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Boston's Morning Newsletter
Why the Healey administration says Biden's move on Venezuelan migrants isn't enough
Editor's Note: This is an excerpt from WBUR's daily morning newsletter, WBUR Today. If you like what you read and want it in your inbox, sign up here.
At last, we have a deal — but no details — on tax relief. After months of negotiations, Massachusetts’ top legislative leaders announced last night that they have reached an agreement on a long-awaited tax package. The bill should look something like this, but we won’t know for sure what’s included until it’s filed next week.
We’ll have much more to come on the tax package when there’s more to report. So for now, let’s focus on what we do have details on:
Not enough: That’s the response from Gov. Maura Healey’s office to President Joe Biden’s administration decision to grant temporary legal status to nearly half a million Venezuelan immigrants across the country. The Healey administration says they’re “grateful” for the move. However, new arrivals from Venezuela make up just a small percentage of the families in emergency shelters here. Officials say most have come from Haiti, but are unable to work due to a backlogged permitting process. “More needs to be done,” Healey spokesperson Karissa Hand said in a statement.
- What exactly does Healey’s office want? Hand named three specific items: “additional federal funding [to reimburse the state for the costs of providing shelter], expedited work permits, and extended Temporary Protected Status for Haitian families.”
- Meanwhile, the feds are also hearing it from state lawmakers. More than 60 members of the Legislature sent a letter to Biden and leaders in Congress this week urging them to act on immigration reform. In addition to easing the burden on the state’s overflowing family shelters, the group argues reform would also help address the local impacts of national workforce shortages. Officials estimate that Massachusetts has 98,000 unemployed workers to fill 242,000 open jobs. (Congress, however, has been focusing on other things this week.)
Your daily diversion update: Shuttle buses are replacing all service on the T’s Fairmount commuter rail line today through Monday so crews can finish up work replacing two very old bridges in Dorchester. T officials say this is the final Fairmount line diversion planned as part of the bridge project, but it’s possible the rain this weekend could delay work and make an additional diversion necessary.
- Red Line riders are probably used to this routine by now, but the Braintree branch is also shutting down for track work this weekend. Beginning tonight at 8:45 p.m. through Sunday, shuttle buses will replace all Braintree trains south of JFK/UMass.
The maternity ward at Leominster Hospital is slated to officially and permanently close tomorrow, despite protests from nurses, local lawmakers and the flood-ravaged city’s mayor. Healey’s office told the Worcester Telegram they’re aware of the concerns, but so far the governor has declined to use executive action to keep the birthing center open — or, at least delay its closure.
- So, what now? Local residents will need to travel to Gardner, Worcester or Concord for labor and delivery services. UMass Memorial Health, which runs the Leominster Hospital, says they will partner with the local transit authority to offer “curb-to-curb” transportation to those hospitals for certain patients who would otherwise have difficulty getting there. Leominster will keep offering prenatal and postpartum care.
Heads up: You’ll soon be able to order free COVID tests through the mail again. Starting Monday, the Biden administration is relaunching COVIDtests.gov, allowing households to order up to four free COVID rapid tests each. It’s an easy way to prep for the fall virus season.
P.S.— Ten high schools in Boston are offering a new AP course this fall. Do you know its subject? Take our Boston News Quiz and see how well you know the stories we covered this week.
