People, Power, and Politics

Last Wednesday’s Town Council Meeting included the swearing in of four new police officers, from front to back,: Kevin Quinn, Michael LaCure, Christopher Gulla, and Marciano Silva, being introduced by Chief Lynch. Later they were sworn in by Town Clerk Nancy Danello and “pinned” by family members. (screen shot from FranklinTV)

TOWN OF FRANKLIN

Mon. Mar. 20

School Comm. ESP/LPN agenda

3:30pm

School Comm. Space Needs & Facilities agenda

5:00pm

Tues. Mar. 21

COA Meeting (POSTPONED ONE WEEK)

10:00am

COA Meeting (POSTPONED ONE WEEK)

10:00am

School Committee agenda

7:00pm

Weds. Mar 22

Open Space and Recreation Plan Meeting

6:00pm to 7:00pm

Economic Development Subcommittee Meeting

6:00pm

Conservation Commission Meeting

7:00pm

ZBA Meeting

7:30pm

STATE HOUSE AND BEYOND

As spring arrives on Monday, there's a feeling that something's got to give soon on Beacon Hill. The session began in early January with proclamations about readiness to address persistent and serious problems but since then the focus has centered on process. The first two-plus months of all-Democrat rule have been marked by heightened attention on the state's housing affordability and cost of living problems, the return of heavy traffic on the state's roads, and the realization that MBTA service appears to be worsening. There's growing frustration, if not on Beacon Hill then certainly off of it, that affordability and transit woes are reaching a breaking point. If the feeling is shared among elected officials, they have had a funny way of showing it. Healey's promised housing secretariat remains a work in progress, the MBTA continues to operate under mostly the same people who ran it when Charlie Baker was governor, and tax relief and other affordability and competitiveness proposals remain pending, but without a sense of urgency to act. On topic after topic, the next moves are up to the House, which has spent the early weeks of the session just getting itself organized.

The House and Senate have each passed a version of Gov. Healey's fiscal year 2023 supplemental budget and bonding bill, which addresses some of the "immediate needs" the governor identified, but the House has not yet taken the procedural steps necessary to move the divergent House and Senate bills into a conference committee that could produce a compromise version. If branch leaders are trying to informally work out a bill without a conference committee, they haven't said so. The week-plus wait to start formal negotiations comes after the House waited a month to take "the supp" up in the first place. And now, before the House and Senate could finish their work on Healey's first supp, she's filed another. The $734 million spending plan that the governor filed Friday adds another item to the Legislature's to-do list and becomes the third spending plan in motion on Beacon Hill. Speaker Ron Mariano's office on Friday bookmarked a "potential" full formal session for 11 a.m. Thursday, without offering any further details. The Senate has only informal sessions planned for next week.

Gov. Healey put forward her own proposal for tax reform and relief more than two weeks ago, but so far the only action on it has been to refer it to the Joint Committee on Revenue. No hearing has been scheduled and leaders in the House -- where the tax bill must pass first if it is to become law -- have not demonstrated urgency around the topic. The House and Senate agreed last summer to an ill-fated package meant to "represent the Legislature's commitment to delivering immediate financial relief directly to residents," but House Speaker Ronald Mariano has been far cooler to the idea this session. He said last month that "the situation has changed" since he agreed to the tax relief plan meant to address the impact of inflation on household budgets, but has also pointed to higher inflation rates this year as a reason for being non-committal about relief this session. Mariano last month mentioned having "some hearings" on tax relief, but none have been scheduled to coincide with the ongoing budget hearings. A more concrete sense of the House's attitude towards relief might come in mid-April, when the House Ways and Means Committee releases its rewrite of Healey's $55.5 billion fiscal year 2024 state budget. The governor's spending plan was built on the assumption that her tax package would advance in tandem, but the House might have other ideas.

Two and a half months into the session, there has also not been real movement on the legislation that Mariano said "would probably be" the first matter tackled by the House, a sweeping long-term care reform bill that was left unfinished last session. Rep. Tom Stanley's bill (H 648) was sent to the Joint Committee on Elder Affairs a month ago, but no hearing has been put on the calendar. The Legislature is going to get wrapped up in budget season soon, potentially pulling time and attention away from other issues. The House generally releases its budget plan in mid-April and spends two or three days debating it in the back half of the month.

