHS

ENDORSEMENT CORNER — Former Rep. Gabrielle Giffords ’ PAC has endorsed Sen. Elizabeth Warren for reelection. Giffords in a statement lauded Warren for helping “lead the fight to save lives from gun violence” and for being “one of the strongest voices fighting against the influence of special interest groups on Capitol Hill.”

— “Moulton seeks another term in Congress,” by Christian M. Wade, The Eagle-Tribune: “Democratic Rep. Seth Moulton is seeking a fifth term in Congress, touting his accomplishments in Washington he says have roped in tens of millions of dollars in federal funding for his district, and pledging to work to bolster national security, push for immigration reform and reproductive rights. On Thursday, Moulton filed paperwork with the Secretary of State's office to run for re-election in the 6th Congressional race, which includes most of Essex County along with eight towns in Middlesex County. His campaign turned in more than 3,400 signatures from voters to qualify for the November ballot.”

WARREN REPORT

— “Fetterman, Warren lead Democrats in urging DEA to ‘swiftly’ take marijuana off Schedule I,” by Joseph Choi, The Hill: “‘We are now nearing eight months since the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) recommended rescheduling marijuana to Schedule III — and 18 months since President Biden directed HHS and the Department of Justice (DOJ) to begin the process of reviewing marijuana’s scheduling. It is time for the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to act,’ they said.”

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FROM THE DELEGATION

— “Markey, Pressley introduce declaration of environmental rights for incarcerated people,” by Esmy Jimenez, The Boston Globe.

— “Ayanna Pressley’s shift on Israel was years in the making,” by James Pindell, The Boston Globe.

FROM THE 413

— “Springfield School Committee again boycotts meeting over superintendent search: Student field trip almost canceled,” by Jeanette DeForge, MassLive: “Frustrated a discussion about the superintendent search was not included on the agenda, four School Committee members walked out of the meeting, leaving the group without a quorum before they could take a crucial vote. This is the second time the four members, Vice Chairman Joesiah Gonzalez, Barbara Gresham, LaTonia Monroe Naylor and Denise Hurst have left the School Committee without a quorum over the increasingly contentious search for a new head of the about 23,700-student district.”

THE LOCAL ANGLE

— “Quincy's Koch could become highest paid U.S. mayor. Enormous raise recommended,” by Peter Blandino, The Patriot Ledger: “What do the mayors of San Francisco, Chicago, New York, Los Angeles and Boston all have in common? Quincy Mayor Thomas P. Koch will make more than all of them if city council follows the recommendations of a consulting firm hired by the city. Koch's current $159,00 salary should increase to as much as $370,000, the consulting firm Dorminson says. Koch's last raise was $36,271 in 2015, a 28 percent raise.”

— “Teachers, others back suspended North Andover school superintendent,” by Monica Sager, The Eagle-Tribune: “About 80 teachers and school advocates turned out at the School Committee meeting Thursday night with signs supporting School Superintendent Gregg Gilligan after he was placed on paid administrative leave Tuesday. … Gilligan was placed on paid administrative leave following an announcement at a Select Board meeting Monday that the school district is facing a projected deficit of $3,122,565, or about 6% of the district’s budget for fiscal 2024.”

WHAT ELSE YOU SHOULD BE READING

— “Massachusetts voters are unhappy with healthcare access, new poll shows,” by Adam Piore, The Boston Globe: “In the Globe poll, 33 percent of those surveyed said they were somewhat (18 percent) or very (15 percent) dissatisfied with the availability of primary care physicians when making an appointment. The number rose to 37 percent when respondents were polled on the availability of specialists.”

HEARD ‘ROUND THE BUBBLAH

TRANSITIONS — City Year co-founder Michael Brown has been appointed to serve as an advisor for the New England Legal Foundation’s Equalizer Institute. He's a past president of the Harvard Board of Overseers and co-chaired Harvard’s National Advisory Board on Public Service.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY — to former Rep. Niki Tsongas, Hyphenated Strategies’ Katie Prisco-Buxbaum, AKPD Message and Media’s Larry Grisolano, Ronald Leibowitz, state Sen. Paul Mark, Cathey Park and Nathalie Sczublewski.

HAPPY BIRTHWEEKEND — to Lou Mandarini, Patrick Bench, president of Benchmark Strategies; Brendan Joyce, Seth Mnookin, Simon McTeigue, Alex Wagner and Jessica Ruby , who celebrate Saturday; and to Sunday birthday-ers Sports Illustrated’s Jason Schwartz and Patrick Lally.

NEW HORSE RACE ALERT: MAKE WAY FOR DUNKIN’ — On this Extra Special 300th Episode, hosts Jennifer Smith , Steve Koczela and Lisa Kashinsky sample the best (or maybe the worst) of #mapoli Dunkin’ orders and a little (talk of) THC. Plus, reminiscing with our past producers and hosts. Subscribe and listen on iTunes and Sound Cloud .

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