POLITICO Massachusetts Playbook: Wu’s big week

 

BY LISA KASHINSKY Presented by Associated Industries of Massachusetts PUT TO THE TEST — Boston Mayor Michelle Wu is about to face two of the biggest tests yet of her young administration. Wednesday is Wu’s self-imposed deadline for clearing tents from the Massachusetts Avenue and Melnea Cass Boulevard corridor and connecting the 140-plus people living in encampments there with housing, substance-use treatment and other services (about 60 have already been placed into housing). She faces myriad pressures and competing interests — winter weather, the raging Omicron variant, neighborhood businesses and civil rights groups among them — as she tries to find solutions to the area’s twin housing and opioid epidemics that have eluded her predecessors. Wu will hold a press conference at City Hall at 10 a.m. Wu’s vaccine mandate for city workers and her proof-of-vaccination requirement for some businesses goes into effect on Saturday. It’s drawn mixed reviews from businesses, and it’s also spurred multiple (mostly small) protests at city events and a lawsuit by members of Boston First Responders United, the leader of which was just placed on leave from the Boston Police Department. Wu defended her stricter vaccine requirement for city workers, a departure from the city’s previous policy that gave workers the option for weekly testing, on WBZ’s “Keller at Large.” “You can’t test frequently enough,” Wu said. “We can’t keep up with the demand, given some supply chain issues. So we’re going to keep putting testing out there. But that should be on top of vaccination, not instead of.” Wu is also starting to challenge Gov. Charlie Baker’s Covid-19 policies. She reiterated her call for more flexibility around remote learning during Covid surges while appearing on WCVB’s “On the Record.” Baker and state education officials aren’t letting remote learning days count toward schools’ required 180 days of classes. “When staffing levels mean we are almost unable to keep certain schools open, we do have to then make that choice of whether we call it a snow day and have no programming at all for our students regardless of the weather, or we allow for some remote flexibility,” Wu said on OTR. “During a surge when there are staffing issues that are driving these decisions, it is in the best interest of everyone to make sure that we have flexibility.” Wu won praise from OTR pundits on both sides of the aisle Sunday for her first few weeks as mayor. The perceived success of her first 100 days — and maybe beyond — will hinge in large part on how well she handles both Mass and Cass and the pandemic. — with Anne Brandes GOOD MONDAY MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS. Don’t talk to me about the Patriots and their air-conditioned benches . Do email me your tips and scoops: lkashinsky@politico.com. TODAY — Gov. Charlie Baker, Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito and House and Senate leaders meet for their leadership meeting at 2 p.m. at the State House. Suffolk District Attorney Rachael Rollins will be sworn in as U.S. attorney for Massachusetts in a private ceremony; SORB Chair Kevin Hayden takes over for Rollins in the DA’s office.   A message from Associated Industries of Massachusetts: The 2022 State of Massachusetts Business Address will look at all the challenges and opportunities that employers face at the dawn of a new year. Join us as AIM President and CEO, John Regan, summarizes the Massachusetts business economy in 2021, comments on what it will mean for 2022, and gets feedback from some of the region’s top business executives. Register here   DATELINE BEACON HILL – BAKER TO TESTIFY: Frustrated lawmakers are hauling in Gov. Charlie Baker and Health and Human Services Sec. Marylou Sudders to talk about the state’s Omicron response. Baker and Sudders will testify before the Legislature’s Covid-19 oversight committee on Tuesday afternoon, the committee co-chairs said. – “New student loan ombudsman gets nearly 400 requests for help,” by Shira Schoenberg, CommonWealth Magazine: “In its first six months of existence, an ombudsman’s office tasked with addressing complaints about the student loan industry has gotten 393 complaints and requests for help. The complaints came in despite the fact that the Biden administration has paused repayment of federal student loans during the pandemic.” – “Will Charlie Baker commute a convicted murderer’s life sentence?” by Matt Stout and Shelley Murphy, Boston Globe: “The looming decision, expected in some form this week, could have far-reaching legal and political reverberations for other inmates seeking their freedom, Baker’s legacy, and the rarely used measure of gubernatorial mercy in Massachusetts. Baker’s choice comes in the case of Thomas E. Koonce, a Brockton native who has spent nearly three decades in prison for the 1987 slaying of a New Bedford man.” – “Report calls for state oversight of home care services,” by Christian M. Wade, CNHI/Newburyport Daily News: “Massachusetts is among 20 states that