Boston loses "our Nelson Mandela"

Also: The great estate debate; what drives Boston's racial wealth gap [Donate ❤️]( [View in Browser](  March 29, 2023 ☀️ Sunny, with a high near 53 Good Morning Boston, [Reactions are pouring in]( following [the passing yesterday of Mel King]( a trailblazing politician and civil rights activist in Boston. He was 94. Scroll below to hear King's colleagues reflect on his extraordinary life and contributions to the city. But first, a quick rundown of the latest local news: - Gov. Maura Healey personally pitched lawmakers on [her $750 million tax reform plan]( during a State House hearing yesterday. And though her proposal includes breaks for everyone from parents to renters to low-income seniors, one particular provision emerged as the subject of pushback from fellow Democrats in the Legislature: the estate tax. - Some background: Massachusetts is one of 12 states with its own estate tax. The one-time tax applies to properties over $1 million that are passed down after their owner dies. (The graduated tax [starts off small but goes up to 16%]( for estates in the eight figures.) The $1 million threshold is also [tied for the lowest in the country](. - Healey's proposal would raise the level at which the estate tax kicks in to $3 million (more than the $2 million threshold state legislators agreed to last year). It also includes a $182,000 credit for affected residents to address the [current tax]( "cliff effect." - The argument for it: Home values have surged 118% over the past two decades, and the Healey administration contends that the estate tax has "some catching up" to do in order to keep the state competitive. Healey argued that "we can't be the outlier that we are," noting that Massachusetts has [seen more people leave than move here since 2020](. "We're concerned about higher-income households leaving because of the tax revenue they generate for the state," she told lawmakers. "We're also concerned about people who might think that this is going to affect them." - On the other hand: Several Democratic lawmakers argued that the real reason people have moved away is the state's [expensive housing]( and [child care costs]( — and suggested Healey's tax plan should double down on those issues. State Sen. Lydia Edwards said that "if we're going to center equity," Healey's proposed tax cuts for renters should be "doubled, if not tripled," while the estate tax reforms should be pared back. "I'm OK with being an outlier on so many things, because we lead," Edward said. - Reality check: House Speaker Ron Mariano has [continued to voice concerns]( about the state's finances. So it remains unclear what, if any, tax cut plan will make it through the State House this year. - The race to be Salem's next mayor is down to two. Neil Harrington and Dominick Pangallo advanced in yesterday's preliminary special election. They'll face off in a May 16 finale to serve the rest of former mayor-turned-Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll's term, which runs through 2025. - It's a job both men know closely. Harrington served as Salem's mayor from 1990 to 1997, while Pangallo worked as Driscoll's chief of staff for the last 10 years. - Following a series of deadly incidents, a retired MBTA engineer and a North Shore lawyer are teaming up in an attempt to overturn train whistle bans across Massachusetts. The Boston Globe [reports their lawsuit aims to strike down so-called "quiet zones" in dozens of cities and towns]( that ban trains from routinely sounding their horns as they approach platforms and pedestrian crossings. - Why? The quiet zones — which are [allowed by the federal government]( — are intended to reduce unwanted train noise. But the lawyer, Peter Brown, told WBUR's Amy Sokolow that they make platform crossings "incredibly dangerous." Furthermore, he contends the quiet zones violate state and federal laws requiring trains to make noise as they pull into a platform area. - Where are they? The lawsuit dials in on Beverly, where [six people have been killed by trains at a local crossing]( since 2010. But there are also quiet zones [scattered around the Boston suburbs]( from Cambridge to Hingham to Newbury. P.S.— Tomorrow night will likely be the best chance for Massachusetts residents to [see five planets all together in the night sky](. We'll have more details in tomorrow's newsletter on where and what to look for. Nik DeCosta-Klipa Editor, Newsletters [Follow](  Support the news  The Rundown [Boston activist and politician Mel King, 'our Nelson Mandela,' dies at 94]( In a city that touts its history as a temporary home to two giants of the Civil Rights Movement, Mel King was 100% home-grown: a tireless organizer against apartheid and multiple wars, and in favor of affordable housing, good paying jobs and more. [Read more.]