Charlie Baker

The Download/ Politics

Baker likes the center

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Gov. Charlie Baker demonstrated again on Monday his ability to shape-shift to the political center. The Republican governor, who had once floated the idea of merging the state’s Life Sciences Center into a broader economic development agency, opted instead for a five-year extension of his Democratic predecessor’s life science initiative. He said he would ask(...)

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New funding agreement for Greenway Conservancy

Arts and Culture/ Politics/ Transportation

New funding agreement for Greenway Conservancy

State keeps money flowing; abutters, city to chip in

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A NEW FUNDING AGREEMENT for the Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Greenway Conservancy was unveiled on Monday that requires a smaller amount of taxpayer money from the state along with new contributions from park abutters and the city of Boston. State officials had said they wanted to zero out their $2.3 million annual payment for Conservancy operations,(...)

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House reneged on pot agreement, say sources

Drugs/ Politics

House reneged on pot agreement, say sources

Officials say chair irked over Lottery move

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HOUSE LEADERS ABRUPTLY walked away from an agreement between Gov. Charlie Baker, Speaker Robert DeLeo, and Senate President Stan Rosenberg that would have kept oversight of the emerging legal pot industry with the state treasurer and sources indicated it may be connected to anger from the House chair of the marijuana committee over a potential(...)

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Millionaire’s tax heads toward voters

Politics

Millionaire’s tax heads toward voters

Likely to be dominant political issue in Mass. next year

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THE MASSACHUSETTS LEGISLATURE on Wednesday cleared the way for voters to decide whether to raise more than $2 billion in annual revenue through an income tax surcharge on people earning more than $1 million a year. Meeting in a rowdy joint session, the House and Senate voted 134-55 to put the constitutional amendment on the(...)

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House guts voter-approved pot law

Drugs/ Health Care/ Politics

House guts voter-approved pot law

Measure overhauls key pieces from tax rate to oversight

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THE MASSACHUSETTS HOUSE will unveil a measure Wednesday that completely overhauls the voter-approved referendum legalizing recreational marijuana while also moving oversight of medical marijuana under the same regulatory umbrella. About the only thing the 48-page bill, a copy of which was obtained by CommonWealth,  leaves in place from the question put before voters last November(...)

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State bond rating drops one notch

Economy/ Politics

State bond rating drops one notch

Agency cites failure to build up rainy day fund

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STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE WITH SLUGGISH REVENUES testing Gov. Charlie Baker’s ability to balance investment needs with fiscal prudence, one of the country’s largest credit rating agencies on Friday downgraded the state’s bond rating with an admonishment for its approach to savings. S&P Global Ratings lowered its rating for Massachusetts bonds to AA from AA+(...)

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Dissecting Baker’s stance on millionaire’s tax

News Analysis/ Politics

Dissecting Baker’s stance on millionaire’s tax

Call for living within our means masks disparity for high earners

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GOV. CHARLIE BAKER hasn’t formally said he’s against the so-called “Fair Share” ballot question, which would create a surtax on incomes over $1 million and earmark the proceeds for education and transportation. But the totality of his public comments and statements from his office certainly suggest more opposition than support. Neither he nor his office(...)

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The Download/ Politics

Baker and Warren look for crossover votes

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“Make ticket-splitting great again!” It may not roll off the tongue easily. And the obvious allusion to a certain candidate’s slogan is actually the last thing he’d want to do. But the message might be the essence of Republican Charlie Baker’s reelection effort next year once he ends the non-suspense and declares that he’ll seek(...)

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FY18 budget shortfall could be $1b

Politics/ Opinion

FY18 budget shortfall could be $1b

Nipping and tucking won’t work in coming year

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IT IS WIDELY RECOGNIZED on Beacon Hill, certainly among budget writers, that the fiscal 2018 budgets passed by the House and Senate depend on unrealistic revenue projections. But it is much less well understood that the revenue shortfall could approach $1 billion. How could that be? There are two parts to the answer — first,(...)

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DeLeo unsure how Baker will balance budget

Politics

DeLeo unsure how Baker will balance budget

Speaker says governor hasn't detailed nip and tuck maneuvers

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STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE Gov. Charlie Baker has told House Speaker Robert DeLeo not to worry about deficient tax collections blowing a hole in this year’s state budget. And the powerful Winthrop Democrat is taking the governor at his word. Not even DeLeo knows how Baker has been controlling spending to make sure that when(...)

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