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Yahoo
a day ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Springfield to take action against illegal ‘Gas Station Weed'
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) – Springfield is cracking down on illegal 'Gas Station Weed' throughout the city. Springfield woman turns herself in for Old Navy merchandise theft in South Windsor On Wednesday, Mayor Domenic Sarno, along with other city officials, will announce a new ordinance that's aimed at illegal 'Gas Station Weed.' This type is targeting youth and putting the public's health at risk. The announcement is set to take place at 2:30 p.m. at Springfield City Hall. The State House News Service states that 'Gas Station Weed' is not the same cannabis that is sold at licensed dispensaries, and is often unregulated. They are advertised as a legal hemp product under federal law, but they offer the same kind of high as cannabis. Hemp is defined as cannabis that has no more than 0.3% Delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), which is the primary psychoactive compound of marijuana, by dry weight at the time of harvest. This type of hemp-based product has been around for about six years, but has become more popular recently. They are marked as things like 'Delta-8,' 'Delta-10' or 'THC In A Bottle,' and often come in bright packaging, which is sometimes meant to mimic the look of legal products. On Wednesday, a bill set to reform the Cannabis Control Commission will go before the House of Representatives after years of controversies and complaints from local business owners. The bill is now cleared through two committees and is poised to pass the House. The bill places the commission entirely under Governor Healey, which means the five-person board would go down to three appointed commissioners, with one of them a full-time chair. The bill would regulate and tax the sale of hemp-based and CBD gummies and drinks, and open the door to retail-only medical marijuana businesses. The City of Springfield states that no one should sell, cultivate, deliver, or otherwise commercially distribute marijuana products within the city without first obtaining a marijuana operating permit issued annually by the Department of Health and Human Services. Only owners of establishments with a permanent, nonmobile location in the city can apply for an operating permit at the specified location. The fee for a marijuana operating permit is $2,000 annually. WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Mass. budget debate points to a subtle but seismic shift on Beacon Hill
People talk a lot about inflection points — and it's always in the past tense. You rarely recognize them as they're happening. But if you were paying attention to Beacon Hill this week, you saw one in real-time and in the most unexpected and resolutely anodyne of places: The start of the Massachusetts Senate's annual budget debate. Ready? Here it is, courtesy of Senate Committee on Ways and Means Chairperson Michael Rodrigues, D-1st Bristol/Plymouth. 'Over the course of the last few months, we have witnessed firsthand how our federal partners have unleashed unprecedented amounts of uncertainty, unpredictability and volatility,' the South Coast lawmaker said Monday as the majority-Democrat chamber started debate on a $61.3 billion spending plan for the new fiscal year that starts July 1. 'In past turbulent times, the question we asked ourselves was, 'How much help can we expect from our friends in D.C.?' Yet today, we find ourselves in the unique position of asking, 'How much is D.C. going to hurt us today?'' Rodriques mused, according to State House News Service. The sentiment isn't a new one. Elected and community leaders across the Bay State have been sounding the alarm for months about the impact that diminished federal funding will have on the state's bottom line. And a word about process: The Senate is expected to spend most of the week wading through more than 1,000 amendments to the budget proposal. Senators have been advised of a 'potential' formal session on Thursday as well, the wire service reported As a refresher, Massachusetts gets nearly $23 billion in funding from Washington every year, with around $16 billion of it pumped into the state's operating budget, data show. But spending cuts across the federal government that already have taken place, and those being eyed by Republicans on Capitol Hill — including Medicaid and hunger assistance — are expected to throw states' economies into disarray. And that doesn't even count the hit that nonprofits and colleges and universities, all of them economic players, are taking this year. Democratic Gov. Maura Healey, who will have a big say in the final shape of the spending plan that hits her desk, already has announced an executive branch hiring freeze because of the shaky funding picture. Read More: These key public services won't be hit by the state's hiring freeze, Mass. Gov. Healey says One more big tell about the changed political and economic topography? While there's not exactly emphatic Republican agreement about the Democrats' spending priorities, there's a clear-eyed recognition that the state is facing seismic forces this year that it has not seen before. Here's Senate Minority Leader Bruce E. Tarr, R-1st Essex/Middlesex: 'I dare say that while every budget is important and while every budget is a challenge, the consequences of our decisions with this budget are perhaps more intense than some of the recent budgets that we've dealt with,' Tarr said Monday during the customary GOP response. The Gloucester lawmaker noted that he and his colleagues had faced uncertain times before, notably during the COVID-19 pandemic, State House News Service reported. But, he allowed, 'we always found a way to move forward to address the uncertainty and those difficult economic times.' That makes it 'imperative that we do so once again,' and while Rodriques pointed to one 'element of uncertainty, there is another element. And that other element deals with the issue of what could be an economic downturn that could have significant consequences for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.' Tarr isn't the only one thinking that way. Jim Rooney, the president and CEO of the influential Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce, had the same issues on his mind recently. Massachusetts already was struggling with economic competitiveness and job creation issues before Trump returned to office in January, Rooney told WBZ-TV's 'Keller @Large' program last weekend. 