And despite signs that the situation at the MBTA is not improving, the ongoing failures of the transit system have not attracted much attention from legislative leaders, at least not publicly. "While this is certainly not an issue that the Legislature can tackle alone, it's the responsibility of all public officials in Massachusetts to help the challenges facing the MBTA," Mariano, who represents a district served by the T's Red Line and commuter rail, said in his January start-of-session speech. But there has not been so much as a peep out of Mariano or Senate President Karen Spilka about the fact that the MBTA is still without a stable general manager, that the T oversight panel is still made up mostly of Baker administration appointees, or that Healey failed to live up to her inauguration speech promise to appoint a safety chief at the T by March 6.

Based solely on the number of bills it has passed and put on the governor's desk (one, a sick leave bank bill signed by Gov. Healey on Feb. 16), the Legislature is off to its slowest start to a new session in at least two decades. By St. Patrick's Day in the first year of a new two-year session, the Legislature and governor have in previous years teamed up to make between three laws (2013) and as many as 10 (2005). It's not a perfect measure of productivity, but it's not far-fetched to have thought that Healey might have had her first big bill-signing by now.

Sunday, March 19, 2023

SOUTHIE ST. PATRICK'S DAY BREAKFAST: Gov. Healey, AG Campbell, and U.S. Sens. Warren and Markey are among the headliners at the annual South Boston St. Patrick's Day Breakfast hosted by Sen. Collins. The event features elected officials ribbing and roasting each other along with Celtic music performed by Curragh's Fancy. Other confirmed participants include Senate President Spilka, Lt. Gov. Driscoll, Congresswoman Pressley, and Congressman Lynch. Maureen Dahill, founder and editor of local media site Caught In Southie, provides color commentary with live behind-the-scenes coverage and interviews on Caught In Southie's Instagram. Breakfast is broadcast live on Boston Neighborhood Network TV and on WROL-AM 950 Irish Radio. (Sunday, 9 a.m., Ironworkers Local 7, 195 Old Colony Ave., South Boston)

Monday, March 20, 2023

BOSTON HOUSING FUNDING: Boston Mayor Wu joins U.S. Sen. Markey, U.S. Rep. Lynch and the Boston Housing Authority to announce new federal funding for Ausonia Homes. The Boston congressional delegation secured $1.75 million to modernize heating systems, improve air quality and insulation, and renovate apartments. (Monday, 10:30 a.m., Ausonia Homes, 185 Fulton St., Community Room, North End)

NORTHEAST MASS. CULTURAL GRANTS: Mass Cultural Council announces more than $6.6 million in Cultural Sector Recovery grants to "cultural organizations, artists, creatives, culture bearers, and gig workers" in the northeast part of the state. Council executive director Michael Bobbitt is joined by Sen. Lovely, Reps. Parisella and Kassner, Mass Humanities Executive Director Brian Boyles, MASSCreative Executive Director Emily Ruddock, and North Shore Music Theatre General Manager Karen Nascembeni. (Monday, 11 a.m., North Shore Music Theatre, 54 Dunham Rd., Beverly)

HOUSE AND SENATE: House and Senate start the week with informal sessions. It's been more than a week since both branches passed a version of Gov. Healey's fiscal year 2023 supplemental budget and bonding bill, but the branches have not reached an informal accord and the House has not yet taken the steps necessary to form a conference committee to hash out a final version. (Monday, 11 a.m., House and Senate chambers | House Livestream | Senate Livestream)

WORCESTER COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTER: Kennedy Community Health CEO Stephen Kerrigan is joined by Congressman McGovern, Rep. Keefe, and Sens. Moore and R. Kennedy for a ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate a new health care facility in Worcester. "The new medical facility will nearly double Kennedy Community Health's footprint in the city and expand access to optometry, behavioral health, dental and urgent care," according to the health center. (Monday, 1 p.m., 605 Lincoln St., Worcester)

SPILKA IN HOLLISTON: Senate President Spilka gives a legislative update in Holliston and talks about local priorities with Holliston Select Board members. (Monday, 6 p.m., 703 Washington St., Holliston)

FEBRUARY HOUSING DATA: Massachusetts Association of Realtors is expected to release housing market statistics from the month of February. Though sales were down in January, MAR said last month that pending sales increased nationally and locally, "indicating a potential uptick in market activity is on the horizon." (Monday)

