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Politico
2 days ago
- Politics
- Politico
The road to rent control
TRY, TRY AGAIN — Housing advocates are taking another shot at reversing the state's ban on rent control. Hundreds of supporters poured into the State House yesterday to rally and testify in support of a bill that would allow cities and towns to tie rent increases to the rate of inflation. Under the legislation, rent hikes would be capped at 5 percent. Getting the bill passed is likely to be an uphill battle. Voters ended rent control through a 1994 ballot question, and in the more than three decades since then, there hasn't been much appetite from the Legislature to bring it back. When a similar proposal was added as an amendment to an economic development bill, it failed on a 22-136 roll call vote in the House. The big question: Will supporters take the fight to the ballot next year? 'For us, everything's on the table,' Carolyn Chou, the executive director of the advocacy group Homes for All, said in an interview. 'Our communities urgently need rent control, so we're exploring all options to win.' There's a lot to consider. Those backing the return of rent control would have to contend with the powerful real estate lobby, which has made it clear in the past they're ready to spend big to thwart the effort. A push to put a rent control question on the ballot failed to clear one of the first major hurdles last cycle, with supporters divided over whether the timing was right. And if voters reject the effort, state law says they can't bring it back before voters for six years. Working in their favor: Housing for All is working with the Service Employees International Union and what they say is more than 100 organizations across the state on the push. During the hearing, residents from Easthampton to Worcester to Framingham testified in support of the bill. For now, 'no decisions have been made' about bringing the battle to the ballot, Chou said. Keep an eye out for some action by Aug. 6, when the first round of initiative petition signatures is due to Attorney General Andrea Campbell's office. 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@ TODAY — Gov. Maura Healey hosts a ceremonial swearing-in for Health and Human Services Secretary Dr. Kiame Mahaniah at 12:15 p.m. at the State House. Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll speaks at LGBTQ+ Youth Day on the Hill at 10:30 a.m. and chairs a Governor's Council meeting at noon at the State House. Democratic Whip Katherine Clark joins the Natick Service Council for a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 11:30 a.m. in Natick. Boston Mayor Michelle Wu hosts a campaign event with small business owners at 11 a.m. downtown. THE RACE FOR CITY HALL FIRST IN PLAYBOOK — Progressive West Roxbury/Roslindale is releasing its slate of endorsements for Boston's mayoral and City Council races this fall. PWRR is backing Mayor Michelle Wu, District 5 Councilor Enrique Pepén and District 6 Councilor Ben Weber for reelection. The group is also endorsing three of the four current at-large members: Councilors Ruthzee Louijeune, Julia Mejia and Henry Santana. And they've narrowed down the final at-large slot to two challengers. 'Members are still learning about new candidates Alexandra Valdez and Marvin Mathelier, one of whom will earn PWRR's fourth At-Large endorsement,' PWRR's Rachel Poliner said in an email. FIRST IN PLAYBOOK — District 3 Councilor John FitzGerald and state Rep. Jay Livingstone are endorsing At-Large Councilor Henry Santana for reelection. Santana 'leads with heart, humility, and purpose,' FitzGerald said in a statement. 'As a colleague, I've seen firsthand how committed he is to uplifting every corner of our city.' GETTING IN — Newburyport City Councilor Jim McCauley is officially announcing his campaign for mayor of Newburyport this morning. In a statement, McCauley said he has become 'increasingly concerned about the direction the current Mayor [Sean Reardon] is taking Newburyport.' Since Reardon took office, 'spending has increased an unprecedented and unsustainable 20% and a disintegrating work culture at City Hall has seen the departure of 6 department heads,' McCauley, a Democrat, added, calling for 'a new chapter' in the city. DATELINE BEACON HILL — Lawmakers solicit major dollars to fund national legislative gathering in Boston by Samantha J. Gross and Matt Stout, The Boston Globe: 'Thousands of lawmakers and policy makers from across the country will descend on Boston Monday for three days of networking, programming, and socializing for what Massachusetts legislative leaders likened to a 'World Cup'-level event. Those same Massachusetts lawmakers have also been asking corporations and others with interests before the Legislature to fork over as much as $250,000 each to help fund the celebration. For