It's Party Time! And They Can't Stand It: The HUB

The HUB is a rundown of the stories people in Boston are talking about. Patch publishes the HUB every weekday.

Good morning, Boston! Today is Thursday, May 6. We're talking about the return of the millionaires' tax, something truly unacceptable and where to order your Mother's Day yum-yums.

But first...

City officials "at our wit's end" are thinking up new ways to harsh the vibe of some overly exuberant residents who just won't keep it down.

The Boston Globe's Danny McDonald wrote about desperate City Council members proposing fines of $1,000 for the first violation of the city's noise ordinance, $2,000 for a second violation and $3,000 for a third — fines aimed at curbing what Councilor Michael Flaherty called out-of-control partying, especially in Southie. Flaherty said a recent weekend saw more than 600 calls about parties and disturbances in the neighborhood.

The order from Councilors Flaherty and Ed Flynn also touches on stricter enforcement of large house parties.

I live near some party animals, too — did I ever mention the droves of high schoolers lugging Coors Light up the street? — but fines in the thousands do seem hefty. At that point just make it $10,000 on a second offense and scare the hell out of them.

By the way, yesterday was the first time city councilors gathered in City Hall since the pandemic started.

Check it out

Won't someone think of the millionaires?! That popular "millionaires' tax" that came oh-so-close to making the ballot in 2018 is back, and supporters think they've learned their lesson and can get it in front of voters in 2022. The ballot question itself hasn't changed — it's an extra 4 percent tax on annual income over $1 million for funding transportation and education — but the process is different this time around. Greg Ryan at Boston Business Journal gets you caught up on what supporters and opponents are thinking before it becomes a major talking point in coming months.

This is unacceptable. The Greater Boston Food Bank conducted a survey that says 1.6 million in Massachusetts are struggling to get enough to eat, reports Janelle Nanos at The Boston Globe. Again, this is unacceptable, especially for a state that enjoys such an embarrassment of riches. In February I wrote a story about Bread of Life, a Malden-based nonprofit doing incredible work for those in need. If you know of a local nonprofit doing similar work, email me at mike.carraggi@patch.com and I'll shout them out in Monday's HUB. (I'm off for Friday's edition.)

I realize the importance of Mother's Day more now that my wife's a mother. What warriors — can make a guy feel pretty useless sometimes. I also now realize the importance of getting your Mother's Day gifts in advance. Eater has a partial list of takeout and delivery packages from fun restaurants in and around Boston for people like me.

What I'm reading today: While much of the Twitterverse was in a tizzy after The Atlantic article I shared yesterday, Spencer Buell at Boston Magazine was busy spinning some wisdom: Stop caring whether people wear masks in general outdoor activities. You know what? He's right. Just shush, pro- or anti-mask. You'll feel better.

Weather

The National Weather Service says: During the day — Sunny, with a high near 62. Northwest wind 9 to 16 mph. At night — Partly cloudy, with a low around 43. Northwest wind 3 to 6 mph.

Have a swell Thursday.

You can email me at mike.carraggi@patch.com and follow me @PatchCarraggi.