Tuesday, March 21, 2023

METCO ADVOCACY DAY: Metropolitan Council for Educational Opportunity, Inc. advocates for a $2.8 million increase in budget appropriations. METCO, a school desegregation program, is asking legislators to fund the program at $32.2 million in the fiscal 2024 budget, which they say will allow it to "keep up with a 4.5 percent increase in inflationary costs as its role at the forefront of national efforts to address racial equity in education." Currently, 3,103 Boston students and 136,434 suburban students participate in the program. Gov. Healey recommended a $500,000 cut to the program in her budget, from $29.4 million last year down to $28.9 million in fiscal 2024. "The $32.2 million budget will provide more in-depth anti-racism interventions including restorative justice training, equity audits, and professional development," METCO says. "It will support students experiencing post-COVID learning gaps with enhanced academic interventions. It will provide much-needed social emotional support and expand enrollment as six partner schools seek to add 119 METCO seats." Rep. Linsky, Sen. Miranda and Melrose Mayor Paul Brodeur are scheduled to address attendees. (Tuesday, 9 a.m., Great Hall of Flags)

SOCIAL WORK LOBBY DAY: Rep. Fluker Oakley gives keynote remarks at the National Association of Social Work's Massachusetts Chapter legislative advocacy day, which is held virtually. Event will "highlight the urgent need for passage of legislation that will strengthen and support social work students and workers and increase access to mental and behavioral health services." Dana-Farber Cancer Institute government affairs director Kathryn Audette leads a workshop on how to lobby lawmakers. Four priority bills are on the state chapter's radar this year: bills dealing with licensure and training (S 160 / H 1253), sex education (S 268 / H 544), pretrial release or probation to receive substance use treatment (S 982 / H 1391), and school meals (S 261 / H 603). (Tuesday, 9 a.m., Registration)

LIGHT OF DAWNN AWARDS: Community organizations and nonprofits hold the 2023 Light of Dawnn Awards, honoring direct-service nonprofit professionals and high school seniors who show a commitment to community service. The awards are given in memory of Dawnn Jaffier, who was shot and killed at a parade in 2014. Participants include Highland Street Foundation Executive Director Blake Jordan, West End House Boys and Girls Club CEO Andrea Howard, John Hancock Director of Community Investment Annie Duong-Turner, Foundation To Be Named Later CEO Allyce Najimy, and Massachusetts Nonprofit Network CEO Jim Klocke. Event was originally planned for February but was postponed. (Tuesday, 10 a.m., West End Boys and Girls Club, 105 Allston St., Allston | Register)

ORTEGA COLLEGE VISITS: Higher Education Commissioner Noe Ortega makes the first of three visits this week to visit public colleges and universities. Ortega will tour Bridgewater State University, meet with faculty and staff, and talk with students about their experiences at the college. If the Legislature agrees with key points in Gov. Healey's fiscal 2024 budget, public higher ed institutions could be getting a big check. Gov. Healey's budget includes a 23 percent increase in investment in the state's colleges and universities. This includes $140 million in capital funding to improve campuses, $20 million toward a last-dollar community college affordability program, $93 million to expand state scholarships, and a $59 million effort to stabilize tuition and fees at UMass and other public higher ed schools. (Tuesday, 10 a.m., Bridgewater State University)

NEW AMERICANS ACT PRESSER: U.S. Sen. Ed Markey joins U.S. Rep. Grace Meng of New York, National Partnership for New Americans Executive Director Nicole Melaku and Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition Executive Director Liz Sweet for a virtual press conference to reintroduce the New Deal for New Americans Act, which Markey's office said would "remove challenges to naturalization and support the social, economic, and civic integration of immigrants and refugees." (Tuesday, 10:40 a.m., Register)

