POLITICO Massachusetts Playbook:Strong support for TAX questions — KINGSTON’s ad blitz — STEIN’s disappearing millions
Strong support for TAX questions — KINGSTON’s ad blitz — STEIN’s disappearing millions
05/31/2018 06:59 AM EDT
By Lauren Dezenski (ldezenski@politico.com; @LaurenDezenski) with Brent D. Griffiths (bgriffiths@politico.com; @BrentGriffiths)
BACKING FOR TAX BALLOT QUESTIONS — A new poll out this morning shows a majority of registered Massachusetts voters back two key potential ballot questions: the so-called millionaires tax and the sales tax reduction.
The WBUR/MassINC Polling Group poll finds 77 percent support for the millionaires tax (57 percent of which is strong support), and 67 percent support for reducing the sales tax from the current 6.25 percent level to 5 percent — plus a permanent sales tax holiday. Of those polled on the sales tax reduction, 48 percent strongly support the measure. Both numbers are essentially unchanged from a Nov. 17 poll.
But despite the solid support, there's a chance these questions won't even make it to the ballot.
The legislature is still considering a so-called grand bargain, that would create some sort of a compromise that would remove the so-called millionaires tax, paid family leave, and the sales tax decrease from the November ballot. But that compromise — as well as a potential ruling by the state's highest court on the constitutionality of the millionaire's tax — has yet to materialize.
Today's poll numbers give fuel to advocates for either ballot question in ongoing negotiations, specifically the sales tax decrease. Should the SJC strike down the millionaires tax (in a ruling that could come any day) and the sales tax advocates find themselves unhappy with negotiations, the poll numbers released today indicate that public support is on their side should they take the issue directly to the voters.
Have a tip, story, suggestion, birthday, anniversary, new job, or any other nugget for the Playbook? Get in touch: ldezenski@politico.com.
TODAY — Gov. Charlie Baker and LG Karyn Polito join Secretary of Housing and Economic Development Jay Ash, state Senate President Harriette Chandler, Housing Committee Chairs state Rep. Kevin Honan and state Sen. Joseph Boncore, members of the legislature and housing advocates to sign An Act Financing the Production and Preservation of Housing for Low and Moderate Income Residents — The Forsyth Institute's Fifth Annual "A Taste & A Toast to Good Health: Forsyth Then and Now," honors Senate President Harriette Chandler - Democratic gubernatorial candidates Jay Gonzalez and Bob Massie appear in their third televised debate in as many weeks, this time on WGBH's Channel 2 with moderator Jim Braude.
ON THE STUMP —
- "Quentin Palfrey Earns Key Pre-Convention Endorsements," from the Palfrey campaign: "Quentin Palfrey, a former Obama White House official and non-profit leader running for Lieutenant Governor announced key endorsements from State Senators Jamie Eldridge (D-Acton) and Adam Hinds (D-Pittsfield), and State Representatives Bill Driscoll (D-Milton), Natalie Higgins (D-Leominster), and Russell Holmes (D-Mattapan) going into the Democratic State Convention."
- "Elizabeth Warren challenger to launch $500,000 ad campaign this summer," by Matt Stout, Boston Globe: "US Senate candidate John Kingston said he wants to 'get this party started' — but those in his own party aren't getting an invite. One of three Republicans vying to face US Senator Elizabeth Warren in November, Kingston said Wednesday he is launching a $500,000 media campaign that will include ads on the radio — and potentially, television — into early July."
- "Robert Massie confirms order forced him from home in 1995," by Frank Phillips, Boston Globe: "The wife of Democratic gubernatorial candidate Robert K. Massie obtained a court order that forced him to leave their Somerville home in 1995 while they were in the midst of a divorce, Massie confirmed Tuesday. In a written statement, Massie said the temporary order was "lifted quickly" and he was able to return to the house. Massie said there was never any allegation or threat of violence and that the order was a means his wife used to get him out of the house."
- "Voters favor women candidates who make sexual harassment a campaign issue, poll finds," by Stephanie Ebbert, Boston Globe: "Female candidates who pledge to fight sexual harassment can win increased support from their base, while candidates who question the relevance of the #MeToo movement raise doubts in voters' minds about their own qualifications, according to a national survey released by the Barbara Lee Family Foundation on Wednesday. The poll aimed to test whether the wave of women candidates running for office this fall should directly address the issue of widespread sexual misconduct that exploded into public consciousness seven months age."
