In a prequel to what’s going to be the case with many locals as soon as sports activities betting goes into impact, Boston gained some and misplaced some amongst its priorities within the late-night legislative scramble on Beacon Hill.
The fundamental precedence that didn’t get by way of the Legislature was the Boston-specific MBTA board seat that the emerged final week as a chance.
Mayor Michelle Wu and plenty of different Boston pols — even ones she not often agreed with, equivalent to former Mayor Marty Walsh — for years have stated that the capital metropolis, which kicks in additional than $80 million yearly for the beleaguered system, ought to be capable to appoint a member to the T’s governing board.
But within the traditionally chaotic in a single day session Sunday into Monday with which the Legislature wrapped up its formal calendar — passing sports activities betting and a mental-health invoice however finally not an financial improvement bundle and different prospects — the proposal, although handed by the House, made like an Orange Line prepare and floor to a halt in flames.
“I’m grateful for the Legislature’s leadership on many key issues, including codifying reproductive rights, expanding mental healthcare access, protecting our climate, funding important housing programs, giving all drivers access to licenses, and expanding voting access,” Wu stated in a press release. “The MBTA has a foundational impact on the daily lives of residents across our city, and it would be a major step forward for Boston to have a direct voice in shaping and supporting the decision-making at this agency.”
Also within the L column was the real-estate switch tax that the town’s been pushing. It’s looking for by way of home-rule petition to get Beacon Hill’s approval to tag property gross sales over $1 million with an additional payment — a proposal that has been despatched as much as Beacon Hill a number of instances over the previous a number of years, and every time has died the quiet demise of so many home-rule petitions.
The metropolis pointed to a number of points the place it had gotten what it wished. Per Wu’s workplace, the state adopted the town’s request and practically doubled the quantity going to homeless shelters, now as much as $110 million. The metropolis characterised the state {dollars} for transportation for homeless college students as “fully funded” and it cheered greater than $43 million going towards some particular youth initiatives, up from $26 million final yr.
The Legislature additionally did find yourself passing the $10 million to start out shifting towards ferry service to Boston’s Long Island, the place the town for years has been trying to set again up an addiction-recovery campus.
Source: www.bostonherald.com”