WAYS AND MEANS - THIRD BUDGET HEARING: The state's embattled soldiers' home system, issues affecting the large numbers of refugees and migrants seeking shelter here, and services for the disability community will all play into the Joint Ways and Means Committee's third hearing on the fiscal 2024 budget, which will be held on the road in Fitchburg. The Health Policy Commission is also due to weigh in on the budget less than a week after the HPC's executive director addressed a separate committee about ongoing requests from the watchdog agency, like giving health care cost regulators more leeway and sharper enforcement mechanisms. Testimony is expected from several offices organized under the health and human services secretariat, in addition to the recently-elevated Executive Office of Veterans' Services, which will give Veterans' Services Secretary Jon Santiago, who resigned from the House last month, his first formal opportunity to address his former colleagues. The Legislature weighed in on the state-run veteran care facilities in 2022 with a sweeping reform package after devastating COVID-19 outbreaks killed dozens of veterans in the Holyoke and Chelsea homes. Controversy has continued to plague the Chelsea location into this year, with allegations of inhumane living conditions for residents and scrutiny of staff payroll records. With a supplemental spending bill still in legislative limbo that would buoy the state's emergency shelter system, the committee could also hear about migrants from south of the border or refugees from Ukraine when it receives testimony from the Office for Refugees and Immigrants. Also baked into that pending FY23 supplemental budget is a continuation of enhanced nutrition benefits for Bay Staters, and Department of Transitional Assistance leadership is scheduled to address the hearing as it looks ahead to FY 24. Three state agencies focused on the disability community -- the Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, Commission for the Blind, and Rehabilitation Commission -- are also due up at Tuesday's hearing, as is the Department of Youth Services. (Tuesday, 11 a.m., Fitchburg Legislative Building, 700 Main St., Fitchburg | Livestream)

ADDP BUDGET FORUM: Association of Developmental Disabilities Providers holds a virtual event to brief lawmakers and staffers on its legislative/budget priorities for the year and to present awards to Sen. Cyr and Rep. Garballey. Sen. R. Kennedy and Rep. Livingstone are also expected to make remarks. (Tuesday, 11 a.m., Zoom)

SEN. CHANDLER APPRECIATION: Massachusetts Court Appointed Special Advocates programs join to host a virtual legislative appreciation day to honor former Sen. Harriette Chandler, who retired at the end of last term after nearly three decades in the Legislature. (Tuesday, 11 a.m., Zoom)

TRIAL COURT WOMEN'S HISTORY: The Trial Court honors nine women as part of its third annual Women's History Month celebration. The theme is "Celebrating Women Who Tell Our Stories." The honorees include Gloria Steinem, writer, lecturer, political activist and feminist organizer; Boston 25 news reporter Crystal Haynes; District Court Chief Justice Stacey Fortes; Middlesex Superior Court Assistant Clerk Magistrate Amanda Rowan; founder and CEO of ROCA, Inc., Molly Baldwin; Lt. Gov. Driscoll, who will also accept an award on behalf of honoree Gov. Healey; Northeastern University professor of law Deborah Ramirez; and executive director of New Beginnings Re-entry Services Stacey Borden. Steinem and Haynes will have a virtual discussion, and the honorees will each deliver remarks. (Tuesday, 12:30 p.m., Chelsea High School, Saul Nechtem Gym, 299 Everett Ave., Chelsea | Livestream)

WESTERN MASS. RAIL COMMISSION: A special commission tasked with examining public entities that could construct, operate and maintain passenger rail service to western Massachusetts holds its third of six public meetings. Gov. Healey's fiscal 2024 budget bill proposes using $12.5 million in surtax revenue toward the long-sought East-West Rail project. (Tuesday, 1 p.m., Northampton Senior Center, 67 Conz St., Northampton | More Info and Livestream)

WESTERN MASS. RAIL COMMISSION: A special commission tasked with examining public entities that could construct, operate and maintain passenger rail service to western Massachusetts holds its third of six public meetings. Gov. Healey's fiscal 2024 budget bill proposes using $12.5 million in surtax revenue toward the long-sought East-West Rail project. (Tuesday, 1 p.m., Northampton Senior Center, 67 Conz St., Northampton | More Info and Livestream)

PUBLIC SERVICE COMMITTEE: Joint Committee on Public Service ends its acceptance of written testimony on three bills: directing the Boston Police Department to waive the maximum age for a specific police officer (H 2520), dealing with special police officers in Watertown (H 2622), and relative to the police chief in Leicester (H 2579). Testimony should be submitted via email to Fiona.BruceBaiden@mahouse.gov. (Tuesday, 5 p.m., More Info)

WESTERN MASS. RAIL COMMISSION: A special commission tasked with examining public entities that could construct, operate and maintain passenger rail service to western Massachusetts holds its fourth of six public meetings. Gov. Healey's fiscal 2024 budget bill proposes using $12.5 million in surtax revenue toward the long-sought East-West Rail project. (Tuesday, 6 p.m., Springfield Technical Community College, Top of Our City Conference Center, One Armory Square, Springfield | More Info and Livestream)