don't license home-care services that clean, cook and provide companionship for elderly and homebound individuals. But a state commission is calling for such businesses to be integrated into the regulatory system by creating a process to license and oversee their operations.” – “$876m Mass. tax workaround set in motion,” by Bruce Mohl, CommonWealth Magazine: “A tax change designed to help some wealthy Massachusetts residents recover a portion of a lucrative federal tax break they lost four years ago kicked into gear in December, when a group of so-called pass-through businesses paid $876 million in excise taxes to the state.” – “Springfield Mayor Sarno backs Gov. Baker bill to toughen ‘dangerousness’ legislation,” by Patrick Johnson, Springfield Republican: “Mayor Domenic J. Sarno, a frequent critic in recent years of judges for granting bail to what he calls violent repeat offenders, on Friday came out in support of Gov. Charlie Baker’s bill that would expand the grounds under which a suspect may be held without bail.” – “Lowell senator files resolution in support of free and fair elections in Cambodia,” by Trea Lavery, Lowell Sun: “State Sen. Ed Kennedy is calling for the state to take a stand in support of free and fair elections in Cambodia. … Several elected officials and activists from Lowell, which has the second-highest Cambodian population in the United States, also spoke in favor of Kennedy’s resolution.”   BECOME A GLOBAL INSIDER: The world is more connected than ever. It has never been more essential to identify, unpack and analyze important news, trends and decisions shaping our future — and we’ve got you covered! Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, Global Insider author Ryan Heath navigates the global news maze and connects you to power players and events changing our world. Don’t miss out on this influential global community. Subscribe now.     VAX-ACHUSETTS – “‘Turned out to be a fiasco’: Mask controversy erodes Mass. educators’ faith in state,” by Jenna Russell and Bianca Vázquez Toness, Boston Globe: “Massachusetts educators — already stressed by a record surge in COVID-19 cases — reacted with disappointment and frustration this week when they learned that masks distributed by the state are a less protective, non-medical version of the high-quality KN95 masks they’d been promised. The ones thousands of them received had lost FDA approval in 2020. And as a chaotic week of school reentry ended Friday, state leaders still had not explained how the lower-quality masks made it into circulation, or how much they spent on them…” – “State issues COVID-19 booster mandate for nursing home workers,” by Amanda Beland, WBUR: “More nursing home workers will now be forced to roll up their sleeves and get a COVID-19 booster — or risk losing their jobs. That’s thanks to a statewide booster mandate for all eligible nursing home staff handed down by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health. The state set a Feb. 28 deadline for receiving the additional vaccination.” – “Omicron whips through the workforce, pushing overstretched staffs to the brink,” by Katie Johnston, Boston Globe: “As Omicron whips through the workforce, caregiving agencies are turning away new patients. Restaurants are shutting down. Construction jobs are being delayed. Retailers, including Macy’s, are limiting hours. And some small business owners are at the breaking point.” – “Pharmacists face pandemic burnout, too,” by Amy Sokolow, Boston Herald: “Mike Reppucci, who has owned Cambridge’s Inman Pharmacy since 1984, had three of seven pharmacists out this past week due to COVID and one on parental leave. He had to pick up 30 extra hours to fill the gaps, and other staffers have worked 10 to 20 hours extra. He even enlisted his son — an EMT who’s certified to do so — to administer COVID vaccines.” – “Stuck in a long line for a COVID-19 test in Mass.? Here’s why,” by Callum Borchers, WBUR: “Images of people standing in line for testing have become so common in recent weeks that an explanation by CIC Health Chief Executive Tim Rowe may come as a surprise. In many cases, he said, there’s not actually a shortage of testing equipment. There’s a shortage of sites and people to operate them.” – “UMass study: Breastfeeding moms pass COVID antibodies to infants,” by Dusty Christensen, Daily Hampshire Gazette. – “Parents, students frustrated as Framingham pauses sports and extracurriculars for 2 weeks amid surge in COVID-19 cases,” by Kim Lucey, 7News. FROM THE HUB – “At Mass. and Cass, word is spreading: The tents are coming down and housing is available,” by Milton J. Valencia and Shirley Leung, Boston Globe: “At the homeless encampments at Newmarket Square, city crews have been posting fliers on the tarps and tents lined up along the chain-link fences, proclaiming that ‘The City of Boston Will Conduct a Cleanup of This Public Space.’ All items must be removed by Jan. 12, this coming Wednesday, the fliers instruct. The cleanup will take place at 8 a.m. that day.” – “Head of anti-vaccine-mandate Boston first responders group placed on leave,” by Sean Philip Cotter, Boston Herald: “The Boston Police Department has put the most vocal critic of the city’s vaccine mandate on leave amid an internal-affairs investigation a week ahead of the jab deadline. … A spokesman said it’s due to an open internal affairs investigation.” – “Boston police task force members worry that oversight office could stagnate,” by Sean Philip Cotter, Boston Herald: “Police reform task force members are fretting that the city’s new Boston Police oversight office is in danger of stagnating, with key seats still unfilled and an uncertain balance of power that could turn it into ‘just another bureaucratic office.’”   A message from Associated Industries of Massachusetts:     PLANES, TRAINS AND AUTOMOBILES – “‘People are driving recklessly’: More than 400 people died on Massachusetts roads last year, a 19% spike from 2020,” by Rick Sobey, Boston Herald: “The state Department of Transportation’s traffic-related-fatality data shows that 408 people died on Massachusetts roads in 2021. This includes drivers, passengers in vehicles, bicyclists and pedestrians. The 408 deaths is a 19% spike from the 2020 tally of 343 fatalities. The total surpassing 400 deaths is more crash fatalities than any year since 2009.” – “MBTA driver shortage made worse by COVID surge,” by Taylor Dolven, Boston Globe: “Amid record high cases in the state, more bus drivers are calling in sick, and on some recent days the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority had to drop as many bus trips as it did before it made the schedule cuts — about one in 20 — leaving riders waiting longer in the cold.” – “175 ‘MBTA Communities’ will have to start increasing multi-family zoning this year,” by Amy Sokolow, Boston Herald: “The new draft guidelines, released just before the end of the year, specify that an MBTA community must have ‘at least one zoning district of reasonable size in which multi-family housing is permitted as of right,’ the policy states.” DAY IN COURT – “Cohasset, DCF, former principal tied up in court amid ongoing Knight sex abuse scandal,” by Joe Difazio, Patriot Ledger: “Cohasset Public Schools and an arbitrator are suing the state’s Department of Children and Families and several of its investigators to force them to testify in a wrongful termination case brought by a fired principal in the wake of the Jeffrey Knight scandal.” FROM THE 413 – “Veterans in Holyoke Soldiers’ Home dorm for the homeless face uncertain futures as closure of program looms,” by Stephanie Barry, Springfield Republican: “[Ed] Karczmarczyk is among a handful of men left at the facility’s 30-bed domiciliary program, which opened for homeless veterans in 1972. The dorm essentially operates as an extension of the main home, with access to meals and other services and is a stone’s throw from the primary building. The domiciliary program is set to close March 31 to make way for the adult day health program, expected to serve about 150 veterans, a spokeswoman for the soldier’s home said.” – “Downtown Pittsfield steps into the digital age with $100K grant for public Wi-Fi network,” by Meg Britton-Mehlisch, Berkshire Eagle: “Mayor Linda Tyer will ask the new City Council at its first meeting Tuesday to accept an almost $100,000 grant from the state’s Community Compact IT program. What the city will gain in return: a free publicly accessible Wi-Fi network set to cover downtown and Morningside and West Side neighborhoods.” – “Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno appoints members to residency oversight commission ahead of City Council vote,” by Patrick Johnson, Springfield Republican: “Following a judge’s finding last month that the city has failed to enforce its own employee residency requirement for more than 25 years, Mayor Domenic Sarno on Friday announced several appointments to an oversight committee that has been dormant since the mid-1990s.” – “Two Catholic parishes in Berkshires adjust their policies after 'imprudent' priest’s abrupt departure,” by Lawrence Parnass, Berkshire Eagle: “Days after the Rev. Barrent Pease was removed by his bishop for 'imprudent' actions, parishes in Adams and Cheshire appear to be dropping unpopular policies Pease instituted, including what parishioners say were restrictions on eulogies and the use of music during funeral services.”   STEP INSIDE THE WEST WING: What's really happening in West Wing offices? Find out who's up, who's down, and who really has the president’s ear in our West Wing Playbook newsletter, the insider's guide to the Biden White House and Cabinet. For buzzy nuggets and details that you won't find anywhere else, subscribe today.     