'Now you layer on job-impacting types of federal policies like tariffs, like research funding, like immigration and that was going to be tough anyway,' Rooney said. 'And ... if you look at where our jobs are, [with] high concentrations in life sciences and medicine ... this is right in the gut of the Massachusetts economy,' he continued. Those concerns are further underlined by new research by Mark Williams, a master lecturer in finance at Boston University, concluding that the Republican White House's policies could result in billions of dollars in lost revenue and tens of thousands of job losses as early as next year. That's because, compared to other states, the Bay State's economy 'disproportionately' depends on such sectors as life sciences, higher education, trade and tourism, Williams said. All of those already have been — or will be hit — by Trump's economic policies. Which brings us back to Rodriques and the admittedly limited palette that he and his fellow lawmakers, along with Healey, have to work with this budget season. The Senate's top budget-writer has ruled out dipping into the state's Rainy Day Fund to backfill any lost federal money. Healey has repeatedly said the state doesn't have the cash to do it on its own. And over in the House, which passed its $61.4 billion budget proposal earlier this month, House Committee on Ways and Means Chairperson Aaron Michlewitz, D-3rd Suffolk, has been similarly circumspect. The fiscal picture could be clarified as the June 30 deadline to approve a new spending plan approaches — and as the two chambers reconcile the differences between the $62 billion budget plan backed by Healey and their respective proposals. Spending cuts appear to be decidedly off the table. Right now, the only certain thing is the budget deadline, and lawmakers routinely blow through that. So it's good to know we can count on at least one thing. From Baker to Ballot: Republican Mike Kennealy makes his pitch for governor | Bay State Briefing Rümeysa Öztürk chose grace over bitterness. What we can learn | John L. Micek 'What About Us?': Native leaders say time's up on broken promises | John L. Micek Read the original article on MassLive.
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
State House spat: W.Mass lawmaker blocked from testifying on his own bills
So here's your daily reminder that, just because Democrats control everything on Beacon Hill, it doesn't mean that they're always going to get along. State Sen. Jacob Oliveira, D-Hampden/Hampshire/Worcester, was reminded of that first-hand on Monday when he attempted to testify remotely before the Legislature's Joint Committee on Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure. The Ludlow lawmaker has several bills before the committee. And on Monday, he was back in his district meeting with childcare providers, according to Senate President Karen Spilka's office. When it was his turn to speak, the panel's House chairperson, Rep. Tacky Chan, D-2nd Norfolk, cut him off, citing House rules requiring committee members to participate in hearings in person, Politico reported Tuesday. 'Pursuant to the House rules, the chair is not recognizing committee members who are not here physically in person,' Chan, of Quincy, said, according to State House News Service. 'As a result ... the chair does not recognize Senator Oliveira.' A bit of context: The two chambers are still sparring over joint operating rules that govern the flow of legislation between both sides of the State House. While the House and Senate each have agreed to their own internal rules, they've yet to reach an accord on this key bit of interchamber wheel-greasing. Negotiators are set to meet again on Thursday, State House News Service reported. Sen. Pavel Payano, D-1st Essex, the committee's Senate chairperson, protested, accusing his House colleagues of violating the 'sacred principle that no voice in democracy could be silenced,' the wire service reported. Sidelining Oliveira was the same thing as sidelining his constituents in Belchertown, Palmer, Wilbraham, Longmeadow, South Hadley, Warren, Hampden, Springfield, Granby, East Longmeadow and Ludlow, Payano continued. 'I think that that is a travesty,' Payano said, according to State House News Service. 'You're telling the entire community your concerns are not welcome here. This is just not a matter of procedural fairness. To me, I find it discriminatory. You know, the folks out in western Mass., it's not the same as people that are closer to Boston.' Payano then read the testimony that Oliveira had prepared to deliver. Chan, who said he understood 'there are complications for some folks,' reiterated the House stance that legislators should testify in person. The committee pile-up netted a stern rebuke from Spilka, who called the House's power play 'deeply troubling.' 'The joint rules the House and Senate mutually agreed to in January do not prohibit remote participation, and the notion that one branch's rules can bind the operations of joint committees is without merit,' Spilka said. The Ashland Democrat said she could 'personally attest to [Sen.] Oliveira's hard work and dedication to his district, his constituents, and the Senate. I thank him for ably serving all three this morning.' That wasn't the end of the day's drama. On Monday, the House announced that it had reached an agreement on a short-term funding bill to keep the doors open at the agency that provides health insurance for state employees. The Senate gaveled out for the day without taking up the rather urgent legislation, saying it would do so on Thursday. Episcopalians tell Trump 'nee' to resettling white South Africans Markey, Mass. pols call on Trump to reverse course on AmeriCorps cuts An undocumented student's story: Why it's hard to be here no matter who is president Worcester City Council meeting to be held virtually 'due to public safety concerns' Harvard letter says university shares 'common ground' with Trump admin Read the original article on MassLive.