MBTA TITLE VI CHANGES MEETING: MBTA staff host a public meeting to solicit feedback on proposed changes to the T's "disparate impact and disproportionate burden policy" and "public engagement plan process." The policies relate to the agency's compliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Proposed updates include language describing the board approval process necessary for major service or fare changes, redefining "major service change" to account for network-wide effects, and information about accessible public meetings. (Tuesday, 6 p.m., State Transportation Building, 10 Park Plaza, Boston | More Info and Livestream)

WESTERN MASS. RAIL COMMISSION: A special commission tasked with examining public entities that could construct, operate and maintain passenger rail service to western Massachusetts holds its fourth of six public meetings. Gov. Healey's fiscal 2024 budget bill proposes using $12.5 million in surtax revenue toward the long-sought East-West Rail project. (Tuesday, 6 p.m., Springfield Technical Community College, Top of Our City Conference Center, One Armory Square, Springfield | More Info and Livestream)

USS CONSTITUTION EASTER EGG LOTTERY: Tuesday is the deadline to enter a lottery for a chance to participate in an Easter egg hunt aboard the USS Constitution, which will be held the morning of Saturday, April 8. Fifty winners and their immediate families will be picked to hunt for eggs across the decks of the nation's oldest commissioned warship in Charlestown. Children and their families will be able to collect a total of six eggs they can redeem for candy. Three "golden eggs" will also be hidden aboard Old Ironsides, and finding one of those will get the family onto an underway in October when the vessel tours Boston Harbor. Lottery winners to be notified on Wednesday. (Tuesday | Lottery Rules and Registration)

Wednesday, March 22, 2023

SPILKA AT FRAMINGHAM STATE: Senate President Spilka speaks about her priorities at Framingham State University's annual legislative breakfast. Closed to press. (Wednesday, 7:30 a.m., 100 State St., Framingham)

CONVENIENCE STORES & GAS STATIONS: New England Convenience Store and Energy Marketers Association holds its annual trade expo, featuring seminars on trends and exhibitors from across the industry. Scott Walters, vice president of the Rovertown convenience store mobile app, gives keynote lunchtime remarks on "increasing profits and foot traffic through e-commerce: an overview of apps, ordering, branding & loyalty." Panel discussions cover electric vehicle charging ("the reality of transitions"), worker recruiting and retention, mergers and acquisitions in the convenience store and energy areas, and the "exploding category" or food service strategies. (Wednesday, 8 a.m., DCU Center, 50 Foster St., Worcester | Registration)

FOOD PROCUREMENT: Metropolitan Area Planning Council, Health Care Without Harm and Massachusetts Farm to School hold a webinar to discuss values-based food procurement in municipal, school and health care settings, and to talk about ways to "jumpstart action" on the topic. (Wednesday, 9:30 a.m., Zoom)

YOUTH MENTORING DAY: Mass Mentoring Partnership's 17th Youth Mentoring Day at the State House explores growing "capacity for healthy mentoring relationships" while advocates push for a $300,000 boost to the Mentoring Matching Grants line item in the fiscal 2024 budget. Gov. Healey has proposed level-funding the budget item at $1.5 million, the same amount appropriated in fiscal 2023. "This year we are requesting an investment of $1,800,000 in the mentoring relationships young people need to strive and thrive," MMP wrote. The funds are awarded in collaboration with the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education through an RFP process, according to the partnership, and "funded programs are supported with training and capacity building, based on the latest research and effective practices." The partnership pointed to studies and data they say show that mentorship programs can help with economic mobility, mental health, and youth violence prevention. Registration starts at 9:30 a.m. (Wednesday, 10:30 a.m., Great Hall)

ORTEGA COLLEGE VISITS: Higher Education Commissioner Noe Ortega makes the first of three visits this week to visit public colleges and universities. Ortega will tour Holyoke Community College, meet with faculty and staff, and talk with students about their experiences at the college. If the Legislature agrees with key points in Gov. Healey's fiscal year 2024 budget, public higher ed institutions could be getting a big check. Gov. Healey's budget includes a 23 percent increase in investment in the state's colleges and universities. This includes $140 million in capital funding to improve campuses, $20 million toward a last-dollar community college affordability program, $93 million to expand state scholarships, and a $59 million effort to stabilize tuition and fees at UMass and other public higher ed schools. (Wednesday, 11 a.m., Holyoke Community College)

