| | |  | BY LISA KASHINSKY | ON THE ROAD AGAIN — Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito is keeping an aggressive fall schedule as 2022 looms — in just the first two weeks of November, she’s logged twice as many public events as Gov. Charlie Baker. Polito's attended 16 public events so far this month, while Baker's been to eight. Widen the lens to the past 30 days, and the trend still holds — she’s attended nearly twice the number of events as Baker, according to a Very Scientific Playbook Review (reading their schedules from the governor’s office). This tally includes events they’re both at. It doesn’t count fundraisers or the governor’s TV and radio appearances, which usually aren't on his official schedule. Polito’s events look like a Republican roadmap for shoring up support ahead of next year’s election, whether that’s for her or for the Baker-Polito team. While the handful of stops in Worcester over the past month are typical for Polito, who’s from neighboring Shrewsbury, she’s also swung through cities including Weymouth, Dartmouth, Attleboro, Taunton, Gloucester, Chicopee, Westfield, New Bedford and several communities on or near Cape Cod that have Republican pockets and/or administration-friendly mayors. Crisscrossing the state is nothing new for Polito. She traveled to all 351 cities and towns as part of the administration’s Community Compact push in 2018. She’s often tapped to dole out grants on the administration’s behalf, and has done so at six of her 16 events in November. Baker’s office said both his and Polito’s schedules these days look similar to their pre-pandemic calendars. And yet… it’s still "maybe season" in the governor’s race. Donors and politicos are clamoring for any sort of hint as to what Baker and Polito are doing in 2022 (not to mention Democratic state Attorney General Maura Healey, but that’s for another day) , so read the tea leaves as you will. GOOD FRIDAY MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS. Happy Red (Taylor’s Version) Day to all who celebrate. TODAY — Rep. Lori Trahan is at UMass Lowell’s HEROES Day at 9:30 a.m. Rep. Richard Neal and U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai talk trade at 10:30 a.m. at the UMass Club. Sen. Elizabeth Warren and National Climate Advisor Gina McCarthy talk Build Back Better at 11:45 a.m., Benjamin Franklin Institute of Technology. Rep. Jake Auchincloss tours Dighton at 12:30 p.m. LG hopeful state Rep. Tami Gouveia hosts a 6 p.m. virtual fundraiser. THIS WEEKEND — Auchincloss joins state Rep. Claire Cronin at Easton's library, 10 a.m. Saturday. Governor hopeful Geoff Diehl has a 2 p.m. Saturday fundraiser, Lowell American Legion. SHNS’s Matt Murphy and Katie Lannan are on WBZ’s “Keller at Large” at 8:30 a.m. Sunday. Warren is on WCVB’s “On the Record” at 11 a.m. Sunday. Sen. Ed Markey and state Rep. Nika Elugardo join “A Livable Future: How Can Massachusetts Lead on Climate” at 7 p.m. Sunday. Have a tip, story, suggestion, birthday, anniversary, new job, or any other nugget for the Playbook? Get in touch: lkashinsky@politico.com.
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| | DON’T MISS POLITICO’S SUSTAINABILITY SUMMIT: Join POLITICO's Sustainability Summit on Tuesday, Nov. 16 and hear leading voices from Washington, state houses, city halls, civil society and corporate America discuss the most viable policy and political solutions that balance economic, environmental and social interests. REGISTER HERE. | | | | | |  | DATELINE BEACON HILL |
| – “With nearly 100 Saint Vincent Hospital beds closed during COVID and strike, state Rep. Mary Keefe calls for emergency public hearing,” by Melissa Hanson, MassLive: “State Rep. Mary Keefe has called for an emergency public hearing related to bed closures at Saint Vincent Hospital as a nurses’ strike drags on through the COVID-19 pandemic. Nearly 100 beds at the Worcester hospital have been closed following a strike that began in March, as nurses called for safer staffing levels, and other services have been halted. Keefe has written a letter to Marylou Sudders, the secretary of the Executive Office of Health and Human Services, requesting the hearing.” – “Bunte Portrait Pitched To Recognize Trailblazer,” by Colin A. Young, State House News Service (paywall): “Doris Bunte was the first to do a lot of things, like being a Black woman elected to the Massachusetts Legislature. Though she died earlier this year, a group of Black women who said they follow in her footsteps as reps want for Bunte to claim another first -- being the first Black woman to have an official portrait hung in the Massachusetts State House.” – “Senate approves plan to spend relief money,” by Christian