 | By Kelly Garrity | TOLL POLL — Staring down the threat of slashed federal transportation grants and dwindling gas tax revenue, transit advocates are calling for lasting solutions to the state’s transportation funding struggles — solutions they say Bay Staters back. A majority of people surveyed in a new poll conducted by the MassInc Polling Group for Transportation for Massachusetts said they want to see the state develop its own long-term funding plan, and pluralities said they’d be open to exploring new revenue sources, including tolls and congestion pricing. "The reality is we can’t take for granted that the federal dollars we’ve relied on will always be there . Massachusetts must strengthen its commitment to long-term transportation funding," Transportation for Massachusetts Executive Director Reggie Ramos said. "We need a proactive plan to ensure safe, reliable, and sustainable transportation — one that embraces fair and effective funding solutions to meet the needs of all residents." The deets: Of the 702 Massachusetts residents surveyed, 48 percent said Massachusetts should study ways to implement congestion pricing in Boston, while 35 percent said the state shouldn’t consider bringing a program similar to the one recently implemented in New York to Boston. And 52 percent of Bay Staters said they’d support having more tolls if it meant phasing out the gas tax. The poll was conducted Feb. 21–25, and had a margin of error of plus or minus 4 percentage points. But those changes are easier polled than done. Gov. Maura Healey recently rolled out an $8 billion transportation funding plan bolstered by revenue from the so-called millionaires’ tax. Notably absent from the plan: any new taxes. And that wasn’t an accident — members of the transportation funding task force that made recommendations for the plan were encouraged to look for revenue sources that would help the state maintain its “competitiveness,” CommonWealth Beacon reported earlier this year. Plus, there’s a new federal administration that hasn’t shown a lot of love for New York’s new $9 toll on drivers entering certain sections of Manhattan during peak hours. The Trump administration tried to roll back the program, prompting a legal challenge from the state. GOOD WEDNESDAY MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS . Have a tip, story, suggestion, birthday, anniversary, new job, or any other nugget for the Playbook? Drop me a line: kgarrity@politico.com . TODAY — Gov. Maura Healey is the keynote speaker at the MassBio Annual Meeting at 10:30 a.m. in Boston. She and first lady Joanna Lydgate attend the 2025 World Figure Skating Championship at 6:15 p.m. in Boston. Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll speaks at a Massachusetts Caucus of Women event at 11 a.m. at the State House. Attorney General Andrea Campbell joins a panel on protecting kids from social media at The Boston Globe’s Working Mothers Summit at 1 p.m. in Boston. Auditor Diana DiZoglio speaks at Somernova’s International Women’s Day event at 7 p.m. in Somerville. Boston Mayor Michelle Wu visits students at the Dearborn STEM Academy with David Ortiz at 10 a.m. in Roxbury, participates in a fireside chat at the Globe’s Working Mothers Summit at 12:45 p.m. and speaks at the at the World Figure Skating Championship at 6 p.m.
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| | Cut through policy complexity and turn intelligence into action with POLITICO’s Policy Intelligence Assistant—a new suite of tools designed to save you time and demonstrate your impact more easily than ever—available only to Pro subscribers. Save hours, uncover critical insights instantly, and stay ahead of the next big shift. Power your strategy today— learn more . | | | | | |  | DATELINE BEACON HILL |
| ***TOM HOMAN IS A PROVEN LIAR WHO KNOWINGLY DEFIED A COURT ORDER, TRANSPORTED INNOCENT PEOPLE TO THE HELL HOLE EL SALVADOR - ALSO INCLUDED WOMEN! SOMEONE NEEDS TO PROVIDE AN ANATOMY LESSON TO THESE CLOWNS! NEVER RAN CRIMINAL BACKGROUND CHECKS IN HIS LUNACY! WE CAN ANTICIPATE MUCH THE SAME IN HIS TARGETING OF BOSTON!***** TWO DEMOCRATS DIVERGED — Gov. Maura Healey and Boston Mayor Michelle Wu have both taken issue with criticisms from Trump administration officials over their handling of immigration. But they’re taking a different tone when responding to the heat from Washington. Healey has hammered the message that Massachusetts is “not a sanctuary state,” and Tuesday questioned the federal authorities’ “fixation” on Massachusetts after White House border czar Tom Homan revealed on Monday that he swung through the state to oversee an immigration operation that resulted in the arrest of 370 people. Wu, meanwhile, has brought a bring-it-on attitude — warning the White House — and anyone else — not to mess with Boston during her State of the City speech last week. And in an appearance on “The Daily Show,” Tuesday night, she reiterated that Boston is a safe city “for everyone.” Their circumstances are different, of course. Wu is in the midst of a reelection fight in a city where roughly 75 percent of voters backed Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris in last year’s election. Healey is running a state that saw a slightly rightward shift last election, and one where Republicans made small gains in the Legislature. ****IT'S ALMOST APRIL! BOSTON HERALD PROPAGANDA RAG IS POSTING A RE-HASH FROM JANUARY & REGURGITATING A PREVIOUS ARREST! NOTHING TO SEE HERE! IT'S TIME TO THINK! THIS IS MOSTLY TRIVIA! **** — “Emergency shelter inspections in January turned up cleanliness, pest concerns,” by Chris Van Buskirk, Boston Herald: “An inspection of state-run emergency shelters completed earlier this year after a migrant was arrested in Revere with a rifle and drugs turned up housekeeping concerns, pest issues, and what was first thought to be counterfeit cash, according to records obtained by the Herald. Gov. Maura Healey ordered reviews of the hotels, motels, and congregate or scattered sites serving as shelters for homeless families after a Dominican man who was unlawfully in the country was arrested at a Revere shelter with a rifle and alleged stash of fentanyl worth $1 million.” ****EPA FUNDING FREEZE!