Massachusetts

CT GOP lawmakers come out swinging against idea of border tolls. Do we need to worry?

Published

3 weeks ago

May 22, 2024

CT GOP lawmakers come out swinging against idea of border tolls. Do we need to worry?

A group of Connecticut Republican senators Wednesday thrashed the idea that there should ever be border tolls at the state line with Massachusetts.

It’s not quite clear whether there would be a serious proposal for tolls on the Massachusetts border, however, though the issue did create a firestorm of controversy in the Bay State over the past few weeks.

Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey told the Boston Herald that she pumped the brakes on a proposal offered by Secretary of Transportation Monica Tibbits-Nutty to help alleviate the commonwealth’s revenue shortfalls by installing tolls along the state’s borders. Tibbits-Nutt’s comments drew days of backlash.

For example, New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu did not take kindly to the idea of tolling drivers entering Massachusetts at the state border, the Boston Herald reported.

“Looks like Massachusetts has found yet another way to unnecessarily take your money,” Sununu, a Republican, said in a statement to the Herald.

“All the more reason for more Massachusetts residents to make the permanent move to New Hampshire,” Sununu said. “The Live Free or Die state continues to be the place to be.”

In Connecticut, Sen. Republican Leader Stephen Harding, Sen. Henri Martin, ranking senator on the Finance, Revenue and Bonding Committee, Sen. John A. Kissel, R-Enfield, Sen. Lisa Seminara, R-Avon, and Sen. Jeff Gordon, R-Woodstock, joined for a statement also condemning the idea of Massachusetts officials considering putting up border tolls

“Earlier this month, Gov. Lamont was asked if he would be re-introducing tolls in Connecticut. His response was ‘forget it.’ We urge him to also tell Massachusetts to forget this bad border tolls idea,” the senators said.

“It will serve as a tax on Connecticut residents, especially on those who live near the Massachusetts border and who work in Massachusetts. Things are expensive enough for hard-working people and their families. They do not want tolls.”

The GOP team was reacting to a story by Patch that said, “State Sen. Robyn Kennedy, D-Worcester, included an amendment to the Senate Ways and Means Committee budget that might lead to tolls for border-crossers.”

The Herald reported that Tibbits-Nutt’s “unfiltered” comments at a WalkMassachusetts event on a theoretical plan to take tolls from drivers crossing state borders and charge higher excise taxes to pick-up truck owners do not represent the views of Healey or her administration.

“To be clear, I am not proposing tolls at any border. I have spoken to the Secretary and made that clear, and that I have confidence in her leadership moving forward in this important time as we work to ensure a strong and robust state transportation system,” Healey said, the Herald reported.

Battenfeld: Healey delivers rebuke to transportation czar, saying no to new tolls on the border

The Herald also reported that the MassGOP followed Healey’s statement with one, openly wondering who Tibbits-Nutt is referring to when discussing jacked up excise taxes on pick-ups and SUVs before the Governor’s Transportation Funding Task Force .

“Who exactly is this ‘type of person’ Secretary Tibbits-Nutt is addressing? Is it a parent with four children or someone who relies on a truck for work?” MassGOP Chair Amy Carnevale asked.

“The Secretary’s policy initiatives are the antithesis of what’s needed in Massachusetts. A poll came out last week that showed our workforce is leaving the state in droves due to Massachusetts’ unaffordability. Adding more taxes, more tolls, and more penalties for ordinary Massachusetts residents is only going to make Massachusetts less affordable, and add to the mass migration the Commonwealth has been experiencing,” Carnevale said.

The Herald also reported that Massachusetts Fiscal Alliance spokesman Paul Craney said Tibbits-Nutt’s comments during the event were “simply reprehensible.”

“Decisions to raise taxes, fees, or adding tolling should be made by our elected legislature, not announced by an overzealous, unelected bureaucrat before a special interest advocacy organization,” Craney said in a statement. “The people she’s villainizing are just ordinary people trying to go about their everyday lives. Our state government should make life easier for people, not harder.”