- "What Happened to Jill Stein's Recount Millions?," by Charles Davis, The Daily Beast: "Shortly after the 2016 election, Jill Stein raised more than $7 million from shell-shocked liberals eager to pursue a swing-state recount. Nearly two years later, the U.S. Green Party's last candidate for president is still spending that money."
TSONGAS ARENA —
- "More Local Elected Officials Jump On Board L'Italien Campaign," from the L'Italien campaign: "Today several Andover local elected officials announced their support for State Senator Barbara L'Italien for Congress. Those endorsing L'Italien include Board of Selectmen Chair Paul Salafia, School Committee Members Joel Blumstein and Laura Gregory, and Andover's Greater Lawrence Technical School Committee Member Marilyn Fitzgerald."
ICYMI - "Candidate's claim of being an attorney is a potential ethics violation, experts say," by Matt Stout, Boston Globe:"Juana B. Matias, a Lawrence Democrat competing in the crowded Third Congressional District primary field, has repeatedly told voters she once served as an immigration attorney. But during the 11 months she was legally allowed to appear in immigration court as an advocate, Matias had yet to be admitted to the Massachusetts bar. To claim to have been a lawyer at that time is both "unacceptable," according to legal ethics experts, and a potential violation of the code of conduct used to police the state's legal profession."
DATELINE BEACON HILL —
- "Beacon Hill moves to raise $50 million in fees on rental cars, real estate transactions," by Joshua Miller, Boston Globe:"Massachusetts lawmakers are moving to impose as much as $50 million in new annual fees, considering a surcharge on car rentals as well as some transactions involving mortgages and deeds. Legislators argue the new money is needed for police training, county government, parks and open spaces, affordable housing, and historic preservation."
- "There's a bill that would rein in Charlie Baker's fund-raising, but Democrats aren't touching it," by Frank Phillips, Boston Globe: "The difference is stunning: Governor Charlie Baker was sitting on more than $8 million in his campaign account by mid-May, while his two Democratic challengers had less than $132,000 combined. Over the past two years, House Democratic leadership has repeatedly blocked campaign finance legislation that could have cut off a big source of funds to Baker and candidates on the GOP ticket."
- "Gov. Baker: Convicted Rapist Wayne Chapman's Case Highlights A Systemic Legal Problem," by Tori Bedford, WGBH News:"Gov. Charlie Baker says there's not much the state can do to prevent the release of a convicted child rapist, after mental health examiners ruled that he was no longer a threat to children. Wayne Chapman was convicted of raping two children and admitted to attacking up to 100 more. The state's civil commitment law allowed authorities to keep Chapman locked up long after he finished his 30-year sentence. But now, mental health experts say the 70 year old is no longer sexually dangerous and should be freed."
- "Director in medical examiner's office appears to have fabricated credentials," by Matt Stout, Boston Globe: "A top official at the taxpayer-funded agency responsible for investigating violent and unexplained deaths asserts she has a master's degree from Northeastern University, but the school says it has no record of her earning a graduate degree."
WHERE HAVE WE HEARD THAT BEFORE?
TRICKLE DOWN BY ANY OTHER NAME........
- "Tax cut supporters say it will spur growth," by Christian M. Wade, The Salem News: "Cutting the sales tax will create jobs and spur economic growth, according to a Beacon Hill think tank, which also suggests that losses to the state's coffers will be offset by a separate tax on millionaires. A proposal to cut the sales tax from 6.25 percent to 5 percent and set a tax-free weekend would trigger more than 9,500 new jobs and increase consumers' disposable income by $362 million in its first year, according to a study by the Beacon Hill Institute for Public Policy."
TRUMPACHUSETTS —
- "President Donald Trump has negatively affected public discourse, Gov. Charlie Baker says," by Gintautas Dumcius, MassLive.com: "President Donald Trump has contributed to the increased crassness of public discourse, Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker said Wednesday. 'It kinda went downhill from there,' Baker [said of Trump's comments about John McCain not being a war hero]. 'So yeah, I do think that's affected the quality of public discourse.'"
