Some state lawmakers want to crack down on binge drinking by raising taxes on the vice to help pay for alcohol-related care.

Why it matters: Booze caused nearly 5% of all deaths in Mass. between 2015 and 2019 and killed an average of 2,760 of the state’s residents each year during that time, according to a December report.

• That's 641 alcohol poisonings per year,
• 350 liver disease victims,
• 294 alcohol-attributable cancer deaths,
• And 211 deaths by liver cirrhosis.

The report, written by Boston University School of Public Health's David Jernigan and public health master's candidate Xixi Zhou, estimates the state and local governments paid $2.26 billion for alcohol-related problems in 2010, the last year data was available.

• The findings factor in estimates for lost productivity, property damage, health care costs, criminal justice costs and other expenses.

Yes, but: Alcohol only brought in $78.6 million in state funds in 2020. That’s less than 0.3% of the state’s total revenues, and a drop in the bucket compared with how much the state likely spends because of booze.

• Excise taxes on alcohol haven't gone up since 1980.

Driving the news: A group of State House progressives, including Rep. Marjorie Decker (Cambridge), Sen. Jason Lewis (Winchester) and Rep. Kay Khan (Newton), are pushing an alcohol tax increase to discourage dangerous drinking and help pay for governments' lopsided spending on care.

Between the lines: A State House briefing on the report last week was the first step for the group in a push to gain enough support to put the issue on the House or Senate agenda.

What they're saying: "The Bay State prides itself on being a center of medical technology, innovation and science. Yet when it comes to alcohol, the state’s policies are far out of date, and not consistent" with federal and international recommendations for reducing harm, Jernigan wrote in the paper.

The lawmakers also want to re-examine how many licenses the state approves for the sale of alcohol.

• The number of alcohol licenses given out increased 63% between 2011 and 2019. And that was before the pandemic when the state loosened restrictions on home delivery and take-out drinks.

Babysitter rates went up in Boston by 8.2% to an average of $21.67 per hour for one child in 2022. That's less than the national average, but still a drain on parents' wallets — keeping them at home and preventing them from going out on the town.

Zoom out: Nationally, babysitting rates rose 9.7% last year — a bit less than the 11% hike seen in 2021, but still outpacing inflation for the second year in a row, writes Axios' Jennifer A. Kingson.

• That's according to survey results from caregiver-finding platform UrbanSitter, provided first to Axios.

Why it matters: A shortage of babysitters and other child care workers — and higher pay those remaining are able to command — is creating seismic ripples in the labor market.

• It's also attracting teachers, nurses and other trained professionals into the career — which in turn drives up rates, because of their experience.
• In the other direction, day care workers are quitting for higher pay elsewhere — including at custodial jobs.

The big picture: Rates are up across all categories of care, including for full-time nannies and day care.

• Per a 2022 Care.com survey, just over half of U.S. parents were spending over 20% of their income on child care — far more than the 7% that the federal government deems "affordable."

Keep reading

Freda Brasfield, Mayor Wu’s administration and finance director, was arraigned Friday on money laundering charges in an alleged prison drug smuggling scheme. She pleaded not guilty.

• Prosecutors say they linked Brasfield and others to a drug ring that involved smuggling synthetic cannabinoids into MCI-Shirley, where her nephew is incarcerated, Boston25 first reported. (WCVB)

✈️ Lt. Jacqueline Drew, who grew up in Waltham, was part of the all-woman team that conducted a flyover during the national anthem at the Super Bowl.

• The flyover commemorated 50 years of women serving as Navy pilots. (Globe)

🎓 Saint Joseph Prep Boston plans to close at the end of the school year, citing financial hurdles. (UniversalHub)

Nothing will bring the people of Boston together (or tear it apart) quite like arguing over pizza.

• Of course Boston isn't exactly world-renowned for our pizza offerings, but the likes of Santarpio's and Pizzeria Regina keep us in the mix.

State of play: The Axios Local team put together the ultimate bracket to find out which city has the best pizza among the local areas we cover.

🚨 Axios readers in the winning city will get a pizza party.

• Will it be Chicago, with its deep dish and tavern-style classics?
• Could Detroit's baked squares take the trophy?
• Or will the simplicity of a Des Moines slice pull the upset?

Yes, but: If those options left you scratching your head, or shocked that there’s good pizza in a place like Des Moines, you may as well vote for Boston.

• The bracket is set and it's up to you to vote us into the next round.

In our first round matchup, we’re up against Washington, D.C., the home of late-night jumbo slices no one's ever eaten sober.

• The first-round of voting is open until 3pm today.
• Choose chaos. Vote for Boston.

Vote here

Deehan's thought bubble: Once we launch Axios Brockton this won't even be a question.

Steph’s thought bubble: There's no New York, New Jersey or even Connecticut pizza shops in this competition, so I’ll be voting for Boston. Really, any city but Chicago.

💼 Check out who’s hiring around the city.

1. Senior Director, Privacy Counsel at Blueprint Medicines.
2. Senior Specialist – Global Communications at Shark Ninja.
3. Contractor, Investment Writer at Barings.

Want more opportunities? Check out our Job Board.

Hiring? Post a job.

Townie, the Axios Boston gull-scot, took advantage of the lovely (for February) weather over the weekend. Can you guess where she was out sunning herself?

Reply to this email or tweet at Deehan, and we'll give you a shoutout this week.