M. Wade, CNHI/Eagle-Tribune: “The Senate bill approved on Wednesday includes $1 billion for the state’s health care systems, $1.7 billion for workforce development, $600 million to expand housing options and $450 million to address climate change adaptation. … scores of non-pandemic related earmarks were added to the bill through the amendment process, including $50,000 for a private youth soccer program in Lawrence, $100,000 for sidewalks in Tewksbury and $8 million to help support Haitians relocated to the state following a major earthquake earlier this year.” – More: “Senate passes its $3.8 billion ARPA package: What’s in it for western Massachusetts?” by Claudia Chiappa, BU Statehouse Program/Daily Hampshire Gazette: “In western Massachusetts, there is money to improve local public health systems, provide storm damage disaster relief, and fund environmental work and internet infrastructure.” – “Baker urged to clear up unemployment insurance fund confusion,” by Bruce Mohl, CommonWealth Magazine: “A senior analyst at the Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center who is following the debate over the solvency of the state’s unemployment insurance trust fund urged the Baker administration on Thursday to clear up confusion about the fund’s financial status." – “Reps Urge Adoption Of COVID-19 Remembrance Day,” by Colin A. Young, State House News Service (paywall): “The first Monday of each March would be set aside under legislation considered Wednesday as COVID-19 Remembrance Day in Massachusetts to honor those who have died of the disease, everyone who is battling the coronavirus or its long-term effects, and the essential workers on the front lines of the state's response to the pandemic. Reps. Natalie Blais and Mindy Domb filed [the] resolution…” | | VAX-ACHUSETTS |
| – “‘The pandemic is not over’: In a worrisome trend, COVID-19 cases are rising again in Mass.,” by Martin Finucane and Ryan Huddle, Boston Globe: “Massachusetts coronavirus case numbers have lurched upward in recent days, in a worrisome development that experts say underlines the need for people to get vaccinated and to take precautions such as wearing masks in indoor public spaces. Case numbers began rising from rock-bottom levels in early July, hit a peak in mid-September, and then declined until early this month. But in the past week or so, they began to rise again. The seven-day average of reported cases was 1,182 on Nov. 3. A week later, as of Nov. 10, it had jumped to 1,481.” – “Barnstable County to workers: Get vaccine, weekly testing, or face penalty,” by Jeannette Hinkle, Cape Cod Times: “Employees who don’t comply with the policy, by providing proof they’ve had at least one dose of an approved COVID-19 vaccine or weekly testing results by Nov. 30, will be suspended without pay for five days. If employees are not in compliance at the end of the suspension, they will be fired. Workers who chose to be vaccinated must be fully vaccinated by Dec. 31, according to the policy.” | | WU TRAIN |
| – "Wu will be Boston's first millennial mayor, part of a growing wave nationally," by Callum Borchers, WBUR: "Boston Mayor-elect Michelle Wu is making history on several fronts. She is the first woman and first person of color elected to lead the city. But at 36, she is also about to become Boston's first millennial mayor. ... When Wu assumes office Tuesday, she'll take from [Fort Worth Mayor Mattie] Parker the distinction of youngest mayor among America's 25 largest cities." – “Recent violence involving Boston police could complicate Michelle Wu’s plans to reform the department,” by Danny McDonald, Boston Globe: “A recent pair of confrontations that left two suspects dead and sent four Boston police officers to the hospital could further complicate one of the thorniest policy problems Mayor-elect Michelle Wu will face after being sworn in next week: Making good on her campaign pledge to substantially overhaul the city’s approach to policing.” – “Wu calls Tuesday’s police shooting an example of large, systemic failure,” by Saraya Wintersmith, GBH News: “Boston Mayor-elect Michelle Wu called this week's police shooting a result of systemic failure Thursday. The shooting, which occurred in Dorchester Tuesday afternoon, left the alleged shooter dead and three police officers wounded.” | | WHAT CITY HALL IS READING |