The conservative Massachusetts Fiscal Alliance went further, calling on Healey to fire the cabinet official she elevated from an acting position just last October. Tibbits-Nutt had previously served as an Undersecretary for Transportation, but took over the Department of Transportation after the departure of former Transportation Secretary Gina Fiandaca.

“Government should never be used as a weapon against the people. People that view taxation and our government as a weapon to be used against individuals they don’t like are a critical danger to our democracy and people rightly lose confidence in any public official who thinks that way. Governor Maura Healey needs to step up and remove Secretary Tibbits-Nutt from her position before she does real damage to the state,” spokesman Paul Craney said.

Asked if Tibbits-Nutt would like to add to Governor Healey’s statement, a Department of Transportation spokesperson said that her assertions were just part of an on-going conversation about the challenges facing the state and not necessarily representative of policy proposals, the Herald reported.

“At a recent event the Secretary was conveying that we need to have difficult conversations about how to make our transportation system work best for everyone. This task force is in its early stages and no decisions have been made about its potential recommendations. Any proposals would be made in collaboration with the Legislature and other stakeholders and would carefully consider any affordability and competitiveness implications,” the spokesperson said.

The Herald also noted that Tibbits-Nutt said a group tasked with developing recommendations for a long-term, sustainable transportation finance plan was discussing charging drivers at the state border in an effort to support road, rail, and transit systems throughout Massachusetts.

Massachusetts Republican Party Chair Amy Carnevale said Tibbits-Nutt showed the “true nature” of the Healey administration.

“Already grappling with the burden of unaffordability, the prospect of more tolls, increased taxes on Uber and Lyft rides, Amazon deliveries, and payroll taxes only adds to the struggle of Massachusetts residents. No Massachusetts resident wants that. It’s abundantly clear that the Healey-Driscoll administration’s approach to governance is government versus taxpayer,” Carnevale said in a statement.

Reporting by Boston Herald journalists Matthew Medsger and Chris Van Buskirk is included in this story. The Herald is a sister paper to the Hartford Courant.

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Massachusetts

They’re champs! See the results of the spring high school state title games. – The Boston Globe

Published

3 mins ago

June 15, 2024

Press Room

They’re champs! See the results of the spring high school state title games. – The Boston Globe

St. John’s (Shrewsbury) vs. BC High, Saturday, 6 p.m.

Division 2

Plymouth North vs. Walpole, Sunday, 1 p.m.

Division 3

St. Mary’s vs. Oakmont, Saturday, 3 p.m.

Division 4

Pittsfield vs. Seekonk, Saturday, 12 p.m.

Division 5

English High vs. Georgetown, Sunday, 10 a.m.

Softball

Division 1

King Philip vs. Taunton, Sunday, 3 p.m.

Division 2

Westfield vs. Walpole, Saturday, 5 p.m.

Division 3

Hudson vs. Dighton-Rehoboth, Saturday, 2:30 p.m.

Division 4

Tyngsborough vs. Joseph Case, Sunday, 12 p.m.

Division 5

Georgetown vs. Turners Falls, Saturday, 12 p.m.

Boys’ lacrosse

Division 1

Jack Weissenburger celebrates with captain Grayson Ambrosh after they defeated Needham in the Division 1 lacrosse state final.Winslow Townson for The Boston Globe

St. John’s Prep 17, Needham 13

St. John’s Prep wrapped up a fourth straight championship and a 29th straight in-state victory by outdueling Needham in Saturday’s Division 1 state final, sealing senior Jake Vana’s fourth title as a member of the boys’ lacrosse program, and his seventh ring overall counting titles in hockey and soccer.

Read the game story here.

Division 2

Marshfield vs. Longmeadow, Saturday, 12 p.m.

Division 3

Medfield 13, Scituate 4

The Medfield seniors saved their best performance for last: a commanding victory over second-seeded Scituate for the Division 3 boys ‘ lacrosse title at Westwood High. Senior Tim Collins collected three goals and an assist, junior defenseman Ben Lusby had three goals, and senior captain Joe Bartolotta scored twice as the No. 1 Warriors (20-3) captured the program’s eighth title, but first since winning D2 in 2016.