THE LOCAL ANGLE – “’Mutual healing time’ at St. V: Can striking nurses, replacements hospital work together?” by Cyrus Moulton, Worcester Telegram & Gazette: “[St. Vincent Hospital CEO Carolyn] Jackson said that, while all striking nurses are welcome, she guessed about 400 of the 600 nurses who were still on strike will return to the hospital. Many of the nurses who went on strike have moved on to other jobs elsewhere over the course of the last 10 months, she noted.” – More: “Final bill: St. Vincent paid city more than $4.1M for police detail during nurses' strike,” by Dave Nordman, Worcester Telegram & Gazette. – “Newly affirmed, tribe looks at casino plans with fresh eyes,” by Philip Marcelo, The Associated Press: “As he begins his first full year in office, [Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe Chairman Brian Weeden] says he intends to take a cautious approach to gambling while turning attention to social challenges and other economic opportunities for its members.” – “Mayor’s committee assignments reflect changing city — and changing council,” by Steven H. Foskett Jr., Worcester Telegram & Gazette: “The City Council is as diverse as it’s ever been and it’s getting younger, and [Worcester Mayor Joseph M.] Petty said last week he wanted his committee assignments — one of the few special powers the mayor has under the ‘weak mayor’ form of government in Worcester — to reflect that.” – “New Lawrence mayor says it’s now the people’s turn,” by Bruce Mohl, CommonWealth Magazine: “It’s [Lawrence Mayor Brian A. DePeña’s] mayor-of-the-people approach that has resonated with voters in this community of 89,000 people — 81 percent of whom are Latinos like DePeña. His politics is a blend of populism and fiscal conservatism. Clean streets are a top priority for him, as is holding the line on taxes and moving homeless people out of the city’s parks.” – “A Soldier Sent a Letter to His Mom in 1945. It Was Just Delivered,” by Michael Levenson, The New York Times: “A letter from a 22-year-old U.S. Army sergeant serving in Germany was finally delivered last month to his widow in Woburn, Mass.” – IN MEMORIAM: “Lani Guinier’s legacy lives on in the people and policies she shaped,” by Tori Bedford, GBH News. MEANWHILE IN NEW HAMPSHIRE – “Morse decides to run for U.S. Senate, to file paperwork this week, formal launch later in month,” by John DiStaso, WMUR: “State Senate President Chuck Morse has decided to become a candidate for the U.S. Senate in 2022 and plans to file a statement of organization creating a campaign committee with the Federal Election Commission on Wednesday … Morse, 61, of Salem, will be the second Republican to formally become a candidate to challenge Democratic U.S. Sen. Maggie Hassan, joining retired Brig. Gen. Donald Bolduc.” WHAT ELSE YOU SHOULD BE READING – "Omicron is surging — and Democrats aren’t shutting things down this time," by Lisa Kashinsky and Susannah Luthi, POLITICO: "From New York to California, Democratic mayors and governors are fighting to keep schools and businesses open with an urgency they haven’t flexed before in the pandemic." – “‘Why Is Child Marriage Still Legal?’: A Young Lawmaker Tackles a Hidden Problem,” by Erick Trickey, POLITICO: “[State Rep. Cassie Levesque] wanted New Hampshire to become the first state to raise its minimum marriage age to 18, with no exceptions. … This year, Massachusetts may become the seventh state to ban child marriage. Rep. Kay Khan, the bill’s author, has lined up two-thirds of Massachusetts’ senators and House members as co-sponsors. … Khan’s effort in Massachusetts seems to be moving forward, even as Levesque’s in New Hampshire has stalled.” – LISTEN: “Eyeing governor’ s seat, state Sen. Chang-Díaz talks accomplishments on Beacon Hill,” by Arun Rath and Ava Sasani, All Things Considered. SPOTTED – at the Patriots game in Miami: Former Lt. Gov. Jane Swift. TRANSITIONS – Samuel Gebru is no longer director of policy and public affairs at the Black Economic Council of Massachusetts; he hasn’t shared what’s next. Kemi Giwa is now deputy comms director for the House Financial Services Committee. She previously was press secretary for Rep. Seth Moulton. HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Chris Buchanan, Samantha Hooper and Jonathan D. Sarna. Happy belated to Alexis Orzeck, who celebrated Saturday; and to former Rep. Mike Capuano, state House Minority Leader Brad Jones, Dan Black, Amy Mahler, Sasha Goodfriend, Shanice Wallace, Kevin Walther, Gustavo Quiroga and Marjorie Nesin, who celebrated Sunday. 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.   A message from Associated Industries of Massachusetts: Where does the Massachusetts economy go now, almost two years into an unprecedented public health crisis that has scrambled the job market, disrupted global supply chains and redefined the very nature of work? Associated Industries of Massachusetts (AIM), the state’s largest business association, serves more than 3,300 businesses representing 150 different industries in the Commonwealth. We hear from our members daily about their challenges and opportunities which gives us an extraordinarily unique perspective on the Massachusetts business community. Join us Friday January 21st at 7:30 for the State of Massachusetts Business address as AIM President and CEO, John Regan, summarizes the Massachusetts business economy in 2021, comments on what it will mean for 2022, and gets feedback from some of the region’s top business executives. Register here     Follow us on Twitter Lisa Kashinsky @lisakashinsky   Subscribe to the POLITICO Playbook family Playbook  |  Playbook PM  |  California Playbook  |  Florida Playbook  |  Illinois Playbook  |  Massachusetts Playbook  |  New Jersey Playbook  |  New York Playbook  |  Ottawa Playbook  |  Brussels Playbook  |  London Playbook View all our politics and policy newsletters FOLLOW US

