Governor Charlie Baker signed “An Act Relative to Justice, Equity and Accountability in Law Enforcement in the Commonwealth,” which creates a mandatory certification process for police officers, increases accountability and transparency in law enforcement, and gives police departments a greater ability to hire or promote only qualified applicants.
The mayor’s trip to Aruba last week is the surest sign hat the mayor’s need to satisfy himself goes way beyond his desire to do his job and to stand side by side with his constituents during a difficult time.
Anyway, one wishes to look at it, leaving for a trip on an airplane during the height of a pandemic and returning as though he went to the corner store is not a preferred thing to do for the mayor of a besieged city of almost 60,000 people.
In addition, the mayor’s futile effort to make believe he didn’t go to Aruba fooled more than a handful of people, including some of his closest allies.
Going to Aruba when the city is in the grips of a health catastrophe that also impacts business interests and the city’s finances, is par for the course for the mayor.
Covering up the trip as though it didn’t happen is also par for the course for this mayor.
Continue reading Disregarding the governor and his duties
By JOSH RESNEK
Talk is swirling about that Governor Charlie Baker may not seek a third term and he is pondering handing the position to Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito, according to the Boston Herald political columnist Joe Battenfield.
Polito has been one of the highest-profile, hardest working Lt. Governors in modern history.
Many had been expecting that Baker won’t go for a third term and that he would support a Polito bid for governor.
Battenfeld’s Monday opinion piece emphasized that and noted as well that Baker has not raised much money for his political account, raising only $885 last month.
He also noted that Polito has more than $2 million in her campaign account.
Baker, for almost 7 years, has been the most popular governor serving in the United States.
Continue reading Boston Herald predicts Gov to hand office to Polito
The Baker-Polito Administration announced that nearly $49 million in grants to small businesses will be awarded through the COVID-19 Small Business Grant Program administered by the Massachusetts Growth Capital Corporation. In October, the $50.8 million grant program was announced as a key component of Partnerships for Recovery, the Administration’s comprehensive plan to get people back to work, support small businesses, foster innovation, revitalize downtowns, and ensure housing stability.
Of the businesses being notified of their successful applications, each meets the preferred criteria of being owned by women, minorities, veterans, individuals with disabilities, or that identify as LGBTQ. Additionally, every completed application received from a qualified minority-owned business that has not been able to receive prior aid from federal, state, or local programs established to support businesses during the pandemic will be receiving relief.
“Our administration is proud to announce almost $50 million in grants to support historically under-represented small business owners as they navigate the pandemic,” said Lt. Governor Karyn Polito. We thank Mass Growth Capital Corporation for their partnership to distribute these funds quickly, and look forward to continuing to work with business and community leaders to ensure a strong, equitable recovery from COVID-19.
Continue reading $49M grant program to bolster small businesses impacted by Covid-19By JOSH RESNEK
Saying you have to do what you have to do, the mayor spurned imposing new restrictions asked for by the governor which would likely have caused the casino to close down during the present surge.
At least that’s how the mayor put it for the Boston Herald, which highlighted in its Sunday edition the mayor’s refusal to impose further restrictions that might have caused the casino to close.
The mayor told the Herald he believed that the casino was not contributing to the spread of the virus.
“The mayor should be given some credit for keeping the casino open. Without it, without the income we get from it, the city will be in severe financial straits. It would be a catastrophe,” said Councilor Mike Marchese.
The mayor insisted the virus was being spread in Everett inside individual homes and apartments crowded with people and because of those coming in from the outside into those homes and apartments during the Thanksgiving Holiday.
Continue reading Mayor bucks Governor Baker, Encore open during rollback