Read the game story here.

Division 4

Sandwich vs. Nantucket, Saturday, 12 p.m.

Girls’ lacrosse

Division 1

Central Catholic celebrates with the trophy following their victory over Wellesley.Jim Davis for The Boston Globe

Central Catholic 14, Wellesley 9

Senior Nicolette Licare poured in five goals and junior Kerri Finneran added four to fuel the No. 1 Raiders (24-2) to their first state title in program history. Sophomore goalie Anne Cashman was sharp, and Kierstyn Zinter, Olivia Rondeau, and Abby Yfantopulos were a few of many other contributors.

Read the game story here.

Division 2

Notre Dame (Hingham) 14, Walpole 10

The dynasty rolls on for Notre Dame Hingham girls’ lacrosse, as the top-seeded Cougars battled past second-seeded Walpole, 14-10, to win their third consecutive Division 2 state championship. Senior captains Siobhan Colin and Jane Hilsabeck scored four goals each for the Cougars (22-1) to secure the program’s fifth overall state title since winning Division 1 titles in 2013 and 2019.

Read the game story here.

Division 3

Medfield 14, Newburyport 10

Throughout the season, members of the Medfield girls’ lacrosse team used last year’s Division 3 semifinal loss to Norwell as motivation. They reminded themselves how empty they felt, and they vowed to write a different story this time around. Thursday night, they accomplished that mission, outlasting Newburyport to capture their second Division 3 state championship in three years.

Read the game story here.

Division 4

Cohasset 14, Ipswich 9

Third-seeded Cohasset was sharp in every facet of the game in Thursday’s MIAA Division 4 final, outlasting No. 4 Ipswich at Turco Memorial Field at Walpole High for the program’s third championship. Senior Laney Larsen scored twice in the final game of her high school career. Sophomore Avery Regan tallied a game-high six points (5 goals, 1 assist), and junior captain Libby Schiffmann recorded a hat trick for the Skippers (19-3).

Read the game story here.

Boys’ tennis

Division 1

Concord-Carlisle vs. St. John’s Prep, Saturday, 4:30 p.m.

Division 2

Duxbury vs. Westborough, Saturday, 2 p.m.

Division 3

Weston 3, Bedford 2

With six-time defending champion Weston tied, 2-2, in its Division 3 boys’ tennis final against Dual County League rival Bedford, the match came down to first singles, Max Ding vs. Dillon Denny-Brown. It was Ding, a senior playing his final match for the Wildcats, who wore down Denny-Brown, a junior, to close out a 3-2 victory as Weston (14-6) earned its seventh consecutive title (5 in D3, 2 in D4), and 13th overall.

Read the game story here.

Division 4

Manchester Essex vs. Lynnfield, Saturday, 11:30 a.m.

Girls’ tennis

Division 1

Wellesley vs. Boston Latin, Saturday, 4:30 p.m.

Division 2

Notre Dame (Hingham) vs. Longmeadow, Saturday, 2 p.m.

Division 3

Pembroke 3, Weston 2

With the final tied 2-2, Pembroke sophomore Nicole Makarewicz edged Olivia Rome at first singles, 6-2, 4-6, 6-1, to lift the third-seeded Titans to a 3-2 win over No. 4 Weston for the program’s first title.

Read the game story here.

Division 4

Hamilton-Wenham 5, Lynnfield 0

Junior Naomi Provost and Emma Jani powered the Generals to their third straight Division 4 state championship, sweeping Lynnfield at MIT. Provost (6-0, 6-0) finished first her match first, with Jani (6-0, 6-1) close behind, both in under an hour. The second doubles team of junior Maddie Minich / senior Angelina Meimeteas secured the title with a 6-2, 6-1 victory. Senior Ellie Holbrook (6-2, 7-6/7-1) won at third singles and the first doubles pair of senior Sienna Gregory / Emily McIntosh (6-4, 7-5) prevailed in straight sets.