months, Massachusetts lawmakers have been raising money for the National Conference of State Legislatures Legislative Summit, which the bipartisan organization bills as the 'nation's largest gathering of legislators and legislative staff' and this year also commemorates its 50th anniversary.' — Mass. emergency shelter spending over $940M for FY25, latest state data shows by Chris Van Buskirk, Boston Herald: 'Gov. Maura Healey's administration spent just over $940 million on emergency family shelters and related services last fiscal year, but the final total is projected to increase by tens of millions of dollars more as officials work to settle payments. A report released Monday shows taxpayers have shouldered $942 million between July 1, 2024, and June 30 to prop up shelters housing homeless families with children and pregnant women. An immigration surge in 2022, 2023, and 2024 strained the system, but caseloads have dropped drastically since January.' FROM THE HUB — Boston Mayor Wu dismisses calls for National Guard deployment to tackle Mass and Cass spillover by Gayla Cawley, Boston Herald: 'Boston Mayor Michelle Wu dismissed calls from South End residents to bring in the National Guard to deal with the 'war zone' that Mass and Cass spillover has created in that particular neighborhood. Wu said this week that while it's 'not acceptable' for residents to have to side-step needles and fear for their safety at and around the intersection of Massachusetts Avenue and Melnea Cass Boulevard, the open-air drug use, filth and violence that has spilled over into surrounding neighborhoods like the South End does not warrant a response from the U.S. military.' — Wu says full White Stadium cost won't be known til end of 2025 by Sharon Brody and Rob Lane. FROM HARVARD YARD — Trump administration wants Harvard to pay far more than Columbia as part of settlement by Collin Binkley, The Associated Press: 'The Trump administration is pressing for a deal with Harvard University that would require the Ivy League school to pay far more than the $200 million fine agreed to by Columbia University to resolve multiple federal investigations, according to two people familiar with the matter. Harvard would be expected to pay hundreds of millions of dollars as part of any settlement to end investigations into antisemitism at its campus, said the people, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal deliberations.' RELATED — Rep. Katherine Clark says Harvard's reported deal with Trump is troubling, but might be necessary by Nicole Garcia, GBH News. DAY IN COURT — Further legal action against Republic to come by Caroline Enos, The Salem News: 'Although six communities' request for an injunction against Republic Services Inc. was denied Monday, that won't be the end of legal troubles for the company over its lacking service during the Teamsters strike. The injunction was filed in Salem Superior Court on July 17 by Peabody, Beverly, Danvers, Gloucester, Malden and Canton. It requested that a judge order Republic to immediately collect all trash and recycling within the municipalities and provide all contracted services, putting a stop to stinking, piled-up trash on sidewalks and in dumpsters that are public health hazards.' FROM THE DELEGATION — Mass. Reps. Pressley, Lynch and Moulton lead call for end to trash strike by John L. Micek, MassLive: 'All nine members of Massachusetts' U.S. House delegation have called on trash hauler Republic Services to reach a deal with striking Teamsters, ending a work stoppage that has caused garbage to pile up across Greater Boston this month. The letter, led by Democratic U.S. Reps Ayanna Pressley and Stephen Lynch, whose 7th and 8th Congressional District seats span Boston, and Seth Moulton, D-6th District, of Salem, underlined the 'sweat equity' of its employees, and the need for good wages and benefits.' IT'S NOT EASY BEING GREEN — Nantucket Officials Blast Vineyard Wind, Deliver List Of Demands by JohnCarl McGrady and Jason Graziadei, Nantucket Current: 'Nantucket officials called Vineyard Wind on the carpet Tuesday, claiming the offshore wind developer had failed to live up to its agreements with the town, and telling the company to 'lead or leave.' In a press conference Tuesday morning held on Zoom, the Nantucket Select Board made 15 demands of Vineyard Wind, setting a two-week deadline for the offshore wind company to reply. If no reply is forthcoming, or if the Select Board deems Vineyard Wind's responses inadequate, the town is leaving all of its options open -including legal action.' MARIJUANA IN MASSACHUSETTS — Final Motions Filed In Brawl Between Former CCC Chair O'Brien And Mass Treasurer Goldberg by Chris Farone, Talking Joints Memo: 'Going back to fall of 2023 when she was first suspended from her chair seat at the Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission