Good morning,

If Josh Kraft really wanted to be mayor perhaps he shouldn’t have left Newton where he lived for most of his adult life prior to moving to Boston in 2023.

If Kraft ran here instead of there, Newton City Council President Marc Laredo wouldn’t be the only serious candidate in the contest to replace Newton Mayor Ruthanne Fuller this fall.

And why should Boston have all the fun?

Newton would benefit from a soul searching debate right now about the kind of city it wants to be, how it might grow, and who gets a chance to live or stay here.

That’s particularly true this year when the school budget created so much divisiveness (prior to reaching a compromise last night). Clearly school and city finances are not sustainable. Voters ought to be hearing different visions for addressing that and other challenges.

Fig City News reports on the candidates who have pulled nomination papers so far.

Lt. Gov. to open our first ever women’s conference

Lt. Governor Kim Driscoll will be the keynote speaker at our Inaugural Women's Conference June 13 at Wellesley College.

The one day program also features a panel in allyship, small group break out sessions and opportunities to make connections with women at every stage of business leadership.

This event will sell out. RSVP.

Poll: Voters want their city/town to prioritize housing over ‘character’

Attend pretty much any meeting when a new mixed use building (even a small project) is proposed and you’ll inevitably hear someone gripe that the development will destroy their neighborhood’s character.

But a new state-wide poll suggests this may be more of a reflection of who shows up to speak at community meetings, rather most residents’ views.

Seventy-one percent of residents told Mass Inc Polling Group that building more homes people can afford is more important than protecting traditional neighborhood character.

And 63% say building more homes and bringing down costs is more critical than preserving local control over what type of housing gets built.

“Many polls have found housing at or near the top of the list of issues facing the state,” Richard Parr, research director at MassINC Polling tells Jennifer Smith at CommonWealth Beacon. “What’s more interesting is that voters think this is a problem their own communities should be doing more on.”

“All this suggests that the voices who speak out at community meetings against new housing projects are likely not a majority in their own communities,” Parr added.

Here’s hoping our city councilors, select boards and town meeting members are listening.

The poll was commissioned by Abundant Housing Massachusetts. 

Request to brighten Newton Centre fails to gain support

The Newton City Council’s Public Facilities Committee has decided to sit on a $75,000 request by Mayor Ruthanne Fuller to enliven Newton Centre by adding decorative lighting.

Councilor Vicki Danberg said businesses have been asking for help making Newton Centre more enticing for many years and that the lighting would help them tremendously.

We agree.

But other counselors said at a meeting last week that they would have preferred the funds be spent on schools. Council President Marc Laredo also questioned whether the $75,000 in free cash could be better spent on something more impactful for local businesses.

Tuesday grab bag

• Chestnut Hill Realty holds a ribbon-cutting tomorrow (Weds.) to mark the completion of The Franklin, an eight-story, 250-unit apartment building at Hancock Village in Brookline.  Hancock now consists of more than 500 single-floor apartments and more than 800 rental townhomes. (Boston Globe)
• Wellesley’s Planning Board is seeking volunteers to fill an Associate Member vacancy. The associate member serves as a voting member of the board on special permit applications if one of the five regular members is unable to participate. Send letter of interest and resume to Planning Director Eric Arbeene.
• The opioid epidemic cost Massachusetts nearly $145 billion in 2024, among the highest in the nation. (Axios)
• Thanks Watertown News for the great recap of last week’s Spring Business Breakfast: 2025 Economic Forecast
• High-end Asian supermarket T Market is planning to open, with a food court, at Natick Mall, taking over the space that had been home to a location of Wegmans. (Natick Report)
• The Trump Administration plans to terminate $14.1 million in previously awarded federal funding to expand internet access for veterans, rural communities and individuals with disabilities in Massachusetts.
• Watch U.S. Rep. Jake Auchincloss on Comedy Central’s “The Daily Show” with Jordan Klepper.

Co-pays, deductibles may slow, but not necessarily health insurance premiums

A new state law may limit increases in health insurance copays and deductibles starting next year.

Bit it won’t necessarily curtain the rising cost of health insurance premiums that have been alarming so many employers.

Starting in 2026, insurers will be required to restrict the growth of deductibles and copays to the rate of medical inflation, which is approximately 4.8%.

But the head of a trade group representing health insurers tells State House

News that the caps will "not make care more affordable."

"[I]t will simply shift costs into premiums, raising monthly expenses for everyone," said Lora Pellegrini, CEO of the Massachusetts Association of Health Plans.

"While efforts to limit deductibles and copays may provide short-term relief at the point of service, they do nothing to address the root causes of rising health care spending," Pellegrini added.

Rising health insurance premiums is one of the items on the June 18 Small Business Summit agenda at the State House, June 18. Learn more and consider attending.

We just delivered 2,100 meals while supporting local restaurants

Finally, residents facing food insecurity were the recipients of 2,100 locally prepared meals this spring, thanks to the chamber-administered Nourishing Newton program.

At the same time, $50,000 was injected into Newton’s restaurant economy through the program, which was funded by a state grant secured by Sen. Cindy Creem.

Launched during the pandemic, the program continued for the fifth consecutive year this April and May with meals prepared by 20 Newton restaurants, including House of Tandoor, Lavender Cafe, Thistle & Leek, Inna’s Kitchen and Cabot's.

Meals were distributed through the Newton Food Pantry, Centre Street Food Pantry, Welcome Home, the Arabic Baptist Church, the YMCA, and the Newton Senior Center.  The 2025 program wrapped up Friday ,with its final delivery made to the Newton Senior Center.

Deliveries were once again facilitated by volunteers from the Newton Rotary, including Alie French and Yajaira Aristondo, as well as chamber member Keilly Culter.

And that’s what you need to know for today, unless you need to know how the Boston Globe’s fake page one predicting Trump’s presidency from 2016 holds up nine years later.

Please support our local merchants.

Greg Reibman (he, him)

President & CEO

Charles River Regional Chamber

617.244.1688

Max Woolf contributed to today’s newsletter.

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