Read the game story here.

Boys’ rugby

Division 1

Xaverian vs. BC High, Saturday, 12 p.m.

Division 2

Hanover vs. Weymouth, Saturday, 4 p.m.

Girls’ rugby

Division 1

Weymouth vs. Belmont, Saturday, 2 p.m.

Boys’ volleyball

Division 1

Newton North 3, Needham 2

Senior Adam Christianson came into the season learning to set for the first time, and he ended the year with a 15-kill, 14-assist, 3-block performance that gave the second-seeded Tigers (22-3) the title in a five-set thriller — 23-25, 25-12, 17-25, 25-22, 15-8 — over the top-seeded Rockets (24-3).

Read the game story here.

Division 2

Westfield 3, Wayland 2

Senior Miles Shepard recorded the biggest of his 19 kills to finish the game, finalizing a chaotic comeback in the Division 2 title match — 11-25, 14-25, 25-22, 25-19, 15-13 — for top-seeded Westfield (23-3), which captured its fifth title.

Read the game story here.

Emma can be reached at emma.healy@globe.com or on X @_EmmaHealy_.

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Massachusetts

Boston, Massachusetts, Ranked Among Top 12 in the U.S.A. for Public Recreation Spots

Published

7 hours ago

June 15, 2024

Press Room

Boston, Massachusetts

As New Englanders, you don’t have to tell us that Boston is a city that will give you plenty of physical activity if you are looking for it. Whether you are into walking long distances, going to a playground, or playing tennis or basketball, Boston has plenty of places for you and your family to play, so much so that Beantown was named one of the top 12 cities in the nation for recreation.

According to WalletHub, recreation for each city in the country was ranked based on the number of public golf courses, tennis courts, swimming pools, basketball hoops, baseball and softball diamonds, parks, and playgrounds.

The rankings were also based on how accessible the recreation places were, and how many walking trails, bike trails (lanes), and shopping centers there were.

If you’re looking for an example of a good walk in Boston, check out the Freedom Trail. It’s one of my favorites because it has the most history to explore about the American Revolution. You are likely to see many joggers and other walkers on this route. It’s just over three miles, and is pretty easy.

If you are just looking for a scenic route, check out the Neponset River Reservation. It’s a scenic and easy walk.

Portland, Maine, Was #2 Best City in the Country for Recreation Spots

Boston isn’t the only city that made the list. Portland, Maine, was ranked even higher, coming in at #2 for recreation. The whole state of Maine, in my opinion, ought to rank excellently for recreation. It has the best hiking in the country, but I might be biased.

10 Celebrities That Ran the Boston Marathon

Many celebrities have partaken in the 26.2 miles that make up the Boston Marathon.

Gallery Credit: Chantel

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Massachusetts

MA Saw A Drop In Overdose Deaths In 2023. What About Waltham?

Published

15 hours ago

June 15, 2024

Press Room

MA Saw A Drop In Overdose Deaths In 2023. What About Waltham?

WALTHAM, MA — Massachusetts saw the biggest year-over-year decline in opioid deaths in two decades last year, and Waltham numbers matched that trend.

Massachusetts opioid overdose deaths increased every year between 2019 and 2022, reaching an all-time high of 2,357 in 2022. An estimated 2,125 died in 2023, and deaths over the first three months of 2024 were trending lower than in previous years, the state Department of Public Health said Wednesday.

In Waltham, six people died from opioid overdoses in 2023, a decline from 14 in 2022.

It’s the lowest mark for Waltham since 2020, when only four people died from opioid overdoses. In the period from 2016 to 2023, only 2018 marked lower death numbers than those two years, when just three people died.

State officials attributed the reduction to increased investments in treatment programs and housing, the distribution of nearly 200,000 naloxone overdose kits and increasing access to medications to treat opioid-use disorder. The state has focused its efforts especially on people living in rural areas and in communities of color.

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