Middleboro Review 2: POLITICO Massachusetts Playbook: Crunch-time crises

Tuesday, July 30, 2024

POLITICO Massachusetts Playbook: Crunch-time crises

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DEADLINES & BOTTOM LINES — Dual health care and homelessness crises are looming over the fast-approaching end of formal legislative sessions — and it’s unclear what, if any, solutions will emerge as legislation targeting both issues remain on the negotiating table.

The bombshell revelation Friday that Steward Health Care plans to close two of its Massachusetts hospitals — Carney Hospital in Dorchester and Nashoba Valley Medical Center in Ayer — by the end of August sent top Democrats scrambling.

Several Boston leaders gathered at Carney for a press conference Monday morning to rail against Steward CEO Ralph de la Torre and call for keeping the Dorchester institution alive. City Councilors John FitzGerald and Ed Flynn filed a hearing order urging the city to declare a public health emergency and asking the state to seize Carney by eminent domain and keep it operational until a new owner can take over.

But hours later, Gov. Maura Healey seemed to count out the possibility of state intervention.

“It's Steward’s decision to close these hospitals. There's nothing that the state can do, that I can do, that I have the power to do, to keep that from happening,” she said during a press conference after signing the state’s nearly month-late annual budget.

The mess has thrown legislation aimed at preventing another Steward situation into sharp relief. Both chambers passed versions of the bill — but they have yet to come to a consensus on exactly what the final version should look like.

Meanwhile, housing and immigrant advocates are urging the Healey administration not to go through with “cruel” new shelter limits set to take effect on Thursday, which they warn could leave more families sleeping on the streets. Many drew a direct line to the state’s housing crisis, which Healey and lawmakers are trying to address through the housing bond bill that’s still being negotiated but cleared both chambers without several policies advocates had pushed for, including rent control and real-estate transfer fees.

“This policy isn't saying that we have opportunities to house folks down the line. This policy is saying: Don't come to Massachusetts if you're poor,” state Rep. Sam Montaño said.

State Sen. Liz Miranda seemed to hint that action could be coming. “I've heard a little rumor, hopefully we're mobilizing and advocating to a point that the system actually makes this change,” she said Monday outside the State House.

But Healey argued Monday that the state doesn’t have “unlimited capacity” — or unlimited funds. Underscoring that point: Healey trimmed more than $300 million from the budget lawmakers sent her, noting continued “uncertainty” on the fiscal outlook.

“We would rather be in a position of budgeting accordingly now, rather than facing the specter of having to make cuts later,” the governor said.

GOOD TUESDAY MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS . Congrats to Worcester native/"Pommel Horse Guy" Stephen Nedoroscik on the Olympic medal win.

TODAY — Healey attends the funeral of longtime Boston philanthropist Jack Connors a t 10 a.m. in Chestnut Hill and hosts a ceremonial signing for the gun bill she signed last week at 1 p.m. at the State House.

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DATELINE BEACON HILL

— “Massachusetts Senate OKs bill to create 264 new liquor licenses in Boston: ‘Long overdue’,” by Gayla Cawley, Boston Herald: “State lawmakers said the 264 additional liquor licenses Boston would gain under legislation approved by the Massachusetts Senate on Monday would deliver a significant boost to the city’s economy, particularly in minority neighborhoods. The bill that cleared the Senate expands on the 205 new licenses approved by the House in late May, and, pending a consensus agreement between the two chambers, would deliver Boston its first major expansion of alcohol-serving establishments since 2014, when 70 liquor licenses were added via another city home rule petition.”

— “Amid opioid crisis, Mass. Senate leaders unveil proposal to allow for supervised consumption sites,” by Samantha J. Gross, Matt Stout and Jason Laughlin, The Boston Globe: “Massachusetts senators are set to vote Tuesday on a bill that would allow cities or towns to approve sites that could offer supervised consumption of drugs, marking an 11th-hour push for a provision that surprised House leaders who passed their own opioid-related bill earlier this summer. The provision allowing for so-called overdose prevention centers, more commonly known as safe consumption sites, is part of a larger package released by the Senate on Monday aimed at treating substance abuse.”

— “Why are so many amendments being withdrawn on Beacon Hill?,” by Gintautas Dumcius, CommonWealth Beacon.

WHAT HEALEY WANTS TO SEE HAPPEN — Healey’s top end of session priorities: her housing and economic development bond bills, and the bill she filed last October that would allow the state to use interest from the rainy day fund to help attract more federal money to Massachusetts.

She didn’t respond to a reporter's question about her hope for her so-called Municipal Empowerment Act, which neither chamber has yet acted on or publicly added to their to-do lists.

VIBE CHECK — Things seem to be getting a little tense among legislative leaders as lawmakers begin to buckle down for some 11th-hour dealmaking.

Senators voted a flurry of bills Monday and added a handful more to today’s to-do list, approving their own versions of some bills the House already took up and slapping down some new proposals.