| – “Three Boston city councilors eyeing council presidency,” by Sean Philip Cotter, Boston Herald: “City Councilors Ricardo Arroyo, Kenzie Bok and Ed Flynn are all in discussions with their colleagues as they each look to take the reins of the council, sources say. Each is trying to line up support among the other 10 councilors, and has at least a couple in their corner for the presidency, which lasts two years.” – “ACLU Boston Methadone Mile suit heads to lower court as tent city moves,” by Sean Philip Cotter, Boston Herald: “The ACLU’s lawsuit aimed at stopping the city from dismantling the tent city in the South End’s Methadone Mile will head to lower courts with instructions to make decisions quickly as enforcement continues — and the encampments migrate to a new location.” | | FROM THE HUB |
| – “Parents raise alarms over Boston Public Schools’ handling of COVID outbreaks,” by Gabrielle Emanuel, WBUR: “Shortly before Halloween, Kate Mitchell got an email from her children’s school, Manning Elementary in Jamaica Plain, letting her know that someone had ‘recently accessed the building and has tested positive for COVID-19 … it does not appear that anyone will need to quarantine.’ … She's one of many parents who expressed alarm about what they see as gaps in the district’s planning for school outbreaks.” – “MFA union votes to hold one-day strike next week,” by Jeremy C. Fox, Boston Globe: “The union representing about 200 workers at Boston’s Museum of Fine Arts voted Wednesday to hold a one-day strike next week, with union officials saying management refuses to budge over wages and other issues after more than seven months of contract negotiations.” | | FEELING '22 |
| – FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: Sandwich Republican Jack Carey is launching his campaign for the Plymouth and Barnstable state Senate seat currently held by Democrat Susan Moran. Moran flipped a Republican seat when she won the special election to succeed former state Sen. Viriato deMacedo in 2020; she was reelected that fall. Carey, a 53-year-old attorney and U.S. Navy veteran, said he’s a “right of center kind of guy, a fiscal conservative” who wants to help rebuild Republicans’ dwindled ranks in the Senate. The political newcomer says in his launch video he’ll represent the district’s “moderate and mainstream values.” – NEW THIS AM: State Rep. Paul Mark has been endorsed by state Reps. Lindsay Sabadosa and Natalie Blais and former state Rep. Steve Kulik in his bid for the Berkshire, Hampden, Franklin, and Hampshire state Senate seat, per his campaign. | | TODAY'S SPECIAL (ELECTION) |
| – ENDORSEMENT RECAP: Boston City Councilor Lydia Edwards has been endorsed by state Sens. Sonia Chang-Díaz, Julian Cyr, Jamie Eldridge, Becca Rausch, Cindy Friedman and Eric Lesser in her bid for the open 1st Suffolk and Middlesex state Senate seat, per her campaign. | | FROM THE DELEGATION |
| – “Rep. Jake Auchincloss warns of ‘casual mainstreaming of antisemitism’,” by Marc Rod, Jewish Insider: “The Republican and Democratic parties need to be 'on guard' against the 'causal mainstreaming of antisemitism' lest it become as pervasive as it has within the U.K.’s Labour Party, Rep. Jake Auchincloss (D-MA) warned on Wednesday. The freshman congressman, whose Boston-area district includes a sizable Jewish population, made the remarks Wednesday during a virtual event hosted by the Jewish Community Relations Council of Boston.” – “Black WWII veterans would get G.I. benefits under Seth Moulton bill,” by Amy Sokolow, Boston Herald: “The benefits of the G.I. Bill, often thought of as the path to the middle class for millions of WWII veterans, were largely denied to Black veterans. U.S. Rep. Seth Moulton, D-Salem, hopes to change that with a new bill.” | | FROM THE 413 |
| – “Chicopee to fly flags at half-staff in memory of police officer Michael Dion, who died of a heart attack on duty,” by Jeanette DeForge, Springfield Republican: “Flags will be flown at half-staff on Friday to honor the city’s longest-serving police officer, who died Wednesday after suffering a heart attack while on duty. Detective Michael J. Dion had been a police officer for 39 years and had been wearing Badge 1, assigned to the senior patrolman in the department, since Dec. 30, deputy chief Jeff Gawron said in a written statement.” – “West Springfield mayor to head town’s cryptocurrency exploratory board,” by Aprell May Munford, Springfield Republican: “Mayor William Reichelt will chair an ad hoc Cryptocurrency Exploratory Committee that will examine the benefits and risks of the rising cryptocurrency market. The committee will help determine opportunities for municipal investment, growth, and increased forms of payment options for residents and employees.” – “Who leaked complaints to the press? Scope of Monterey probe grows,” by Heather Bellow, Berkshire Eagle: “A probe into who leaked a slew of internal Town Hall complaints to the press likely will be added to a broader investigation into those same complaints, most of which were filed by town staff and officials against each other. This would bring to 20 the number of complaints, including a sexual harassment claim, about what some say is a hostile and unethical workplace." | | THE LOCAL ANGLE |
