Healey on climate, her budget and the future of Steward Health

Gov. Maura Healey is going to the Vatican.

Healey, along with Boston Mayor Michelle Wu, will attend next month's global conference with leaders from around the world on climate. Speaking on WBUR's Radio Boston, the governor said she wants to tell the world that she's trying to make Massachusetts an innovator in climate technology.

"When I talk about us being a global hub of climate technology and innovation, to lead us through and forward in this time, I'm talking about bringing to Massachusetts the very best powers that be across realms right here in our state," she said.

Healey noted that scientists and "those who are making significant investments" in climate technology will attend the conference, and she hopes to show them the "vision" for Massachusetts.

She pointed to her creation of a cabinet-level climate secretary position, stewardship of offshore wind creation in the state and how her administration recently secured more than $150 million from the Biden administration for the growth of the solar energy.

In a wide-ranging conversation, Healey also spoke about a recent series of college student protests against the war in Gaza that have sparked up on campuses in Massachusetts and across the country. In response to a question about the balance between protecting free speech rights and student safety, Healey said safety was important in her mind.

"You need to protect the safety and wellbeing of students. Unfortunately, we've seen a rise in antisemitism, a rise in Islamophobia, a rise in anti-Muslim, anti-Arab sentiment," she said. "I think for me, it's really important that we stay focused on combating hate, combating racism."

She also said that people "have the right to express their views and protest within the bounds of the law, of course."

Healey also responded comments made by Transportation Secretary Monica Tibbits-Nutt earlier this month. Tibbits-Nutt had floated the idea of creating tolls near the borders to Massachusetts. Healey had said in an earlier statement to WBUR that she did not support creating tolls, but faced questions about the Tibbits-Nutt's comments about her statements becoming policy.

"The beauty of a microphone in all of these different places, especially when it's being recorded: Once I say it, it's there," Tibbits-Nutt said at a talk in Cambridge. "I will 100% use that as a weapon, because once I say it, it is now a policy."

In response, Healey said she had spoken to Tibbits-Nutt about the remarks and called it a "poor choice of words" and that the pair have "moved on."

"What is important for folks to know is, at the end of the day as governor for better or worse, I'm going to make the policy in consultation with my team and make the recommendations," said Healey.

Meanwhile, the state Legislature is in the midst of discussion over a supplemental budget that would direct more funding to the state emergency family shelter system. When asked about when shelter system would run out of money, the governor demurred, saying "we've identified sources that we can use to cover things."

Late last week, a Healey administration official said the system could run out of funding in less than two weeks.