Welcome back to Monday and another week that is shaping up to be a busy one on Beacon Hill. A few things to mark down as you start the day: Gov. Charlie Baker and Democratic leaders in the House and Senate meet privately later this afternoon with plans to speak to reporters afterwards. A hearing is scheduled for this afternoon on Baker's $5 billion borrowing bill to maintain state buildings and other assets. Now a quick pit stop on the campaign trail. Democratic candidate Sen. Sonia Chang-Diaz wants people to know that there are quite a few things an administration can anticipate as far as COVID-19 is concerned. In what seemed like subtle jabs at the Baker administration, Chang-Diaz said the state needs "to get better at looking down the road" to prepare for predictable surges of the virus and help out groups that are known to get hit the hardest like low-income communities of color. The gubernatorial hopeful said she would also support a statewide mask mandate in schools. "It was known over this past holiday season that there was going to be a spike in omicron transmissions," she told WBZ commentator Jon Keller Sunday morning. "It was totally predictable that there was going to be a ... spike in demand for testing and for masks, and PPE. We could have done a lot better at getting prepared for that and not just waiting until these fires erupt, but get prepared for them before they turn into crises." Chang-Diaz launched her campaign by targeting "Beacon Hill insiders," presumably people who are so entrenched in State House politics and power that they forget what the real world looks like. Is Attorney General Maura Healey one of these insiders in the eyes of Chang-Diaz? The senator didn't answer directly during her 10 minute interview on WBZ, instead saying "that is a question that voters are gonna have to assess over the course of this election. I Want My Money Back.... Giving to a political candidate always carries risk. Maybe they'll lose. Maybe they'll disappoint. But what if they don't run at all? As Gov. Charlie Baker was considering his political future late last year, he returned to the fundraising circuit collecting checks just in case. But at the start of December, he shared that he had decided two terms were enough. Now some of those donors who had hoped they were replenishing his coffers for another run are looking for a refund. Baker has begun to spend down his campaign account as he navigates his final year in office, and in January reported spending $120,199. After some staff travel expenses and payroll, the governor reported $70,925 in contribution refunds. He also gave $15,000 to the Camp Harbor View Foundation, a summer camp for Boston teens. Baker political advisor Jim Conroy confirmed that the bulk of the refunds were to donors who asked for their money back after Baker decided against seeking a third term. Conroy said the campaign sent out a solicitation advising donors that they could get a refund if they wished. Still, Baker reported collecting $12,800 from 31 donors in January, leaving him with $624,262. | 