MGB AGAINST RACISM: Mass General Brigham joins Health Care Financing Committee Co-chairs Rep. Lawn and Sen. Friedman for a presentation about the health provider's "United Against Racism" initiative. The program aims to address barriers creating racial inequity in clinical health care and underlying factors that lead to disproportionate health outcomes across different demographic groups. (Wednesday, 11 a.m., Room 428)

BIOMARKER TESTING BRIEFING: Medical professionals and lawmakers host a legislative briefing to discuss the role that biomarker testing, which identifies signs of cell mutations, can play in fighting cancer and other diseases. Attendees will also discuss legislation from Rep. Kilcoyne and Sen. Moran (H 1074 / S 689) aimed at boosting patient access to biomarker testing. Organizers include American Cancer Society Action Network, Dana Farber Cancer Institute, American Lung Association and Lupus and Allied Diseases Association. (Wednesday, 1:30 p.m., Room 428)

GUV AND GOLDBERG: Gov. Healey meets with Treasurer Goldberg for a semi-regular catch-up. (Wednesday, 2 p.m., Treasurer's Office, Room 227, State House)

CIVIL LEGAL AID BRIEFING: Sens. Creem and Eldridge host a virtual budget briefing for Senate members to hear from civil legal aid attorneys regarding legal issues faced by low-income residents, and "the need for additional funding in FY24 to support this essential work." Panelists include Mass Legal Assistance Corporation Executive Director Lynne Parker, Equal Justice Coalition Chair Louis Tompros, and staff attorneys specializing in housing, employment/unemployment insurance, medical-legal issues and family law. The Massachusetts Legal Assistance Corporation is requesting an $8 million increase from last year's budget to fund civil legal aid for people with low incomes. Gov. Healey's budget includes this $8 million increase. (Wednesday, 2 p.m. | Zoom)

PRESIDENTIAL PRESS FORUM: White House press discuss key issues with covering the presidency. Ellen Fitzpatrick, presidential chair and professor of history at the University of New Hampshire; Doug Mills, White House photographer for The New York Times; Darlene Superville, White House correspondent for the Associated Press; and Tamara Keith, NPR White House correspondent and president of the White House Correspondents' Association will participate in the discussion. (Wednesday, 6 p.m. JFK Library and Online | Register)

CAPE BRIDGES PUBLIC MEETING: MassDOT staff host a virtual public meeting to discuss the Cape Cod bridges program to replace the aging Bourne and Sagamore bridges and improve roadway connections near the spans. Massachusetts officials have struggled to secure federal funding for the project, whose price tag could swell to nearly $4 billion, and President Biden sought a $600 million commitment to the effort in his federal budget proposal. (Wednesday, 6 p.m., Access Info)

MBTA TITLE VI CHANGES MEETING: MBTA staff host a public meeting to solicit feedback on proposed changes to the T's "disparate impact and disproportionate burden policy" and "public engagement plan process." The policies relate to the agency's compliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Proposed updates include language describing the board approval process necessary for major service or fare changes, redefining "major service change" to account for network-wide effects, and information about accessible public meetings. (Wednesday, 6 p.m., QARI, Suite 202, 275 Hancock St., Quincy | More Info and Livestream)

Thursday, March 23, 2023

SENATE INFORMAL: The Senate plans to meet in an informal session, according to Senate President Spilka's office. (Thursday, 11 a.m., Senate Chamber)

POTENTIAL HOUSE FORMAL: Speaker Mariano's office bookmarked a "potential" full formal session for 11 a.m. Thursday, without offering any further details. (Thursday, 11 a.m., House Chamber)

MBTA BOARD MEETS: MBTA Board of Directors meets, where members are likely to discuss ongoing service disruptions in the wake of the T's inability to verify previous inspections and repairs. (Thursday, 10 a.m., Agenda and Livestream)