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POLITICO Massachusetts Playbook: The most popular race in the state

 

BY LISA KASHINSKY WHO WANTS TO BE LG — There’s a wide-open governor’s seat for the taking this fall; yet all anyone seems to want to be is the lieutenant. The state’s No. 2 job brings little formal responsibility. But it’s been attracting outsize attention ever since Gov. Charlie Baker and Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito decided not to seek reelection — to the point where the Boston Globe's twice deemed it the "hottest race" in the state. Now there’s more: FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: DRISCOLL STAFFS UP — Salem Mayor Kim Driscoll is laying the groundwork for a potential LG campaign. Driscoll has tapped Juan Gallego as campaign manager. Gallago served as the statewide Latinx organizing manager for Sen. Ed Markey’s 2020 campaign. Katie Prisco-Buxbaum, an alum of Andrea Campbell’s mayoral bid and Jesse Mermell’s congressional campaign, will serve as general consultant. Prisco-Buxbaum is also consulting on state Sen. Sonia Chang-Díaz's gubernatorial bid. Driscoll is “seriously considering” a run for LG and has been fielding encouraging phone calls from fellow mayors. If she takes the plunge, she'll face Democratic state Sens. Eric Lesser and Adam Hinds , state Rep. Tami Gouveia and businessman Bret Bero. Dan Koh, Labor Secretary Marty Walsh’s chief of staff, and Salem School Committee member Manny Cruz are among those mulling bids. NEW: GOUVEIA ENDORSEMENTS — Gouveia, the first candidate in the LG race, is rolling out 14 new endorsements today. They are: state Reps. Carmine Gentile, Pat Kearney, Carol Doherty and Michelle DuBois; Boston City Councilor Julia Mejia; Carla Monteiro; Acton Select Board members David Martin and Himaja Nagireddy; Acton-Boxborough school board members Kyra Wilson Cook, Amy Krishnamurthy and Tessa McKinley; Braintree School Committee's Kelly Cobb-Lemire; Berkeley School Committee's Jennifer Vincent and Springfield School Committee's LaTonia Monroe Naylor. GOOD WEDNESDAY MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS. With Lesser running for LG, the scramble to be his successor in the First Hampden and Hampshire state Senate district is on. First-term Ludlow state Rep. Jake Oliveira is eyeing the seat and says he’s “likely to make an announcement" in the next few weeks. Veteran Springfield state Rep. Angelo Puppolo told me he’s “definitely looking at it” and that his phone’s been “burning up.” Sydney Levin-Epstein, a Markey and Lesser campaign alum, said she’s “strongly considering running.” Longmeadow Select Board Chair Marc Strange , who’s also Agawam's director of planning and community development, told me he’s “having conversations” with family and others about a potential run. The Springfield Republican’s Jim Kinney has more on all four plus the full rundown of who might be in or out. Running for something? Email me: lkashinsky@politico.com. TODAY — Secretary of State Bill Galvin opens a Commonwealth Museum “Defending Democracy” special exhibit at 1 p.m. and attends a 5 p.m. lantern-lighting ceremony at the Old North Church to remember the U.S. Capitol riot. Rep. Jake Auchincloss talks his first year in Congress with the Charles River Regional Chamber at 4 p.m. Rep. Seth Moulton hosts “ Building Inclusive Teams & Communities in Massachusetts’ Sixth District” at 5 p.m.   BECOME A GLOBAL INSIDER: The world is more connected than ever. It has never been more essential to identify, unpack and analyze important news, trends and decisions shaping our future — and we’ve got you covered! Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, Global Insider author Ryan Heath navigates the global news maze and connects you to power players and events changing our world. Don’t miss out on this influential global community. Subscribe now.     