CBS News
25-04-2025
- Business
- CBS News
Unemployment benefits in Massachusetts extended after state law triggered
By Alison Kuznitz, State House News Service People filing new unemployment claims this week, as well as eligible existing claimants, can now receive benefits for up to 30 weeks, up from the previous maximum benefit period of 26 weeks. An extension of jobless benefits is triggered under state law when the unemployment rate in any of the commonwealth's seven metropolitan statistical areas exceeds a 5.1% threshold, measured across a 12-month average, according to the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development. New federal data show the Springfield area hit an unemployment rate of 5.2%. "This change is required by state law that was passed in 2003. The [Department of Unemployment Assistance] will be in communication with claimants on next steps," EOLWD spokesperson Matt Kitsos said in a statement to the News Service on Tuesday. "Our administration is working with stakeholders and our state and local partners as we conduct a comprehensive review of the UI Trust Fund and implement our new, modernized online system to best serve the residents of Massachusetts. We will continue to connect skilled workers with employers, train and prepare future talent, and make life more affordable for everyone." Unemployment rate in Massachusetts Since July 2023, Bay Staters have been eligible for a shorter benefit window of 26 weeks due to a lower level of unemployment. That change kicked in after all metro areas logged unemployment rates at or below 5.1%. The 12-month unemployment average is currently below 5% in the other six metro areas, according to EOLWD. The Barnstable area trails closest to Springfield, at 4.9%. The National Federation of Independent Business, which called attention to the benefit period extension before state officials confirmed it Tuesday, urged lawmakers to tackle unemployment insurance reform. Business groups like NFIB contend that employers are strained by steep costs from the unemployment system, including due to large benefit amounts and broad eligibility parameters. "The cracks in our broken unemployment insurance system are now becoming chasms," Christopher Carlozzi, Massachusetts state director for NFIB, said in a statement. "This is yet another example of the Commonwealth's outlier policies compounding a worsening UI crisis, as we are the ONLY state in the nation that allows recipients to collect 30 weeks of benefits." The statewide unadjusted unemployment rate for March was 5%, according to the U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics. That is 0.8 percentage points above the nationwide unadjusted unemployment rate of 4.2%, EOWLD said. The statewide seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate in March was 4.4%, compared to a national rate of 4.2%. The state's labor participation in March was nearly 67%, which is 4.1 percentage points above the national average, EOLWD said. Earlier this month, the state DUA published the latest quarterly report about the trust fund used to pay joblessness benefits, again projecting the account funded by a tax on employers will dip into the red by 2028. Private sector jobs lost in Massachusetts On Tuesday, the Massachusetts Fiscal Alliance pointed out that data from the state's Department of Economic Research (DER) showed Massachusetts had lost nearly 25,000 private sector jobs over the last year amid a major increase in state and local government jobs. "Private sector employers are facing rising energy costs, burdensome mandates, and an unfriendly business climate," Paul Craney, MassFiscal's executive director, said. "The state is doing serious long-term damage to its economic competitiveness. Every government job added without private sector growth is another step toward eventual fiscal ruin. Massachusetts needs a private sector comeback, not more bureaucrats on the state payroll." The Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development later said the data displayed by DER and cited by Mass Fiscal was incorrect. After updating the DER website to accurately reflect numbers provided (and routinely revised) by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the state said the net change in private sector jobs here between March 2024 and March 2025 was a decrease of 12,100 jobs, a number that corresponds with data provided directly by BLS. Between March 2024 and March 2025, some 400 federal workers here lost their jobs, while state government added 1,700 jobs. The local government sector also lost 300 jobs.
CBS News
27-03-2025
- Business
- CBS News
Proposed candy tax in Massachusetts appears unlikely after House speaker's comments
It doesn't look like Gov. Maura Healey's proposal to remove the sales tax exemption from candy purchases in Massachusetts will be supported by fellow Democrats on Beacon Hill. According to the State House News Service , House Speaker Ron Mariano suggested at a pharmaceutical conference on Wednesday that the House will not be adopting that measure in Healey's $62 billion budget plan . He also expressed concerns about a proposed tax on prescription drugs and applying tobacco taxes to synthetic nicotine pouches. "The interesting thing is for some of them, we have a history, and it's not good. We've never supported, I know at least twice we've voted down the sugar tax, so you can extrapolate from that," the speaker said. Healey's budget proposed changing state law so that candy is no longer considered an "essential" food like fruit, meats and vegetables that are exempt from the 6.25% sales tax. Massachusetts is one of 11 states that exempt candy from the sales tax. The governor estimated that eliminating the sales tax exemption on candy could have raised $25 million in new revenue. "All we're doing with candy, to be clear, this isn't about a new tax," Healey said in January. "What this is doing is simply saying when you go to the grocery store, instead of having candy treated like a purchase of bread and eggs and milk, essential groceries, that candy is now going to treated in the same way as when you go to the bakery in the back of the grocery store and pick up cupcakes for your kids." Healey had also proposed a tax on prescription drugs that would charge pharmacies 6% per prescription or $2, whichever is less. It would have raised $145 million to help pay for the MassHealth program. Mariano told reporters that he worries that the tax proposals could be bad for Massachusetts. "It doesn't help," he said. "We're concerned about competitiveness and people residing and staying in Massachusetts, and adding two dollars to a prescription just based on the fact that you have to have a prescription - it was not something we wanted to do. It's the wrong message."