WOOD WAR — Herald: "TO THE RESCUE" — Globe: "$50M in new fees is proposed in Mass.," "Sense of community fraying," "GOP support of Mueller falls as Trump attacks," "A new foot that's almost like the real thing," "The center of middle-aged angst."
THE LOCAL ANGLE —
- "Former EPA head Gina McCarthy to lead new climate center at Harvard," by Max Stendahl, Boston Business Journal: "Former U.S. Environmental Protection Agency head and Boston native Gina McCarthy will lead a new climate science center at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, the university announced on Wednesday. Called the Center for Climate, Health and the Global Environment, or C-CHANGE, the center will seek to translate climate change research at the Chan School and elsewhere to make it 'more understandable and relevant to the public and key decision makers,' according to its website. "
- "Amazon still in 'back and forth' with Massachusetts and others on second headquarters, according to Gov. Charlie Baker," by Gintautas Dumcius, MassLive.com: "Amazon is still talking to Massachusetts officials as the retail behemoth searches for a place to put down its second headquarters. Baker made the comments as recent reports suggest the Washington, D.C. area is the favorite."
- "After years of reconstruction, Longfellow Bridge will reopen at 5 a.m. Thursday," by Adam Vaccaro, Boston Globe: "After five years of construction, frustration, and disruption, the Longfellow Bridge is expected to reopen at 5 a.m. Thursday, following a $300 million rebuilding project. The project was supposed to be wrapped up in 2016 but was delayed for reasons that included needing more time for historically accurate construction techniques, such as using rivets in order to preserve the century-old bridge's period character."
- "Hampden Sheriff Nick Cocchi commits 86 beds for regional opioid treatment but says more likely needed," by Patrick Johnson, MassLive.com: "Just after his announcing the Hampden County Sheriff's Department would be offering 86 beds for the treatment of people with opioid addictions, Sheriff Nick Cocchi said that number is a good start but not nearly enough to get ahead of the problem. Cocchi said he would like to see the number of treatment spaces, measured in the number of available beds, increase to match the need of the region."
- "Massachusetts coalition pushes for switch to ranked-choice voting," by Shira Schoenberg, MassLive.com: "A group of Massachusetts politicians and government reformers wants to change the way elections are conducted, and it could be looking toward a 2020 ballot initiative to do it. Ranked-choice voting is a system where voters can rank their first-, second- and third-choice candidates, and so on. A winner is determined when someone gets more than 50 percent of first-choice votes."
- "Timeline for issuing pot licenses up in air," by State House News Service: "The Cannabis Control Commission can begin issuing business licenses at the end of this week, but the agency's top regulator suggested yesterday it may be two weeks before the commission begins approving licenses."
- "Satanic Temple says Twitter discriminated against it," by The Associated Press: "A Salem, Massachusetts-based organization called The Satanic Temple is accusing Twitter of discriminating against it on religious grounds. Satanic Temple founder Lucien Greaves filed a complaint in March with the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination, saying Twitter wrongly suspended its accounts after someone tweeted a threat to the organization."
- "Why Do We Spell Red Sox With An X?," by Edgar B. Herwick III, WGBH News: ""Writing 'Red Stockings' or 'White Stockings' was a little too long for newspapers, especially in headlines ... 'Sox' worked far better. But why with an x? The roots of that answer can be found almost a century earlier, in the work of one of the true titans of American language."
HAPPY BIRTHDAY — WPRI political reporter Ted Nesi.
DID THE HOME TEAM WIN? Yes! The Red Sox beat the Blue Jays 6-4.
FRESH OUT OF THE GATE - THE HORSE RACE PODCAST: Just before the Democrats' nominating convention, chair of the Massachusetts Democratic Party Gus Bickford joins us for a chat about what to expect from candidates and delegates. Then the Springfield Republican's Shira Schoenberg discusses the developments in the race for Stan Rosenberg's former Senate seat. Plus, Steve and Lauren discuss the reality behind the Safe Communities Act that passed the Senate's budget process. Subscribe and listen on iTunes and Sound Cloud
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