for (what were still at the time) unspecified offenses, Shannon O'Brien claimed the backstory and details of her time at the agency would contradict allegations against her. From O'Brien's suspension on through her subsequent firing in September 2024, the former state rep, senator, and treasurer (who was appointed to the CCC by current state Treasurer Deb Goldberg two years earlier) said, sometimes through her lawyers, that confidential documents and information would at least add context around claims that she behaved in ways that warranted removal. In early June, a Suffolk County Superior Court justice granted that wish, denying Goldberg, CCC employees, appointees, and the agency itself their requests to have some names anonymized and information kept secret.' — Bay State regulators approve draft pot cafe rules by Matthew Medgar, Boston Herald: 'After two days of intensive wrangling with the wording in their draft, the Cannabis Control Commission on Tuesday unanimously approved the rules which will govern social consumption of marijuana in Massachusetts. Said another way, the state's pot regulators have finally signed off on a plan that will — eventually — see Amsterdam-style weed cafes in the Bay State. The key word is 'eventually.'' FROM THE 413 — Former Select Board member suggests current member is spying on him by Cliff Clark, The Westfield News: 'During the Select Board meeting Monday, former member Joseph Deedy suggested that current board member Russ Anderson of spying on him using Town Hall security camera footage and requested a public investigation to determine if his allegations are true.' THE LOCAL ANGLE — Something rotten in New Bedford, or much ado about nothing? by Colin Hogan and Grace Ferguson, The New Bedford Light: 'Councilor Brian Gomes rose to speak and, in his signature booming crescendo, cried out, 'They're saying we should be federally indicted! Send it in! Because I did nothing wrong.' Many of New Bedford's political junkies and hangers-on have for weeks made the case over talk-radio broadcasts and during City Council sessions that there is something rotten in Denmark. Some elected officials, it recently became known, had for years received 'longevity payments' — annual bonuses between $450 and $850, intended for unelected city staffers who served 10 years or more. These elected officials — including some long-serving city councilors, assessors, and the mayor — were mistakenly receiving longevity payments through 2023, when Mayor Jon Mitchell noticed a difference in his own paycheck upon reaching the 10-year mark of service.' — Assault charge against woman detained by ICE agents in Worcester is dropped by Toni Caushi, Telegram & Gazette: 'A charge of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon against Rosane Ferreira De Oliveira, the woman detained by federal agents in a highly publicized May 8 immigration raid on Eureka Street, has been dropped, court records show. Her 17-year-old daughter, whom Ferreira De Oliveira was accused of striking with a phone charger cable in February, 'does not wish to proceed,' Assistant District Attorney Matthew Kimmelstiel said in a motion to the Worcester District Court.' — Newbury lauded again for accounting, financial reporting via Newburyport Daily News: 'For the third consecutive year, the town is being honored for excellence in accounting and financial reporting. The Government Finance Officers Association recognized Newbury for its fiscal 2026 town report and budget, a comprehensive 267-page document that explains the foundation of the town's budget decisions. The award is a significant achievement in governmental accounting and financial reporting, reflecting the commitment of a governing body and its staff to meeting the highest standards of governmental budgeting, according to local officials.' HEARD 'ROUND THE BUBBLAH TRANSITIONS — Kait Rogers is the new chief financial officer of the YMCA of Greater Boston. She was previously the CFO of the Jewish Community Centers of Greater Boston. — Kris Sarri will be the new Massachusetts state director at The Nature Conservancy. She previously served as the USAID acting chief climate officer. HAPPY BIRTHDAY — to Brendan Roche and Anita Hill. Happy belated to Kyle McGrath of Rep. Josh Tarsky's office and Amy Burke, who celebrated Monday.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Republican State Rep. enters race for James Malone's Lancaster County State Senate seat
