THE MASS BRIEF

Tuesday, June 16, 2026

The Lead

Half of Massachusetts Wants Out — But Healey's Winning Anyway

A new Suffolk University/Boston Globe poll dropped this morning with a finding that should make Beacon Hill uncomfortable: more than half of Massachusetts registered voters say they've weighed leaving the state in the past year, with the cost of living and taxes leading the list of reasons. One in four say they've seriously considered it. And yet — here's the twist — most of those same people say they're currently able to live comfortably. Suffolk's David Paleologos chalks it up to what he calls a "K-shaped economy," where the gap between the haves and the have-nots keeps widening even as aggregate numbers look okay. The anxiety is real, even when the bank account isn't empty yet.

So where does that leave Governor Maura Healey? Politically, in pretty good shape — for now. The same poll shows her leading both potential Republican opponents, Mike Minogue and Brian Shortsleeve, by 25 to 27 points. The catch: more than half of voters can't name a single signature accomplishment from her first term. Paleologos' read is blunt — in deep-blue Massachusetts, with an unpopular Republican in the White House, Healey doesn't need a marquee achievement. She just needs to not be the other guy. Whether that's a reassuring political reality or a troubling commentary on low expectations is a question worth sitting with. What happens next: the cost-of-living pressure, the ballot question on the income tax, and the Senate race between Ed Markey and Seth Moulton will all shape how voters feel come November.

Full story at Boston Globe →

What Else You Should Know

Tonight's Unusual Senate Debate — Without the Senator

Rep. Seth Moulton and Republican John Deaton face off tonight at 9 p.m. on TV38 in what WBZ is billing as a pre-primary inter-party debate — a matchup made possible by the fact that Senator Ed Markey declined to participate. Both men want Markey gone, just for different reasons, and Moulton's pitch — "He's been in elective office for half a century, that's longer than I've been alive" — will get its most prominent airing yet. Meanwhile, Markey has been busy introducing legislation on young adult cancer rates, but the debate will test whether voters think that's enough.

WBZ / CBS Boston →

World Cup Match Day: Brace for Commuter Rail Chaos

Iraq and Norway kick off at 6 p.m. tonight at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, the second of seven World Cup matches at the venue, and the MBTA is warning that most commuter rail lines out of South Station will be affected. Summer Street in Boston will be closed for much of the day, and Route 1 congestion is expected to build through the afternoon. Fourteen express trains will run between South Station and Foxboro — tickets are $80 and must be purchased in advance. After the first weekend, the MBTA says 19,000 fans rode to Foxborough for Scotland vs. Haiti, with post-game waits averaging over an hour. Plan accordingly.

Boston Globe →

A Win for Offshore Wind, Courtesy of the Courts

Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell scored a clean legal victory Monday after the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit dismissed the Trump administration's appeal in the offshore wind permitting case. The administration had tried to freeze all federal wind permitting via executive order back in January 2026; Campbell and a coalition of 18 other AGs sued, won, and now the appeal is dead. The ruling protects hundreds of millions in Massachusetts wind investments and the jobs tied to them.

State House News Service →

New Tax Break Aims to Get Housing Built

Signed into law as part of the Fair Share supplemental budget, a new state sales tax exemption on building materials used in affordable and middle-income multifamily housing projects is now on the books — capped at $35 million annually. Senate President Karen Spilka and Sen. Julian Cyr authored the provision, which is designed to counteract construction cost spikes driven by federal tariffs. Developers say the sales tax on materials can represent up to 5 percent of total project costs — often the margin between a project that breaks ground and one that doesn't.

State House News Service →

Chelsea Forum Puts Immigration Crackdown in Human Terms

Rep. Ayanna Pressley held a listening session in Chelsea on Monday where immigrants shared firsthand accounts of detentions and deportations under the Trump administration. Among those who spoke: Sergio Ayala, who was deported to Guatemala last year when his daughter was just weeks old, brought back to the U.S., re-detained in New York, and eventually released — after spending nearly two decades in Massachusetts after crossing the border as an unaccompanied minor. "I look forward to a day where people do not have to relive their trauma in order to compel action from their government," Pressley said.

Boston Globe →

Hanson Gets Back in the Grant Game

After coming into compliance with the MBTA Communities Act's multifamily zoning mandate, the town of Hanson has submitted four "One-Stop for Growth" grant applications totaling approximately $1.4 million — its first real shot at this funding after being frozen out for years. Town Administrator Lisa Green credited town planner Tony De Frias with getting the applications in under deadline. The grants target Main Street infrastructure and redevelopment of the long-dormant Plymouth County Hospital property. It's a small-town story, but a telling illustration of how the MBTA zoning law is reshaping what's possible for communities across the South Shore.

South Shore News →

Worth Your Attention

Tonight's Moulton-Deaton Senate Debate airs at 9 p.m. on TV38, with a simulcast on WBZ NewsRadio 1030 and streaming at WBZ.com — your best chance to see whether Moulton can draw a contrast without Markey in the room.

WBZ / CBS Boston →

World Cup Match Tonight at Gillette — Iraq vs. Norway, 6 p.m. kickoff; if you're commuting through South Station, leave extra time and check the MBTA's updated service alerts before you go.

Boston Globe →

Rhode Island Democratic State Central Committee meets Saturday to make gubernatorial endorsements — a decision that, given Governor Dan McKee's cratering poll numbers and the loss of his hometown committee's support, is expected to go to challenger Helena Buonanno Foulkes.

Boston Globe →

FY2027 Budget Tracker

Current stage: Conference committee reconciles

Governor's Budget (H2) — filed

House Budget (H5500) | 1744 amendments filed — house_floor

Senate Budget (H5501) | 1 amendments filed — conference

💰 Money Watch

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