THE LATEST NUMBERS – “Massachusetts reports 16,621 new coronavirus cases, breakthrough infections surge,” by Rick Sobey, Boston Herald: “The state Department of Public Health reported 45,029 breakthrough cases in the week between Christmas and New Year’s, a 122% spike from the previous week as the extremely contagious omicron variant spreads at an astronomical rate. The 16,621 new daily cases on Tuesday are the third highest case count of the entire pandemic, following two days of more than 21,000 infections last week.” DATELINE BEACON HILL – BACK TO BUSINESS: The second year of the legislative session formally gets underway today (though the State House itself remains closed to the public). To mark the occasion, Playbook asked House Speaker Ron Mariano and Senate President Karen Spilka to share their priorities beyond the pandemic: Spilka is looking to get Senate-passed bills to enshrine mail-in voting and expand access to mental health signed into law this year. “At the same time, I am excited for the Senate to address the critical issue of child care — a crucial piece of our effort to bolster intergenerational care. The Senate also plans to look at reforms to the criminal legal system and how it disproportionately impacts underserved youth and adults, as well as revisit the Senate’s prescription drug cost containment legislation, known as the PACT Act,” Spilka said. Mariano is prioritizing developing the state’s offshore wind industry and passing a reform bill to increase oversight of the Holyoke and Chelsea Soldiers’ Homes. “The House of Representatives has been a leader in offshore wind and will continue to advance this industry in Massachusetts. If we want to lead our clean energy future, we must improve our bidding process to remain competitive with neighboring states, invest in our port infrastructure, and incentivize economic development opportunities,” Mariano said. – “Many Massachusetts state lawmakers earning six-figure salaries, state payroll shows,” by Erin Tiernan, Boston Herald: “State Sen. Cynthia Friedman was the highest-earning lawmaker of 2021, taking home $220,544, state payroll data shows. The Arlington Democrat earned more than $41,000 more than the next highest earner, Speaker of the House Ronald Mariano. Mariano, D-Quincy, collected $179,276. His counterpart in the Senate and the Legislature’s third-highest earner Senate President Karen Spilka, D-Ashland, was paid $178,276.” – “Commission Wrestles With Incarceration Costs, Benefits,” by Chris Lisinski, State House News Service (paywall): “The incarcerated population in Massachusetts has been dropping steadily for close to a decade at the same time that spending on corrections has been growing, divergent trends that prompted reform advocates to call Tuesday for more transparent reporting from state government.” – “Massachusetts legislators propose free college for law enforcement to boost new recruits,” by Amy Sokolow, Boston Herald: “As new potential recruits to the police force plummet, some state lawmakers have proposed a creative workaround to both boost recruits and diversify the police: free tuition.” – "Massachusetts Teachers Association president supports bill that would extend in-school mask mandate through June," by Michael Bonner, MassLive: “Lawmakers listened to hours of testimony from community members threatening to remove their children from schools in Massachusetts if a bill is passed requiring all children older than 2 years of age to wear a mask. Amid the anger toward the bill, the president of the Massachusetts Teachers Association supported the bill.” VAX-ACHUSETTS – “‘We may reach a level of staff absences that compromises our ability to safely operate’: Schools hammered by COVID grapple to remain open,” by Travis Andersen and Bianca Vázquez Toness, Boston Globe: “Boston central staff administrators are rolling out lesson plans. Teachers aides in Lowell are stepping in to oversee students — anything to keep classes going while schools try to ride out the latest and most contagious COVID surge so far." – “Major hospital systems mandate COVID-19 boosters for staff,” by Felice J. Freyer and Amanda Kaufman, Boston Globe: “Mass General Brigham, Beth Israel Lahey Health, Wellforce (the parent company of Tufts Medical Center), and the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute informed employees Tuesday that they must present documentation of a booster shot within the next several weeks. Boston Children’s Hospital said Tuesday that it also intends to require booster shots but had not yet worked out details such as the deadline for compliance.” – “COVID is raging at some, but not all, congregate care facilities in Mass.,” by Deborah Becker, WBUR: “State data suggest that so far in some congregate care facilities, there has been no spike in cases. In others, the jump is dramatic. The biggest spike in positive coronavirus tests was observed inside group homes for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities that are operated by private vendors, according to state data released on Dec. 28.” – “'No ICU beds left': Massachusetts hospitals are maxed out as COVID continues to surge,” by Craig LeMoult, GBH News: “Dr. Melisa Lai-Becker, the medical director for the emergency department at Cambridge Health Alliance's Everett Hospital, spent much of Monday afternoon urgently calling hospitals all over the state. 