***** — “EPA delays $50M for lead pipe replacement,” by Christian M. Wade, The Newburyport Daily News: “The Trump administration is holding back $50 million to remove underground lead pipes from drinking water systems in Massachusetts as it conducts a review of federal spending, state officials said Tuesday. Gov. Maura Healey, who announced the freeze, blasted the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for what she called a ‘dangerous delay in critical funding’ and called on the Trump administration to release the federal money.” ****TRUMP CUTS TO THE POOR TO FUND TAX CUTS FOR THE WEALTHY!**** — “Section 8 housing voucher changes in Mass. could increase costs for renters,” by Tréa Lavery, MassLive: “Reductions in federal funding have led to changes in housing vouchers, such as Section 8 in Massachusetts, that could hit renters in the wallet. In a letter sent to federally funded voucher holders on March 13, the Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities (EOHLC) wrote that the changes will take effect May 1 when individual households complete their annual eligibility recertification. While previously the state agency was able to implement policies that offered more relief to renters with vouchers, ‘rising costs and insufficient federal funding’ mean EOHLC can no longer afford to do that, according to the letter, which was shared with MassLive.”
| | FROM THE HUB |
| NO JOKE — Boston Mayor Michelle Wu made her latest foray onto the national stage Tuesday night, joining “The Daily Show” to talk about her path to City Hall, her recent congressional testimony and the hardest part about being mayor. Watch . — “Boston city councilors press for clarity on how state ‘receivership’ will impact 2025 election,” by Gayla Cawley, Boston Herald: “Two Boston city councilors are seeking clarity from Secretary of State Bill Galvin on how state ‘receivership’ will impact the upcoming election season, which includes a highly-anticipated mayoral race and elections for City Council. Councilors Erin Murphy and Ed Flynn wrote a letter to Galvin on Monday that reiterates the concerns they have had with the city’s election processes since a number of ‘significant issues’ in last fall’s presidential election resulted in ‘widespread ballot shortages and communication failures’ in Boston.” — “Boston School Committee to vote on $1.58b budget Wednesday,” by John Hilliard, The Boston Globe: “Boston’s School Committee is expected to vote Wednesday night on the 2025-26 school year proposed $1.58 billion budget, which includes more funding for staff and services to support special education students and English learners in inclusive classroom settings. The financial plan, which is the first in several years without federal pandemic aid, would be a 3.5 percent increase over the current budget. It also would fund more resources for school pools and libraries and help address students’ math and literacy learning loss.”
| | THE RACE FOR CITY HALL |
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— “'Owe it to the taxpayers': Moises Rodrigues confirms run for mayor. What he'd do differently,” by Chris Helms, The Brockton Enterprise: “Moises Rodrigues is running for mayor. … He's managed the city's corner office before. In 2019, fellow city councilors made him acting mayor after Mayor Bill Carpenter died in office. He ran the city for seven months. To get the job for real, he'll need to win a mayoral ... election in September and two-person general election in November. If successful, he'd be both the 49th and 51st mayor of Brockton.”
excerpt: "We've got to create a more harmonious relationship of the powers in this city," the six-term city councilor said Wednesday. He'll make the official announcement Friday at a campaign kickoff. | | YAHD SIGNS AND BUMPAH STICKAHS |
| FEELING THE IM(PAC)T— Two Massachusetts Teachers Association-backed School Committee candidates in Andover defeated incumbents in last night’s election . The newly elected members, Chris Shepley and Jake Tamarkin, defeated School Committee members Emily DiCesaro and Sandis Wright, after winning endorsements from the Andover Education Association following a bruising battle over teachers’ contract that led to a strike last year. Both challengers won with financial support from the MTA’s PAC , prompting the current chair, Lauren Conoscenti, to accuse the union of “trying to buy” the seat, per the Andover News . ****TARGETING TRANS PEOPLE & CREATING ANOTHER TRUMP DIVISIVE ISSUE!**** — “Boston court hears arguments on new federal passport rules for gender markers,” by Robert Goulston, GBH News: “Transgender and nonbinary plaintiffs had their first day in court Tuesday in their push to reverse the Trump administration’s new policy that requires passports to reflect their sex assigned at birth. Judge Julia Kobick at the Massachusetts federal court in Boston heard close to two hours of testimony before taking the case under advisement.”
