Halfway there

Also: Why "100% renewable electricity" plans may not be as green as you think [Donate ❤️]( [View in Browser](  May 9, 2023 🌤️ Mostly sunny, with a high near 61. Good Morning Boston, After a frustrating loss on Sunday, the Celtics are back at the TD Garden tonight for Game 5 against the Philadelphia 76ers with the series notched 2-2. Tip is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. But first, the news: - We've reached roughly the halfway mark in [the state's budget process]( with the Senate Ways and Means committee expected to release their spending proposal today. But the timeline for tax relief remains a bit unclear. WBUR's Steve Brown reports Senate President Karen Spilka remains committed to "permanent progressive tax relief that is smart and sustainable." But [unlike the House]( Spilka says the Senate will take up their tax bill sometime "after the budget." - The big picture: Massachusetts' top lawmakers — Gov. Maura Healey, Spilka and House Speaker Ron Mariano — remain united in support of a tax cut bill, despite [the news last week]( that April tax revenue came in $1.6 billion lower than expected. The trio says some degree of economic slowdown was expected. - The final details are still TBD. But [the bill that the House passed this spring]( has a lot of similarities with the measure [the Senate signed off on last summer]( — boosting the earned-income tax credit, as well as tax benefits for parents, low-income seniors and renters. - Under pressure: After last week's revenue report, the progressive group Raise Up Massachusetts [called on the Senate]( to drop some of the more contentious parts of the tax bill — at least among Democrats — like cuts to the estate tax and long-term capital gains tax. (Spilka said Monday no tax cuts have been "ruled out" or "ruled in.") - ICYMI: Healey emphasized [Sunday on WCVB]( that last month's revenue drop "absolutely shouldn’t" affect tax relief and that cuts to social services are "not going to happen." "I want to be clear to my progressive friends," Healey said, adding her tax cut bill is "not going to hurt the investment that we need to make in our people." - Moves to make community college less costly: [The Boston Globe reports]( the Senate's budget proposal would devote $55 million to make tuition free for a wide swath of community college students — a [first step in Spilka's push to make community college free for everyone in Massachusetts](. - The plan includes $20 million to cover community college tuition for residents 25 and up — which the House and Healey also both proposed, "all but ensuring it will become law," the Globe reports. - But the Senate would like to go a bit further, using [revenue from the state's new millionaire's tax]( to cover costs for those attending nursing programs at the state's community colleges. - What's next: If the Senate passes the measure, leaders will have to convince House negotiators in a "[conference committee]( to get on board, too. - From the State House to City Hall: Boston city councilors may be forced to redraw their new political district maps. Last night, a federal judge put the new maps — which the Council and Mayor Michelle Wu approved last year — [on hold]( after some residents sued. “The ball is back in the City Council’s court," Judge Patti Saris wrote. - What's the problem? Critics [argue]( the maps violated the Equal Protection Clause because race was too heavily weighed when councilors redrew two districts in Dorchester. - What's next: Saris says that argument has a good chance of winning as the lawsuit plays out. But the decision also creates potential confusion about district boundaries with elections ahead this fall — and [a wide-open race in one of the affected districts](. - School bus drivers in Marlborough are on strike for a second day today, as their union [fights for a new contract with]( Reading Transportation (NRT) Bus Inc. - That means another day of headaches for parents, after traffic backed up around Marlborough schools yesterday afternoon as classes let out. School officials advised those picking up their kids to "allot for extra time and exercise patience." P.S.— The hazy skies from wildfire smoke blowing all the way from western Canada made for [some accentuated sunsets last night]( — and [the sunrise]( this morning [wasn't bad]( either! Nik DeCosta-Klipa Editor, Newsletters [Follow](  Support the news  The Rundown [Why '100% renewable electricity' plans may not be as green as you think]( When you sign up for a 100% renewable electricity plan with a competitive supplier, you might not be getting what you think you're getting. [Read more.]( [Why '100% renewable electricity' plans may not be as green as you think]( When you sign up for a 100% renewable electricity plan with a competitive supplier, you might not be getting what you think you're getting. [Read more.]