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Worcester’s city attorneys have spent the last few years in court arguing against a 2022 judgment that said the city had to repay its neighbor to the north, Holden, $14.6 million in sewage fees it had overcharged. That legal fight now appears to be over, and Worcester is on the hook for much more: $35.5 million, which includes the original judgment and about $9,000 a day in interest.
Since 1999, Holden has sent its sewage through Worcester’s pipes on the way to the Upper Blackstone Water Pollution treatment plant, paying its neighbor to do so. But in 2013, Holden officials sued Worcester, saying they believed they were overpaying by about $1 million a year. A jury ruled in Holden’s favor in 2022 — these cases can take time — and Worcester continued looking for ways to appeal. The state’s highest court, the Supreme Judicial Court, said in February that it would not review the case. Now the bills are coming due: Worcester will pay Holden $10 million by Wednesday, then another $10.5 million by July 1 and another $5 million each year for the next three years. Worcester officials said the city will have to take out a loan to make the payments. Holden Town Manager Peter Lukes said residents can expect lower water and sewer bills. You can read Sam Turken and Lisa Wardle’s full reporting here.
Four Things to Know
1. Federal prosecutors in Boston have created a new office focused on investigating fraud involving social safety-net benefits, as well as voter fraud. The announcement, made late last week, followed President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address, in which he called for a “war on fraud,” specifically in Massachusetts, Maine and California.
A spokesperson for Gov. Maura Healey’s office said fraud accounts for less than 1% of the state’s SNAP caseload and that state officials are already working with federal authorities on fraud cases. “I’m always for prosecuting and stopping fraud. Come on. I mean that’s been my career,” Healey said. “But, you know, you’ve got to understand the environment and what’s going on here across the country and the ways in which the Trump administration, whether it’s directly through [the Department of Justice] or through local U.S. attorneys’ offices, are just trying to weaponize in an effort to distract and create issues and target political opponents or continue to push a certain agenda.”
2. The greater Boston area’s population growth slowed significantly last year, adding just 12,000 residents in 2025. It’s part of a nationwide slowdown in population growth as immigration has declined sharply. Local experts said it’s also a reflection of Greater Boston’s high cost of living.
“White House policies have created an exodus in Massachusetts, especially of international immigrants, or even the desire of new immigrants to come to the U.S. — let alone Massachusetts to work, thrive and live,” said Mark Williams, a finance professor at Boston University’s Questrom School of Business. “And it’s a challenge for us because we’re a knowledge-based economy, which has been centered on attracting, retaining and growing this immigrant population.”
3. Some parents of children at the Croft School, a private for-profit school with locations in the South End, Jamaica Plain and Providence, said they want to make sure it can stay open after its founder, Scott Given, was suspended and accused of hiding $13 million in debt.
Tuition is about $32,000 a year, and parent Suzanne Mendes said about half of students receive financial aid, while about 48% of students identify as people of color. “I think it’s worth mentioning because that’s why we live in the city, right?” Mendes said. “We want our children to be exposed to that kind of diversity and to have that richness of experience.”
4. Gov. Maura Healey said she believes President Donald Trump will try to use federal powers to influence the midterm elections and keep citizens from voting. She pointed to the federal government’s deployment of Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents at airports, saying she believes it’s an effort to “normalize” the presence of federal officers.
“He’s gonna weaponize every aspect of the federal government to try to steal this election,” Healey told GBH’s Boston Public Radio. “I predict we’re gonna see some violence before the election, just to give him an excuse to exercise emergency powers. So, you know, we can beat it, we can confront it, we can maintain safe and secure elections as we have here in Massachusetts and across this country. Also, people need to be aware of what’s happening so that when it happens, you can call it out.”
Over 180,000 attendees at No Kings Boston, organizers say
This weekend about 180,000 people came to the Boston Common to protest the Trump administration. GBH reporters were there to capture the scenes.
“What keeps me coming back is the power of the people, and making sure that our elected officials get the point that we are not happy with this administration or the direction of our country,” said attendee Paula Bartlett, attending her third No Kings rally.
The Dropkick Murphys performed at Boston’s rally. Lead singer Ken Casey held a sign referencing the band’s song “Shipping Up to Boston,” calling on Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents to leave the city.
The rally on the Common was one of about 162 in Massachusetts and 3,000 nationwide Saturday.
We have more photos from the event here.
Dig deeper:
-Here are some of the signs at No Kings rallies around Boston
-Photos and dispatched from No Kings events nationwide
-As birthright citizenship goes to Supreme Court, here’s how Americans feel about it
GBH Daily
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