| | TRUMPACHUSETTS |
| ****PROTESTING EPA CUTS!***** — “EPA employees rally in Boston over planned cuts,” by Craig LeMoult, GBH News: “As the lunch hour hit on Tuesday, dozens of Environmental and Protection Agency workers emerged from their office in downtown Boston and did something many federal employees have been scared to do: speak out against the Trump administration. Some at the rally said they hoped to draw public attention to the EPA’s mission, as the White House promises more layoffs and undercuts longstanding efforts with moves like rewriting the agency’s 2009 finding that greenhouse gas emissions should be regulated under the Clean Air Act.”
| | FROM THE 413 |
| — “Amherst council decision forces regional school district back to drawing board on next year’s budget,” by Scott Merzbach, Daily Hampshire Gazette: “It’s back to the drawing board for the Amherst-Pelham Regional Schools’ proposed budget for next year, after the Town Council on Monday rejected changing the way assessments are determined for each of the district’s four member towns.” — “Pittsfield committee moves to shelve embattled median safety ordinance,” by Maryjane Williams, The Berkshire Eagle: “The city's Ordinance and Rules Committee voted 4-1 on Monday evening to file the proposed Median Safety and Pedestrian Regulations in Public Roadways, meaning it will go back to the City Council for review but with the recommendation to shelve the measure. The decision came after 21 Berkshire County residents spoke out against the ordinance during public comment, citing concerns about its potential impact on panhandlers, constitutional rights violations and a lack of evidence for safety concerns.”
| | THE LOCAL ANGLE |
| — “Six months after Cambridge cyclist’s death, authorities seek charges against driver,” by Spencer Buell and Shannon Larson, The Boston Globe. ***BOSTON HERALD PROPAGANDA RAG OUTDOES ITSELF! TAX CUTS TO THE WEALTHY CAUSED THE TRUMP DEFICIT! 100% OF GDP! THE IRS FUNDING UNDER PRESIDENT BIDEN AUDITED WEALTHY TAX CHEATS WHO STILL CHEATED ON THEIR TAXES! HOW MUCH MONEY DO THE WEALTHY NEED THAT THEY STILL CHEAT ON THEIR TAXES? — “Fiscal groups call for New England delegation to put aside politics, renew Trump Tax cuts,” by Matthew Medsgar, Boston Herald. excerpt: According to the non-partisan Tax Policy Center, renewing Trump’s tax bill would “decrease federal tax revenue by $4.5 trillion from 2025 through 2034,” while “long-run GDP” would grow by just 1.1%. This GDP growth would offset $710 billion — about 16% — of the revenue loss, while “long-run GNP (a measure of American incomes)” would only rise by 0.4%. “Some of the benefits of the tax cuts and larger economy go to foreigners in the form of higher interest payments on the debt,” they wrote.
An Oxford University study released in May of 2024 found the TCJA led to mixed results, in that, by reducing corporate tax rates, the government “may boost investment, raise shareholders’ returns, and increase workers’ earnings,” but by and large the benefits of those cuts go to the wealthy and “may be distributed unevenly throughout the economy.” — “Residents demand police review board at Worcester meeting focused on DOJ report,” by Adam Bass, MassLive. — “Special Billerica Select Board meeting to discuss member’s conduct canceled,” by Peter Currier, The Lowell Sun: “A special Select Board meeting scheduled for Tuesday night to address the alleged behavior of board member Dina Favreau has been canceled after the body’s chairman joined calls for Favreau to resign over the weekend.” — “Natick voters decide on $7 million override, municipal races,” by Tom Benoit, The MetroWest Daily News: “Voters approved a $7 million tax override during Tuesday's annual town election that officials have said will allow Natick to generate sufficient revenues to fund recurring costs — and save municipal jobs, according to unofficial results from the town clerk. Separately, two incumbent Select Board members and two School Committee members retained their seats, with the latter board also welcoming a new member.” — “City Council outlines vision of reduced government at ‘cut night’,” by Colin Hogan, The New Bedford Light: “City councilors flexed their budget-cutting muscles last week, chopping more than $4 million of proposed spending on city improvements, then sharing a vision of a much leaner and “modernized” government in New Bedford.
| | HEARD ‘ROUND THE BUBBLAH |
| HAPPY BIRTHDAY — to Jivan Sobrinho-Wheeler, Nick Bayer, Caroline Darmody, Carlos Mark Ver a, Healey deputy press secretary Isabella Lanata and Kelli Ritter. Want to make an impact? POLITICO Massachusetts has a variety of solutions available for partners looking to reach and activate the most influential people in the Bay State. Have a petition you want signed? A cause you’re promoting? Seeking to increase brand awareness among this key audience? Share your message with our influential readers to foster engagement and drive action. Contact Jesse Shapiro to find out how: jshapiro@politico.com .
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