( [N.H. guarantees interracial marriage rights in state law with new Marital Freedom Act]( The U.S. Supreme Court's reversal of federal abortion rights last year raised concerns about how other rights like marriage equality could be overturned, so one state senator proposed that interracial marriage be enshrined in New Hampshire law. [Read more.]( [N.H. guarantees interracial marriage rights in state law with new Marital Freedom Act]( The U.S. Supreme Court's reversal of federal abortion rights last year raised concerns about how other rights like marriage equality could be overturned, so one state senator proposed that interracial marriage be enshrined in New Hampshire law. [Read more.]( ['Outraged' letter carriers demand action as robberies surge]( Robberies of postal carriers have exploded, surging 78% to nearly 500 in 2022, according to data provided by U.S. Postal Inspection Service to The Associated Press under the Freedom of Information Act. [Read more.]( ['Outraged' letter carriers demand action as robberies surge]( Robberies of postal carriers have exploded, surging 78% to nearly 500 in 2022, according to data provided by U.S. Postal Inspection Service to The Associated Press under the Freedom of Information Act. [Read more.]( [All T stations under inspection after falling debris at Harvard stop, Healey says]( All MBTA stations will receive a "top to bottom" examination in the wake of a pair of falling-debris incidents at Harvard Station, Gov. Maura Healey said as she urged riders to remain patient with the transit agency's woes. [Read more.]( [All T stations under inspection after falling debris at Harvard stop, Healey says]( All MBTA stations will receive a "top to bottom" examination in the wake of a pair of falling-debris incidents at Harvard Station, Gov. Maura Healey said as she urged riders to remain patient with the transit agency's woes. [Read more.]( [Efforts to allow backyard units in Mattapan go before planning board this week]( If the plan is approved, Boston Planning and Development Agency officials can implement recommendations, including a study into the feasibility of "accessory dwelling units" and improved bus service. [Read more.]( [Efforts to allow backyard units in Mattapan go before planning board this week]( If the plan is approved, Boston Planning and Development Agency officials can implement recommendations, including a study into the feasibility of "accessory dwelling units" and improved bus service. [Read more.]( Anything Else? - From a columnist who analyzed Alabama's confederate heritage to an NPR alum's explanatory look at the migrant crisis, here are [your 2023 Pulitzer Prize winners for extraordinary journalism and writing]( (or in the case of this year's fiction award... co-winners). - Monday was also a celebratory night for the local theater community. The Boston Theater Critics Association’s annual Elliot Norton Awards honored the work of over 130 nominees across more than two dozen prize categories. Read [the full list of winners here](. - Silkroad, the Boston-based arts organization founded 25 years ago by Yo-Yo Ma, is welcoming a new executive director next week. WBUR's Arielle Gray [reports]( the group's new leader, Ben Hartley, plans to put an emphasis on the work Silkroad does outside of music. - Getting a new dog as a 41-year-old mother can feel a lot different than the first time you do it at the age of 26, Sara Petersen [writes in this commentary]( "It’s voluntarily agreeing to more doing, more caretaking, more feeding, more disciplining, more cleaning."  What We're Reading 📚 - NPR’s Ailsa Chang Talks to Millions of People Every Day ([The Cut]( - Liz Holmes Wants You to Forget About Elizabeth ([The New York Times]( - Why most car dealers still don’t have any electric vehicles ([Vox](  Tell Me Something Good [Family of Boston Marathon dog, Spencer, announces new puppy (WCVB)]( "Welcome home, Jimmy!" [Read more.]( [Family of Boston Marathon dog, Spencer, announces new puppy (WCVB)]( "Welcome home, Jimmy!" [Read more.]( Listen: The Common [turns up the heat on gas stoves]( including their health implications, alternatives and safety tips. Play: [WBUR's daily mini crossword.]( Can you keep your streak going? Before you go: Homeward bound, [the one-horned antelope edition](. 😎 Forward to a friend. They can sign up [here](. 📣 Give us your feedback: newsletters@wbur.org 📧 Get more WBUR stories sent to your inbox. [Check out all of our newsletter offerings.]( Support the news   Want to change how you receive these emails? Stop getting this newsletter by [updating your preferences.](  I don't want to hear from WBUR anymore. Unsubscribe from all WBUR editorial newsletters [here](.  Interested in learning more about corporate sponsorship? [Click here.]( Copyright © 2022 WBUR-FM, All rights reserved.