(WHTM) – Pennsylvania State Representative Tom Jones (R-Lancaster/Lebanon) has entered the race for Democrat James Malone's 36th State Senate District seat. Malone won the 36th District seat in a March special election, upsetting Lancaster County Commissioner Josh Parsons in a race that drew national attention. The seat had become vacant when Republican Ryan Aument resigned to join Senator Dave McCormick's office. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Jones currently represents the 98th State House District and previously served as an East Donegal Township supervisor. 'It has been an honor to serve my community as State Representative in the Pennsylvania General Assembly,' said Jones on Tuesday. 'I believe the people of Lancaster deserve strong representation in the 36th Senate District, and I look forward to earning their support.' The 36th District includes Manheim Township, Lititz, Elizabethtown and Mount Joy Township, among others, in Lancaster County. The area was represented by a Republican for nearly 140 years before Malone's election. Republicans currently control the State Senate with a 27-23 majority. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Solve the daily Crossword
New York Times
2 days ago
- Politics
- New York Times
N.C. Republicans Push Through Contested Agenda on ‘Veto Override Day'
It was only one vote. But by flipping a seat in the State House last fall, Democrats in North Carolina managed to break, just barely, a Republican supermajority that had allowed conservatives to dominate the state legislature for two years. With Josh Stein, a Democrat, in the governor's mansion, it appeared his party would now have the chance to slow Republicans' stampeding approach to lawmaking, which included enacting a ban on most abortions after 12 weeks of pregnancy and power grabs that made the governor's office weaker. But one vote has proved to be too thin a margin, at least on some issues. Republican lawmakers on Tuesday overrode eight vetoes that Mr. Stein had issued during this legislative session, on issues from education to guns, in some cases by picking up a single Democratic defector. On Wednesday, Republicans planned to try pushing through six more bills over the governor's veto, including on some issues where voters are deeply divided, such as allowing adults to carry concealed handguns without a permit. The override effort comes at a moment when Democrats in North Carolina and elsewhere are searching for a path forward after a loss of power in Washington. Though the state's electorate is fairly split, Republicans have largely dominated the legislature over the past decade and increased the party's seats in Congress by gerrymandering. The state's Supreme Court, also dominated by conservatives, has upheld the skewed district maps giving Republicans a near lock on the General Assembly. Breaking the party's supermajority put a dent in the Republican armor, but has done little to force compromise. Government divided at the state level is increasingly rare nationwide, making the showdown over vetoes this week highly unusual. In 38 states, one party now has control of both houses of the legislature and the governor's mansion, a political stranglehold known as a 'trifecta.' Even without that, Republicans in North Carolina have become accustomed to winning. Representative Destin Hall, the Republican speaker of the State House, exuded confidence before voting started on Tuesday in a post on social media: 'Happy Veto Override Day to all who celebrate.' Mr. Stein cast himself as a moderate Democrat while campaigning last year against his firebrand opponent, Mark Robinson. He has tried to extend an olive branch to Republican leadership, including saying that he would support the party's House budget proposal. Conservative lawmakers have described their relationship with the governor as respectful, if not warm. But Chris Cooper, a political science professor at Western Carolina University in Cullowhee, N.C., said the 'honeymoon seems to have come to an end.' Perhaps the bigger concern for Mr. Stein and other Democratic leaders lies within their own party, which was unable to prevent defectors from voting with Republicans on some bills. 'Breaking the supermajority is only helpful if the minority can keep their caucus united,' Dr. Cooper said. Among the bills that became law over the governor's veto were a measure allowing employees at private schools to carry concealed weapons, letting parents pull their children out of lessons they think violate their religious beliefs, and a broad energy bill eliminating efforts to combat climate change. Another new law includes measures related to gender and identity in medical malpractice lawsuits and education that opponents say discriminate against transgender people. The remaining bills that Republicans could attempt to override on Wednesday might prove more challenging. Besides concealed carry, those measure include an immigration bill that no Democrat supported in the House earlier this year, which would require more cooperation between local law enforcement and federal immigration agents. Three bills other bills vetoed by the governor would ban diversity, equity and inclusion programs and policies in public schools, universities and state agencies.