'I was searching for an ICU [intensive care unit] bed for one of our patients, and every single facility is full,' she said." – “Biz groups speak out against local COVID-19 restrictions,” by Christian M. Wade, CNHI/Eagle-Tribune: “Business groups are urging local governments to back off from tougher COVID-19 restrictions and provide more financial relief for employers struggling to survive amid the prolonged pandemic.” – “COVID Detecting Dogs Begin Working In 3 Massachusetts School Districts,” by CBS Boston: “COVID sniffing police K-9s will be in some Massachusetts schools this week. The one-year-old labs with the Bristol County Sheriff’s Office have been trained to detect COVID-19. On Wednesday, Huntah and Duke will go to work in Freetown, Lakeville and Norton school districts.” FROM THE HUB – NEW this AM: Sandy Zamor Calixte is running for Suffolk County sheriff. The daughter of Haitian immigrants, Zamor Calixte has worked her way up through the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Department since 2006, most recently serving as chief of communications and external affairs. She’ll launch her campaign this morning in Mattapan. Current Suffolk County Sheriff Steve Tompkins couldn’t immediately be reached about his 2022 plans. – "BPDA staffer weighs run for Miranda’s House seat," by Gintautas Dumcius, Dorchester Reporter: "Christopher Worrell, a 36-year-old lifelong Dorchester resident, is talking with family members and friends about a run. [He's the] younger brother of newly elected District 4 Councillor Brian Worrell." – “Mayor Wu explores Long Island, the possibility of a long-term recovery plan for those at Mass. and Cass,” by Milton J. Valencia, Boston Globe: “ Boston is on track to create new, transitional housing for up to 150 people living at the tent encampments near the area known as Mass. and Cass by a Jan. 12 deadline, Mayor Michelle Wu said Tuesday, after taking a morning boat ride to Long Island to explore the possibility of rebuilding a more long-term recovery campus for people in mental health and substance abuse treatment.” – Wu said the Long Island plans are in the “very early stages” and that the city will need to determine who a campus there would serve — those just entering recovery or those further along in the process, reports the Boston Herald’s Sean Philip Cotter. Meanwhile, GBH News’ Saraya Wintersmith writes that Wu “has picked up the fight against the city of Quincy and the Native American tribes attempting to intervene in the legal dispute over a new bridge to Long Island.” – “Mayor Wu vows Boston will address its ‘unacceptable’ COVID-19 testing wait times,” by Christopher Gavin, Boston.com: “Wu told reporters that officials are looking to open more sites, including a higher capacity site. … Boston Public Health Commission Director Dr. Bisola Ojikutu said the city has a goal to open at least three new testing sites in the coming weeks throughout Boston.” – “Already battered by pandemic, restaurants wrestle with Omicron outbreaks,” by Elizabeth Koh, Boston Globe: “Partway through her shift the Sunday before Christmas, a server at Fox & the Knife in South Boston started feeling sick. She worried it wasn’t just a headache. There were whispers among employees at the Italian restaurant that colleagues at its sister establishment, Bar Volpe, had tested positive for COVID the day before, Dec. 18, and staff sometimes moved between the two places. But Fox & the Knife remained open as usual, with no word from management. ‘I think I might have COVID,’ the worker — who requested anonymity for fear of retribution — said she told her manager that day. She recalled his reply: ‘I think I have it too.’” THE RACE FOR CITY HALL – FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: Tania Del Rio is staffing up in her campaign for the District 1 Boston City Council seat likely being vacated by Lydia Edwards in coming weeks. Olivia Roskill will be Del Rio’s campaign manager; Izzy Klein will serve as field director; Josh Schmidt joins as treasurer and Andrea Werner Solorzano as a campaign fellow. Del Rio has also tapped Brian Muldoon and Chavez Group partners Doug Chavez and Eldin L. Villafañe as general consultants. PLANES, TRAINS AND AUTOMOBILES – “FTA appears to greenlight Boston’s fare-free bus trial,” by Bruce Mohl, CommonWealth Magazine: “ The Federal Transit Administration issued a statement on Monday suggesting the agency would have little problem with Boston Mayor Michelle Wu’s plan to launch a two-year experiment with fare-free buses on three MBTA routes.” – “MBTA double-dipper paid $75,000 here last year,” by Joe Dwinell, Boston Herald: “An MBTA double-dipper who worked at both the T and Denver’s transit agency ended up collecting $75,000 here, records show." FEELING '22 – FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: Emily Burns, a Republican challenging Rep. Jake Auchincloss in the 4th District, will report raising $106,000 last quarter, according to her campaign. Burns also loaned herself $250,000 to kickstart her campaign. – “Two Western Mass senators face off in lieutenant governor race,” by Shira Schoenberg, CommonWealth Magazine: “Sen. Eric Lesser’s decision Tuesday to jump into the primary race for lieutenant governor will pit the Longmeadow Democrat against Pittsfield Sen. Adam Hinds, who launched his campaign in October. … While the race is now more likely to pay attention to issues important to the western part of the state, the danger is that the