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Healey backs Frank's Democratic warning

The governor aligns with his push for pragmatic politics over progressive litmus tests.

Politics

Gov. Maura Healey is backing Barney Frank&#x27;s dying message to the Democratic Party to focus primarily on the economy over social issues.Why it matters: Frank, now in hospice care in Ogunquit, Maine, is using his final days to push a blunt argument: Democrats are losing voters because the party&#x27;s left flank imposes &quot;litmus tests&quot; on issues most Americans don&#x27;t support.

First look: Novo Marketplace, opens in Allston

The food hall opens May 1 with cuisine ranging from Indian to Korean to Indonesian.

Business

<a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Novo Marketplace" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/boston/2026/03/24/allston-food-hall-vendors-seek-alcohol-licenses" data-vars-content-id="d877f31e-9a20-492f-993b-145f5c37e432" data-vars-headline="First look: Novo Marketplace, opens in Allston" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/boston/2026/03/24/allston-food-hall-vendors-seek-alcohol-licenses" target="_self">Novo Marketplace</a> opens Friday, bringing a gathering space with a dozen Asian food vendors to Allston. Why it matters: Some U.S. food halls are struggling to turn a profit — the latest example being <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Time Out Market" data-vars-click-url="https://www.cbsnews.com/boston/news/time-out-market-food-hall-boston-not-closing/" data-vars-content-id="d877f31e-9a20-492f-993b-145f5c37e432" data-vars-headline="First look: Novo Marketplace, opens in Allston" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.cbsnews.com/boston/news/time-out-market-food-hall-boston-not-closing/" target="_blank">Time Out Market</a>— but owner Winson Chen is betting on the demand for gathering spaces and Asian cuisine in the Allston-Brighton area.

Mass. income tax cut ballot question faces legal threat

The SJC could pull the question from the November ballot entirely.

News

Massachusetts voters may be asked this November to decide whether to cut the state <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="income tax" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/boston/2025/03/28/state-tax-rates-massachusetts" data-vars-content-id="0501ee62-92f0-42a7-bf1a-a72617c4a0d4" data-vars-headline="Mass. income tax cut ballot question faces legal threat" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/boston/2025/03/28/state-tax-rates-massachusetts" target="_self">income tax</a> rate from 5% to 4%, a move that would have huge consequences for state spending.<ul><li>But a legal challenge heard Monday could pull the question from the ballot entirely.</li></ul>

The MAGA millionaire looking to turn deep blue Massachusetts

Mike Minogue's landslide win sets up a high-stakes 2026 race, testing if a MAGA-aligned Republican can win in Massachusetts.

Deehan here with Spill of the Hill, my column unraveling Massachusetts politics.Biotech multimillionaire <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Mike Minogue" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/boston/2026/04/28/minogue-governor-campaign-ad-massachusetts-gop-momentum" data-vars-content-id="3bfc90ff-6837-4f63-8e6a-be484fc15648" data-vars-headline="The MAGA millionaire looking to turn deep blue Massachusetts" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/boston/2026/04/28/minogue-governor-campaign-ad-massachusetts-gop-momentum" target="_self">Mike Minogue</a>&#x27;s landslide victory at the Mass. Republican Convention last month set up what promises to be a costly and very unlikely run to unseat Gov. Maura Healey in November.The big picture: Minogue&#x27;s win goes a long way to settle the GOP field and lays bare one of the central questions of the 2026 cycle: Can a Trump-aligned Republican come anywhere close to winning in Massachusetts?

Mass. Senate race tightens as Moulton polls 5 points behind Markey

New Emerson polling shows the Democratic primary gap has closed to 5 percentage points as 29% of voters remain undecided.

Sen. Ed Markey could be watching his primary lead <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="against Rep. Seth Moulton" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/boston/2025/10/15/seth-moulton-senate-campaign" data-vars-content-id="fd2a4c52-5ecf-4e30-833f-2dca3b4ed585" data-vars-headline="Mass. Senate race tightens as Moulton polls 5 points behind Markey" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/boston/2025/10/15/seth-moulton-senate-campaign" target="_self">against Rep. Seth Moulton</a> evaporate as his younger challenger gains significant ground in the race&#x27;s latest poll.Why it matters: There&#x27;s a 5-percentage point gap between Markey&#x27;s 37% support and Moulton&#x27;s 32% among likely Democratic primary voters, according to the latest Emerson College Polling survey.

Senate budget boosts local aid $53M

Mass. Senate budget offers cities and towns a $53M lifeline — far above the House proposal.

Massachusetts Senate wants a significant boost in direct aid to cities and towns this year amid mounting municipal fiscal pressure.Why it matters: Fifteen cities and towns have held <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Proposition 2½" data-vars-click-url="https://www.mass.gov/info-details/proposition-2-12-and-tax-rate-process" data-vars-content-id="7c1ec9d7-5731-45eb-8766-877b2b45f1e1" data-vars-headline="Senate budget boosts local aid $53M" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.mass.gov/info-details/proposition-2-12-and-tax-rate-process" target="_blank">Proposition 2½</a> override votes to boost their bottom lines since December, a sign of how stretched municipal budgets have become.