| – “No ICU beds: Boston MedFlight's operations severely impacted by capacity, staffing crisis,” by Hadley Barndollar, USA Today Network: “Boston MedFlight paramedic Mark Saia and his colleagues recently could not find a hospital that would take a patient 'actively having a heart attack.' A nonprofit providing critical care medical transportation, Boston MedFlight is now often forced to bring patients out of state – to Connecticut and Rhode Island – because beds aren't available in Massachusetts.” – “Thin ice: Community under scrutiny as toxic hockey culture comes to light,” by Jill Harmacinski and Erin Nolan, Salem News: “The Boston lawyer known for representing sex abuse victims Thursday urged the state Attorney General’s Office to investigate accusations of racism and sexual abuse by the Danvers High School varsity hockey team. Attorney Mitchell Garabedian said news media and other reports make it clear an ‘institutional coverup’ has left the public in the dark about what took place and whether laws were broken.” – “Allegations of misconduct go beyond Danvers boys’ hockey. New MIAA chief says ‘we need to intervene immediately’,” by Bob Hohler, Boston Globe: “Breaking with MIAA history — the organization has long lacked a powerful public voice to campaign against abuses in high school sports — [MIAA Executive Director Bob] Baldwin said in an interview that he plans to take a strong stand to promote civility and the safety of student-athletes, after a series of alarming incidents in his first weeks on the job.” – “Hovan decried weapons used in ‘killing sprees’ but he collected them,” by Anastasia Lennon, New Bedford Light: “Southcoast Health President Keith A. Hovan, who faces a felony charge for allegedly possessing illegal firearm ammunition, penned an impassioned plea for sensible gun policies after the 2012 massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn.” – Region’s recycling workers make progress on living wage front,” by Cole Rosengren, Dig Boston: “For the first time ever, Boston, Cambridge, and Somerville are boosting the pay for the workers who sort their recyclables after resolving a decades-long stalemate with a regional company. Each city requires that workers involved with large municipal contracts earn more money, but Casella Waste Systems — a major, publicly traded company — successfully got exemptions for years.” | | MEANWHILE IN NEW HAMPSHIRE |
| – BIDEN’S BACK: President Joe Biden will travel to Woodstock, New Hampshire, on Tuesday to discuss the recently passed bipartisan infrastructure bill. It’s Biden’s first trip to the Granite State since he fled before the polls closed on primary night in 2020 (he won the state in the general election). – “Former Gov. John Lynch says he’s ‘not even considering’ running for governor again,” by John DiStaso, WMUR: “Former Gov. John Lynch made it clear Thursday he’s not interested in making a political comeback. The moderate Democrat and only governor to have served four terms confirmed that he has been asked by friends and supporters, including Republicans, to return to politics and challenge Gov. Chris Sununu in 2022. But in an exclusive interview, Lynch told WMUR: “Running for governor is not something I’m even considering.’” HAPPY BIRTHDAY – to Seekonk state Rep. Steven Howitt, Insider’s Haven Orecchio-Egresitz, MassINC alum Winthrop Roosevelt, Tim Urban, Devra First and Playbook superfan Laura Kashinsky. HAPPY BIRTHWEEKEND — to Gov. Charlie Baker, who turns 65; NECN’s Sue O’Connell; Sudbury state Rep. Carmine Gentile, Monica Scalpato Burke and POLITICO alum Jonathan Topaz , who celebrate Saturday; and to Todd Feathers, a Lowell Sun alum, and Tamika Olszewski, who celebrate Sunday. NEW HORSE RACE ALERT: THE SENATE'S REVOLUTIONARY MENTAL HEALTH BILL — State Sen. Julian Cyr (D-Truro) joins hosts Steve Koczela and Lisa Kashinsky to discuss the Senate's new bill to treat mental health like physical health. Kashinsky breaks down the South Coast congressional redistricting schism. Subscribe and listen on iTunes and Sound Cloud. Want to make an impact? POLITICO Massachusetts has a variety of solutions available for partners looking to reach and activate the most influential people in the Bay State. Have a petition you want signed? A cause you’re promoting? Seeking to increase brand awareness among this key audience? Share your message with our influential readers to foster engagement and drive action. Contact Jesse Shapiro to find out how: jshapiro@politico.com. | |
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