( [Boston activist and politician Mel King, 'our Nelson Mandela,' dies at 94]( In a city that touts its history as a temporary home to two giants of the Civil Rights Movement, Mel King was 100% home-grown: a tireless organizer against apartheid and multiple wars, and in favor of affordable housing, good paying jobs and more. [Read more.]( [Proposed settlement could bring big changes to Mass. family shelter system]( A class-action settlement aims to address long waits for families applying for shelter. It also creates a more robust system for moving families closer to communities where they have ties through work, school and family. [Read more.]( [Proposed settlement could bring big changes to Mass. family shelter system]( A class-action settlement aims to address long waits for families applying for shelter. It also creates a more robust system for moving families closer to communities where they have ties through work, school and family. [Read more.]( [Union showdown: Starbucks' Howard Schultz faces Bernie Sanders in the Senate]( A hearing for the history books: The resolutely anti-union architect of the modern Starbucks gets questioned by the outspoken mascot of the union movement in Congress. [Read more.]( [Union showdown: Starbucks' Howard Schultz faces Bernie Sanders in the Senate]( A hearing for the history books: The resolutely anti-union architect of the modern Starbucks gets questioned by the outspoken mascot of the union movement in Congress. [Read more.]( [Lifetime earnings, not inheritance, drives racial wealth gap, study finds]( A new study from the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston finds that inheritances account for only 14% of the wealth gap between Black and white families in the U.S. [Read more.]( [Lifetime earnings, not inheritance, drives racial wealth gap, study finds]( A new study from the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston finds that inheritances account for only 14% of the wealth gap between Black and white families in the U.S. [Read more.]( [A Maryland court reinstates Adnan Syed's conviction and orders a new hearing]( His conviction has been reinstated, but he will not be taken back into custody. An appellate court said another court did not give the victim's family enough time to attend a hearing in person. [Read more.]( [A Maryland court reinstates Adnan Syed's conviction and orders a new hearing]( His conviction has been reinstated, but he will not be taken back into custody. An appellate court said another court did not give the victim's family enough time to attend a hearing in person. [Read more.]( Anything Else? - Jake Wideman was raised with all the advantages that his father and uncle lacked. Was there something in his family history that led him to commit murder? The [newly released second episode of our new podcast Violation]( digs into Wideman's childhood, his family background, and the state of his mental health before and after the crime. Listen to it today [wherever you get your podcasts]( - With tick season on the near-horizon, Monica Mansfield — the president-elect of the Massachusetts Veterinary Medical Association — [shares some tips here on how to keep you and your pet safe](. The list includes skipping the tweezers and how to spot signs of disease. - A new essay collection from Massachusetts author Lizzie Stark highlights the surprising relationships between humans ... and eggs? Book critic Michael Patrick Brady that the collection enlightens, entertains and serves as a reminder that [even the most mundane objects may contain multitudes](. - In Cognoscenti, Laura Beretsky reflects on the life Judy Heumann, the mother of the disability rights movement. "Disabilities are natural forms of human diversity, and people shouldn’t be disparaged because their bodies are differently-abled," Beretsky [writes in her essay](.  What We're Reading 📚 - The California newspaper that has no reporters left ([Los Angeles Times]( - I Went on a Package Trip for Millennials Who Travel Alone. Help Me. ([The New York Times]( - “I’ll Walk Away From Anything”: Kara Swisher Calls the Shots ([Vanity Fair](  Food for Thought [I'm a crepe, I'm a weird-dough: Making crepes with Chef Joe Gatto]( This month onRadio Boston'sregular cooking conversation, we’re making crepes. Watch Chef Joe Gatto demonstrate live how to make the versatile pancake for breakfast, lunch or dinner. [Read more.]( [I'm a crepe, I'm a weird-dough: Making crepes with Chef Joe Gatto]( This month onRadio Boston'sregular cooking conversation, we’re making crepes. Watch Chef Joe Gatto demonstrate live how to make the versatile pancake for breakfast, lunch or dinner. [Read more.]( Listen: The Common explains why you should [keep an eye out for a potential blue envelope in your mailbox](. Play: [WBUR's daily mini crossword.]( Can you keep your streak going? Before you go: You might say that [this lawsuit has grounds](. 😎 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. 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