By Bob Katzen

“I think on this matter I will turn it over to [Sen. Brendan Crighton] the real expert on this subject matter, the gentleman from Lynn, the Senate chair of the Joint Committee on Transportation. Because he truly is the expert on this and so many other issues before this body.”
—Ways and Means chair Sen. Mike Rodrigues (D-Westport) when asked during floor debate to comment on the bill providing $350 million for local roads and bridges and other transportation projects.

“I want to say thank you to the chair of Ways and Means for his very kind and exaggerated remarks.”
—Sen. Crighton responding to Sen. Rodrigues.

“I’m finding I’m being introduced these days in the past tense, which is actually a little nerve-wracking. But I suspect the closer we get to January, the more it’s going to sound that way.”
—Gov. Baker who is not seeking re-election and will leave the governor’s office in January.

“I’m not going to go away quietly, and I’m certainly not going to — I am not going to retire. My wife would never let me. That would cause all kinds of issues. I think I’ll end up doing a bunch of different things. Some of them will be related to government, some will be related to traditional private sector-type stuff.”
—Gov. Baker on his future plans.