House Speaker Ron Mariano was none too chuffed about the idea of having his chamber take up a bill House members wouldn’t see until the last minute. More from State House News Service.

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MIGRANTS IN MASSACHUSETTS

— “As Mass. shelter system shuts them out, migrant families wander Boston streets at night, seeking a place to sleep,” by Giulia McDonnell Nieto del Rio and Mike Damiano, The Boston Globe.

FROM THE HUB

— “To build housing, Boston gives away land Black and brown families once owned,” by Paul Singer, GBH News.

— “White Stadium redevelopment plan faces unexpected delay after parks commission postpones demolition approval,” by Niki Griswold, The Boston Globe: “The city of Boston’s ambitious and controversial plan to overhaul White Stadium in Franklin Park hit an unexpected delay Monday after the city’s Parks and Recreation Commission voted to approve the preliminary design for the project, but not the demolition plan. Both the conceptual design and the demolition were included in a single agenda item for the commission to review, and was largely expected to be approved during Monday’s meeting. The commission’s vote is the final hurdle the project needs to clear before developers can acquire the necessary permits to begin work on the site.”

IT'S NOT EASY BEING GREEN

VINEYARD WIND

— “'Deeply troubled.' Keating, Aquinnah tribe want faster notice after wind turbine collapse,” by Heather McCarron, Cape Cod Times.

— “Massachusetts political contributions from Nantucket wind farm developer scrutinized,” by Lance Reynolds, Boston Herald.

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YAHD SIGNS AND BUMPAH STICKAHS

FIRST IN PLAYBOOK — State Rep. John Moran is endorsing attorney Allison Cartwright for Suffolk County Supreme Judicial Court clerk, the latest member of the Boston delegation to play in the race.

SURROGATE ALERT — Healey was back on primetime TV with CNN’s Kaitlan Collins Monday night — this time, stumping for Vice President Kamala Harris.

Healey knocked former President Donald Trump and JD Vance for saying all sorts of “crazy things and cringy things," noting Trump's recent comments on Harris' age. And she offered a touching anecdote about Harris's conversation with a young girl while the vice president was in Provincetown the other week.

Healey still won't say who she believes should serve as Harris’s No. 2, touting Democrats' "deep bench." though she did offer praise for Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear and Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro when asked specifically about the two VP contenders.

WARREN REPORT

****MUST READ! ****

— “Warren talks Harris’s rise, Gaza policy, money in politics, and criticism from Massachusetts Republicans,” by Josh Landes, WAMC Northeast Public Radio.

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FROM THE 413

****NOT A REASONABLE SOLUTION!*****

— “Some protesters from crackdown on pro-Palestinian encampment barred from UMass campus,” ’ by Scott Merzbach, Daily Hampshire Gatte: “Some of the 134 people arrested at the pro-Palestinian encampment in May at the University of Massachusetts have been prohibited from stepping foot on the Amherst campus for two years, based on trespass notices signed by UMass Chancellor Javier Reyes. ‘It is important to note that if this notice is violated, you will be subject to arrest by the UMass Amherst Police,’ reads the communication that recently went out, mostly to those who are not students or faculty at the university.”

THE LOCAL ANGLE

— “Can a vending machine help with Worcester’s trash problems?,” by Sam Turken, GBH News: “Worcester residents have continuously complained about litter scattered around streets and sidewalks. In recent years, the city has responded by upgrading recycling bins to prevent bottles and boxes from blowing away. But as the trash problems persist, Worcester officials are now trying another tactic. Selling trash bags via a vending machine.”

— “Haverhill City Council to implement tighter controls on housing developments,” by Mike LaBella, The Eagle-Tribune: “At the July 23 City Council meeting, Councilor John Michitson said the city must consider potential changes to zoning ordinances to place limits on future residential growth in light of citizen concerns about the city’s rapid growth and construction of new residential units. Following that meeting, Michitson told The Eagle-Tribune that Council Vice President Tim Jordan and Councilor Melissa Lewandowski are leading the effort to better control residential development by seeking to have developers provide more detailed information on the impact proposals would have on city services and infrastructure, as well as updating existing zoning regulations, such as removing density bonuses to better protect the city from ‘sprawl.’”

— “Three school administrators remain on paid leave one year later. How much have they earned?,” by Christopher Butler, The Brockton Enterprise: “Superintendent of Brockton Public Schools Mike Thomas confirmed last week that he remains on paid administrative leave as the School Committee signed a contract with Interim Superintendent Priya Tahiliani. Her one-year contract totals $235,000 and runs until June 30, 2025. Brockton School's Chief Financial Officer Aldo Petronio and Assistant CFO Chris Correia also remain on paid leave despite both of their contracts expiring on June 30, 2024.”

— “Plan to build five workforce apartments on commercial building in Dennis may not survive,” by Denise Coffey, Cape Cod Times

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HEARD ‘ROUND THE BUBBLAH

HAPPY BIRTHDAY — to Brendan Roche. Happy belated to Amy Burke, who celebrated Sunday.

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