two Western Mass pols could cancel each other out in a crowded field and make it easier for a politician from the eastern part of the state to win the election.” DAY IN COURT – “With Jasiel Correia's prison date looming, court grants an extension for appeal filings,” by Jo C. Goode, Herald News: “Former Fall River mayor Jasiel Correia II, scheduled to self-surrender to a yet-undisclosed federal prison next Monday to begin serving a six-year sentence on a fraud and corruption conviction, was granted two more months to file briefs with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit, where he could be seeking a new trial.” DATELINE D.C. – “Behind the scenes, but at the scene of the crime: Congressional staffers recall the lingering trauma of the Jan. 6 attack,” by Jazmine Ulloa, Boston Globe: “Sarah Groh, chief of staff for Massachusetts Representative Ayanna Pressley, still does not know what happened to the panic buttons. … Their disappearance is one of many details from the Jan. 6 insurrection that remain under investigation, and a memory that continues to haunt her.” FROM THE 413 – “Nursing home owners blame Medicaid shortfalls for staffing struggles. Critics say they're being cheap for profit,” by Heather Bellow, Berkshire Eagle: “The people who run Berkshire County’s nursing homes agree with their critics that workers need better wages — and the buildings need more staff — to provide a higher quality of care. They disagree about how to do this." – “New Holyoke councilor Israel Rivera ends contention by quitting school job,” by Dusty Christensen, Daily Hampshire Gazette: “The lead-up to Monday’s meeting of the Holyoke City Council was filled with dramatic moments, including councilors and members of the public yelling at one another during several recent council meetings. But when the council’s 13 members sat down for their first meeting Monday, the expectation of more conflict melted away after At-large Councilor Israel Rivera announced that he had resigned from his job with Holyoke Public Schools — a position some said disqualified him from serving as a councilor.” THE LOCAL ANGLE – “Boxborough police chief placed on paid leave,” by Bruce Mohl, CommonWealth Magazine: “The Boxborough Select Board placed Police Chief Warren Ryder on paid administrative leave Tuesday. No explanation was given, but the board had previously asked the FBI to investigate allegations that members of the Police Department had received stipends for advanced degrees they had not earned as well as comp and holiday time to which they were not entitled.” – “Amid process dispute, Barnstable County asks for public input on ARPA spending,” by Jeannette Hinkle, Cape Cod Times: “Squabbling continues over the roles that Barnstable County’s legislative and executive branches should play in spending more than $41 million in federal American Rescue Plan Act relief money as county officials turn their focus to soliciting community input on how the massive pot of funding could benefit Cape Codders.” – THERE’S ALWAYS A MASSACHUSETTS CONNECTION: “I’m from Boston. We don’t have strong accents,” new LSU football coach Brian Kelly — who is *checks notes* from Chelsea and is the son of a former Chelsea alderman — said on live television last night after facing criticism for apparently possibly faking a southern accent when he joined the team from Notre Dame, which your Playbook scribe has been informed is a big deal in the college football world. – THERE’S ALWAYS A MASSACHUSETTS CONNECTION II: "College students from Mass. were stranded for hours after being trapped in major Virginia snowstorm," by Amanda Kaufman, Boston Globe. – THERE’S ALWAYS A MASSACHUSETTS CONNECTION III: “[Randolph native] Audie Cornish leaving NPR and ‘All Things Considered’ to ‘try something new’,” by Brittany Bowker, Boston Globe. TRANSITIONS — Dr. Atul Gawande has been confirmed as assistant administrator of USAID’s Bureau for Global Health. FAREWELL — To Beacon Hill staple High Spot Deli. HAPPY BIRTHDAY — to Holly Morse. Happy belated to Boston City Councilor Tania Fernandes Anderson. REWIND — I joined WBUR's Tiziana Dearing and Gary Daffin, co-chair of the Massachusetts Gay and Lesbian Political Caucus, on "Radio Boston" to talk the upcoming year in #mapoli. 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.   STEP INSIDE THE WEST WING: What's really happening in West Wing offices? Find out who's up, who's down, and who really has the president’s ear in our West Wing Playbook newsletter, the insider's guide to the Biden White House and Cabinet. For buzzy nuggets and details that you won't find anywhere else, subscribe today.       Follow us on Twitter Lisa Kashinsky @lisakashinsky   Subscribe to the POLITICO Playbook family Playbook  |  Playbook PM  |  California Playbook  |  Florida Playbook  |  Illinois Playbook  |  Massachusetts Playbook  |  New Jersey Playbook  |  New York Playbook  |  Ottawa Playbook  |  Brussels Playbook  |  London Playbook View all our politics and policy newsletters FOLLOW US

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