Healey wants Mass. to enact first-in-the-nation rules for e-bikes and scooters

Complaints are piling up against e-bikes, scooters and mopeds, and one scooter rider died.

Transit

Gov. Maura Healey filed legislation Monday that, if approved, would make Massachusetts the first state to regulate <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="e-bikes, scooters and mopeds" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/boston/2026/04/13/massachusetts-micromobility-ebike-laws-regulations" data-vars-content-id="d0412109-982f-41df-bbec-a972c0fa09c8" data-vars-headline="Healey wants Mass. to enact first-in-the-nation rules for e-bikes and scooters" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/boston/2026/04/13/massachusetts-micromobility-ebike-laws-regulations" target="_self">e-bikes, scooters and mopeds</a>.Why it matters: Healey&#x27;s bill is a response to an uptick in complaints about the electric vehicles — including a <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="deadly scooter and car crash" data-vars-click-url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tsa8Iat_0Wc" data-vars-content-id="d0412109-982f-41df-bbec-a972c0fa09c8" data-vars-headline="Healey wants Mass. to enact first-in-the-nation rules for e-bikes and scooters" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tsa8Iat_0Wc" target="_blank">deadly scooter and car crash</a> in February — as they&#x27;re not beholden to local or state regulations like cars.

Jaylen Brown's nonprofit could land $700K in Mass. budget

Brown has become a prominent social justice advocate in Boston.

Celtics star <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Jaylen Brown" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/boston/2026/04/16/what-to-know-about-the-celtics-playoff-series-against-the-76ers" data-vars-content-id="1722c684-8e04-4c44-96ff-bb7712a1da7f" data-vars-headline="Jaylen Brown&#x27;s nonprofit could land $700K in Mass. budget" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/boston/2026/04/16/what-to-know-about-the-celtics-playoff-series-against-the-76ers" target="_self">Jaylen Brown</a>&#x27;s nonprofit could score $700,000 in taxpayer funds under earmark spending approved by the House.Why it matters: The budget allocation shows a significant appetite in the Legislature to dedicate public tax dollars to athlete-led charity work.

Exclusive: Minogue's Trump-less, Healey-free intro ad

The former Abiomed CEO is spending mid-six figures to introduce himself to voters.

Fresh off a <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="landslide win" data-vars-click-url="https://www.wbur.org/news/2026/04/25/minogue-gop-endorsement-massachusetts-governor" data-vars-content-id="145fd834-b882-40b4-9be5-5f0e56ce56bc" data-vars-headline="Exclusive: Minogue&#x27;s Trump-less, Healey-free intro ad" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.wbur.org/news/2026/04/25/minogue-gop-endorsement-massachusetts-governor" target="_blank">landslide win</a> at the Mass. Republican Convention, candidate for governor <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Mike Minogue" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/boston/2026/02/02/massachusetts-political-debate-dodges-2026" data-vars-content-id="145fd834-b882-40b4-9be5-5f0e56ce56bc" data-vars-headline="Exclusive: Minogue&#x27;s Trump-less, Healey-free intro ad" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/boston/2026/02/02/massachusetts-political-debate-dodges-2026" target="_self">Mike Minogue</a> hits the airwaves this week.Why it matters: It&#x27;s the former biotech CEO&#x27;s first big chance to <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="introduce himself" data-vars-click-url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o1FRo7plC6A" data-vars-content-id="145fd834-b882-40b4-9be5-5f0e56ce56bc" data-vars-headline="Exclusive: Minogue&#x27;s Trump-less, Healey-free intro ad" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o1FRo7plC6A" target="_blank">introduce himself</a> to general election voters.

What we know (and don't) about Boston's World Cup fan festivities

Organizers are planning a cultural showcase as part of the FanFest, but little else is known so far.

Sports

Small businesses looking to host <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="FIFA World Cup" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/boston/2026/03/11/world-cup-boston-foxborough-funding-dispute" data-vars-content-id="3b10a0c0-c3ef-4e07-91b5-3041da31b94f" data-vars-headline="What we know (and don&#x27;t) about Boston&#x27;s World Cup fan festivities" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/boston/2026/03/11/world-cup-boston-foxborough-funding-dispute" target="_self">FIFA World Cup</a> watch parties and other events are still awaiting clarity on what they can do this summer.Why it matters: Boston-area businesses want a piece of the economic boon that FIFA organizers predict the tournament will bring.

Massachusetts hits reset on its Cannabis Control Commission

A new cannabis law disbanded the commission and sets the clock on appointing replacements.

Gov. Maura Healey signed into law Sunday a cannabis reform bill that disbands the Cannabis Control Commission.Why it matters: Lawmakers want to reboot the embattled commission that has experienced delays and infighting in hopes that it will run more efficiently.

Politics 🇺🇸

Mass. Senate race tightens as Moulton polls 5 points behind Markey

Healey backs Frank's Democratic warning

Mass. income tax cut ballot question faces legal threat

Senate budget boosts local aid $53M

Healey wants Mass. to enact first-in-the-nation rules for e-bikes and scooters