ORTEGA COLLEGE VISITS: Higher Education Commissioner Noe Ortega makes the first of three visits this week to visit public colleges and universities. Ortega will tour Framingham State University, meet with faculty and staff, and talk with students about their experiences at the college. If the Legislature agrees with key points in Gov. Healey's fiscal year 2024 budget, public higher ed institutions could be getting a big check. Gov. Healey's budget includes a 23 percent increase in investment in the state's colleges and universities. This includes $140 million in capital funding to improve campuses, $20 million toward a last-dollar community college affordability program, $93 million to expand state scholarships, and a $59 million effort to stabilize tuition and fees at UMass and other public higher ed schools. (Thursday, 10 a.m., Framingham State University)

LENDING, APPRAISAL DISCRIMINATION: Boston City Council's Civil Rights and Immigrant Advancement Committee holds hearing on "discrimination in lending and appraisals" (Docket 164). (Thursday, 10 a.m., Iannella Council Chamber, City Hall - 5th floor, Boston)

ISLANDS HOUSING RALLY: Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket residents, business owners, teachers, nurses and public safety workers rally at the State House to voice support for a transfer fee on "high-end real estate transactions" that could spin off revenue for affordable housing, homeownership aid and senior relief. Organizers with the Coalition to Create the MV Housing Bank say they will protest "unaffordable housing on the islands that is forcing them from their homes, threatening public safety, healthcare, commerce and the islands' sense of community." Rep. Fernandes and Sen. Cyr plan to attend. The islands are among a host of Massachusetts communities that have long appealed to Beacon Hill for legal permission to let them try innovative methods to tackle worsening housing affordability conditions. (Thursday, 10 a.m., State House)

GAMING COMMISSION: Mass. Gaming Commission meets. Officials expect to get an update on casino operations including the number of table games, could consider a request from sports betting operators for clarity on how the commission's ban on Russian and Belarusian events applies to mixed martial arts fighters, and will likely review a host of sports betting regulations for potential finalization. (Thursday, 10 a.m., More Info TBA)

MASS. FREIGHT PLAN: MassDOT's Freight Advisory Committee, which is overseeing analysis of next steps for rail, air, truck, maritime and freight transportation, convenes its third meeting to present a draft 2023 freight plan. (Thursday, 11 a.m., More Info)

BOSTON BASKETBALL HOOPS: Boston City Council's Committee on Environmental Justice, Resiliency and Parks convenes to talk about installing adjustable-height basketball hoops in city parks. (Thursday, 2 p.m., Iannella Council Chamber, City Hall - 5th floor, Boston)

BUCKLAND NORTH STREET MEETING: MassDOT hosts a public hearing to present the design for the proposed reconstruction of Upper North Street in Buckland. (Thursday, 6 p.m., Buckland Town Hall, 17 State St., Buckland | More Info)

NEEDHAM-NEWTON CORRIDOR MEETING: MassDOT hosts a virtual public meeting to discuss completed construction and future plans for the Needham-Newton Corridor Project. (Thursday, 6 p.m., More Info)

ROUTE 114 CORRIDOR MEETING: MassDOT hosts an "open-house style community meeting" about the proposed improvement of Route 114 between Waverly Road and Willow Street/Mill Road in North Andover and Andover. (Thursday, 6 p.m., More Info)

Friday, March 24, 2023

COD RESEARCH INPUT: NOAA's Atlantic Cod Working Group holds an engagement meeting to provide an update on the Atlantic cod research track assessment and to get input on changes in patterns of commercial and recreational landings and discards over time, targeting and avoidance of cod in the fishery over time, changes in the distribution of fish and availability of fish to the fishery over time, and changes in selectivity of the fishery over time. (Friday, 9 a.m., Register)

HEALEY, GOLDBERG ON INVESTOR CALL: Gov. Healey and Treasurer Goldberg will be among the state officials on an investor conference call hosted by the state Treasury. Officials will "discuss a number of relevant topics including state revenue collections, fiscal and budget updates and the upcoming [general obligation] bond financing," and the treasurer's office will give a review of state capital financing activities and "information on upcoming plans." During the call, which is via telephone, listeners can follow along with a slideshow online. Call wraps up with a question-answer period. (Friday, 11 a.m., Dial (800) 225-9448, passcode CREDIT)

SPILKA ON THE ROAD IN WESTERN MASS.: Senate President Spilka joins Sen. Mark for a visit to North Adams and the surrounding area to talk about regional needs and priorities in Western Massachusetts. (Friday)