Common Wealth: Who’s Hot and Who’s Not in Mass Politics?

Friday, December 07, 2012

Adam Joseph Drici, GoLocalWorcester Contributor

Every Friday, GoLocalWorcester takes a look at who's rising and falling in the Massachusetts political world.

Hot

Worcester City Council: The Council passed on a resolution that would have kept medical marijuana dispensaries out of the City. City Councilor Konnie Lukes introduced the measure, but when the Council moved to file the resolution only she and City Councilor Kate Toomey dissented. With more than 60 percent of Worcester voters coming out in favor of medical marijuana in the ballot box last month, it was the right call. If and when a dispensary arrives in the City this column may have to change to "Who's High and Who's Not," but we'll cross that bridge when we get to it.

Kirsten Hughes: The Quincy City Councilor and former Scott Brown campaign deputy finance director threw in her lot for a shot at chairing the Massachusetts Republican Party on Thursday. With her close ties to the Bay State's outgoing Republican Senator, Hughes' candidacy says as much about her own political aspirations as it does about Brown's future. It may be wise to hang onto those lawn signs, Brown supporters.

Barack Obama: The President's reelection has put him in a position where he can take a harder line on the fiscal cliff talks with Republicans. Democrats have the upper hand here: taxes will increase for the top 2 percent of earners whether or not the GOP is willing to strike a deal. The only outstanding questions are how many other people will be affected by the increases and for how long?

Jim Polito: The conservative radio host's last show on WTAG is this morning, before he heads off to FOX25 in Boston where he may have an opportunity to push the Commonwealth's second city's concerns to the forefront. Perhaps more importantly, Polito's departure means a big opening for a new voice on the Worcester airwaves. Who will step up to fill his shoes will be something to watch for in the coming weeks.

Worcester Tax Rates: In one of the least contentious tax classification hearings in recent memory, Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce President Dick Kennedy and Shrewsbury Street Neighborhood Association Presidnet Gary Vecchio stood side by side and urged the City Council to adopt a tax package that would see both residential and commercial rates rise by 4 percent. The compromise rates, approved 9-2, were the right choice for the City and will hopefully lead to more equitable taxation in the future.

Not

Elizabeth Warren: Apparently, more than $42 million was still not enough for the Warren campaign this year. The Senator-elect revealed that her campaign ran into debt during the home stretch in an email to supporters this week. While not an uncommon occurrence, the fact that Warren outspent every other Congressional candidate this election cycle and still managed to overspend is kind of wild.

Deval Patrick: The Governor is fending off disasters left and right. Even if his budget cuts and revenue estimate revisions are enough to close the $540 million state budget shortfall, he still has a crime lab scandal and a compounding pharmacy nightmare to deal with, not to mention the impending headaches that come with the New Year, namely the fiscal cliff and medical marijuana.

Young Adult Unemployment: A new report from the Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center found that 13.8 percent, or 1 in 7, young adults in the Commonwealth are unemployed, more than double the rate recorded in 2000. It's also more than double the state unemployment rate of 6.6 percent.