Axios
7 days ago
- Politics
- Axios
Brockton lawmaker wants to make South Shore bar pizza the state's official slice
A Brockton lawmaker wants to tell the world about the South Shore's homegrown pizza, but he'll start with the rest of the state. Why it matters: Massachusetts doesn't have a designated pizza style like New York, Chicago and Detroit, despite being the birthplace of some unique varieties. Bar pizza, the distinct thin-crust pan pizza from Brockton and surrounding areas, has exploded in popularity over the last decade. State of play: State Sen. Michael Brady (D-Brockton) wants to name South Shore bar pizza the official pizza variety of Massachusetts. The legislation he filed is the first attempt to establish a state pizza designation. Between the lines: If it passes, it'll be a win for the South Shore and for oily-carb lovers everywhere. If the bill fails, it'll be because parochial pizza pride led to a food fight at the State House. What makes it a bar pizza: There are variations on the form (looking at you, Town Spa), but most bar pies are single-serving, 10-inch thin-crust pan pizzas with cheese scattered all the way to the pan's lip so it creates a burned "lace" around the crust. There's limited crushed tomato sauce under a bed of cheddar, or a cheddar mixture. The crust is buttery in the middle and crisp on the edges. Most traditional toppings are available, but you're likely to see more chorizo and linguica and less pepperoni the closer you get to the South Coast. Dig in: Old-school bar-pie lovers will tell you the real secret is in the seasoned pans, which build flavor over time. Used pizza pans become a hot commodity if they ever come up for sale. What they're saying: "I think it'll help businesses, and especially the places that I represent," Brady told Axios. "Hopefully, by getting some publicity about this, it might bring more business to the Commonwealth and revenue to the Commonwealth." Legally speaking, Brady's bill defines bar pizza as 10-inch thin crust with edge-to-edge cheese coverage. The legislation faces no apparent organized opposition, and Brady reports some positive local media response and public reception across the state. The intrigue: The bill will have to capture the attention of Democratic leaders to be adopted. One hurdle could be Rep. Aaron Michlewitz, the chairman of the all-powerful House Ways and Means Committee. Michlewitz hails from Boston's North End, a hot spot for traditional Italian and New York-style slices. Flashback: Bar pizza started popping up around Brockton-area taverns nearly 90 years ago and was popularized by the Cape Cod Café in 1939.
Business Journals
22-07-2025
- Business
- Business Journals
City of Boston CFO Ashley Groffenberger named BBJ CFO of the Year Rising Star honoree
There are a lot of variables when it comes to being the chief financial officer for the city of Boston. In addition to overseeing and developing the budget, there's a five-year capital plan that needs to be created and revised, assessments, payment collections and managing the treasury. It's safe to say that the job comes with its share of stresses. Sometimes, there are so many moving pieces that Ashley Groffenberger wishes her team could simplify it all and just turn everything into an easy math equation. Which is exactly why her staff got her an algebra workbook, which she keeps on her desk. 'When we're dealing with these really difficult decisions, I sometimes look at my team and I'm like, 'I wish we could just sit here and solve for X,'" said Groffenberger. "When I need to decompress, I solve for X. That's how I unwind.' Groffenberger's career has been filled with more constants than variables. Since graduating from Northeastern in 2010, she has been working in government finance, seeking a mission-driven organization that has a tangible impact on the surrounding community. That goal led her from her initial role as an analyst in the State House to her current role at City Hall. And most recently, Groffenberger has been named the 2025 Rising Star awardee at the Boston Business Journal's CFO of the Year awards. Coming into the position was somewhat familiar for Groffenberger. She had spent the past eight years in California's Bay Area, where she worked as the budget director for the city and county of San Francisco for seven of those eight years. The time in San Francisco helped prepare her for her role with the city of Boston — and the Dunkin' Donuts that opened an hour away from her San Fransisco office offered a small reminder of home. After Michelle Wu 's successful bid to become the mayor of Boston in 2021, Groffenberger's name was floated as a potential candidate for the CFO role. When Wu's administration reached out with an offer, Groffenberger called the decision to return to the place she once thought of as the apex of the world a 'no-brainer.' 'I like to think about the dream jobs I have, and it was always a really short list,' said Groffenberger. 'This job was always at the top of that list.' The job is not without its variables, probably more than most people realize she says. Groffenberger says that a major misconception people have about the job of CFO is that it's easy to find solutions, or that it's just a matter of allocating funds. In reality, the job involves an 'incredible amount' of consideration and analysis before making a decision. When you have more than one variable to solve for, things can get complicated. But Groffenberger knows she isn't going at it alone. She makes it a point to acknowledge the significant contributions her team makes to her overall success and the success of the city. 'I will attribute all of my success to the people that I work with. I mean, this job is not singular,' Groffenberger said. 'So I attribute it to the team and the leadership here in the city, for you know, the success that we all enjoy.'
