POLITICO Massachusetts Playbook: Inside the South Coast schism

 

BY LISA KASHINSKY WE ARE NEVER EVER GETTING BACK TOGETHER/SO HAPPY TOGETHER — After five hours of arguments for and against a redistricting map that would split Fall River and New Bedford into two different congressional districts, Assistant House Majority Leader Mike Moran paused and shook his head. “I didn’t think this was going to be a big deal,” the House redistricting chair said, sounding equal parts exhausted and bewildered. Boy was he wrong. To recap: Fall River is currently split roughly in half between Rep. Jake Auchincloss’s 4th District and Rep. Bill Keating’s 9th District; New Bedford is completely in the 9th. The proposed redistricting map would put all of Fall River in the 4th, while New Bedford would remain in the 9th. Discord over the disunion came to a head at yesterday's public hearing. One side argued that the proposed map would empower Fall River by making it the most populous city in the 4th District. The other claimed breaking up Fall River and New Bedford would weaken the entire region’s federal advocacy efforts. But this is about more than money. It’s a battle over a decade’s worth of political clout. Keating lives in Bourne , keeping the 9th District’s seat of power closer to Cape Cod. Coupling Fall River and New Bedford in the 9th District could shift that center of gravity and help send someone to Congress from either Gateway City — ending a nearly century-long drought that New Bedford Mayor Jon Mitchell called an “ongoing travesty.” Others contend that Fall River’s population could make it a much bigger player in the 4th District, even when lumped in with wealthier enclaves like Newton and Brookline. Auchincloss, who lives in Newton, said in his testimony that Fall River would be the district’s “flagship city.” But his predecessor, former Rep. Joe Kennedy III, questioned that claim given that Fall River’s voter turnout is much lower than in the pricier Boston suburbs. Putting Fall River fully in the 4th benefits Auchincloss politically, as would other proposed changes to his district that would lop off a few towns Jesse Mermell won in last year’s Democratic primary. Mermell, who’s mulling a rematch, told me mapmakers need to unite Fall River and New Bedford so they can “fully flex their muscle” for immigrants, communities of color and working families “that have too long been under-served.” On the flip side, Republican Julie Hall of Attleboro, who's challenging Auchincloss again, said yesterday she’s “pretty satisfied” lawmakers added “a little bit more of the conservative areas” to the 4th District. Mapmakers will decide “in coming days” whether they’ll be making any changes to the congressional and Governor’s Council maps, Moran said. GOOD WEDNESDAY MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS. Have a tip, story, suggestion, birthday, anniversary, new job, or any other nugget for the Playbook? Get in touch: lkashinsky@politico.com. TODAY — Gov. Charlie Baker and Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito attend the opening of new MassMutual offices in Fall River at 11 a.m. and make a public safety announcement at 2:30 p.m. at Worcester District Court. Polito presides over a Governor’s Council meeting at noon and joins Rep. Jim McGovern at Worcester Regional Airport at 4 p.m. Boston Acting Mayor Kim Janey delivers her farewell address at Roxbury’s Hibernian Hall at 4 p.m. Mayor-elect Michelle Wu makes a Mass & Cass-related announcement at 11 a.m. THE DELEGATION’S BACK IN TOWN — Rep. Lori Trahan visits a Methuen childcare center at 9:30 a.m. Auchincloss, Sen. Elizabeth Warren and Rep. Seth Moulton attend the MITRE BlueTech Lab groundbreaking at 10:15 a.m. in Bedford. Auchincloss joins the JCRC for a virtual conversation at noon. Rep. Richard Neal and Secretary of State Bill Galvin attend the Eagle Mill redevelopment groundbreaking at 11 a.m. in Lee. Neal visits the Berkshire Family YMCA - Pittsfield at 1 p.m. Warren and Rep. Ayanna Pressley tour East Boston Social Centers’ childcare center at 11:45 a.m. McGovern announces a new resolution on nutrition education at 1:30 p.m.   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.     THE LATEST NUMBERS – “Massachusetts coronavirus cases up by 1,397 with 24 new deaths as key trends plateau,” by Alexi Cohan, Boston Herald: “After the new 1,397 virus cases, the seven-day daily average of cases is now 1,154, which is down from 1,898 infections several weeks ago. The rate has stayed in the range of 1,300 since early October.” – “Breakthrough COVID cases in Massachusetts rose last week as overall new cases also go up,” by Benjamin Kail, MassLive: “Massachusetts public health officials reported 4,608 new breakthrough COVID-19 cases of vaccinated residents over the week ending Nov. 6, an increase of about 1,400 cases compared to the week prior.” DATELINE BEACON HILL – “Senate unveils major mental health bill,” by Shira Schoenberg, CommonWealth Magazine: “Leaders in the Massachusetts Senate on Tuesday unveiled a comprehensive mental health bill, which would set a floor for the rates insurers must pay for mental health services, address the emergency department boarding crisis, and require insurers to cover more mental health services, including an annual wellness exam. … Many of the same provisions were included in a mental health bill that the Senate passed in February 2020, but which was waylaid by the pandemic and never became law. The Senate plans to debate the bill next week, before lawmakers break for the rest of the year. The earliest the House could take it up would be next year.” – “Massachusetts senators to debate ARPA spending bill for coronavirus relief,” by Erin Tiernan, Boston Herald: “State senators are slated to debate a massive coronavirus relief spending bill. … Senate lawmakers — like their cohorts in the House — have loaded the relief bill up with 722 amendments totaling more than $5.5 billion in additional spending. While the majority of the amendments — which run the gamut of investments in schools, public safety, economic development, local projects and more — are likely to get spiked, watchdogs say it’s indicative of the attitudes on Beacon Hill.” – “Bills filed in state House, Senate would legalize medical marijuana insurance coverage,” by Amy Sokolow, Boston Herald: “A bill filed by state Rep. David LeBoeuf, D-Worcester, in the House and Sens. Julian Cyr, D-Truro and Jason Lewis, D-Winchester, would legalize health insurance coverage for medical marijuana products and related clinical visits.” VAX-ACHUSETTS – “Bad medicine for business? Vaccine mandate for Central Mass. companies of 100 a 'recipe for disaster',” by Henry Schwan, Worcester Telegram & Gazette: “Some of the largest companies in the city and Central Massachusetts aren't happy about COVID-19 vaccination mandates spelled out by the White House last week. A ‘recipe for disaster’ is how Chris Crowley of Polar Beverages on Southbridge Street described an order that requires all private businesses with a minimum of 100 workers to get their staff vaccinated against COVID-19.” FROM THE HUB – “Boston school bus drivers protest city proposals on pay and working conditions,” by Jenna Russell, Boston Globe: “Demanding respect from city leadership — and threatening to strike if they find no other route to a fair contract — more than 200 Boston school bus drivers and union supporters rallied Tuesday morning at the office of the company that manages school transportation. Leaders of the school bus drivers’ union said they are deeply frustrated after seven months of negotiations that have gone nowhere, and company proposals they described as unfair.” – “3 Boston police officers shot, suspect killed during standoff,” by Sean Philip Cotter, Boston Herald: “Three officers were wounded when a man who’d engaged police in an armed standoff for hours opened fire on them, leading the cops to fire back, killing him, according to the department — which has now seen two significant attacks on officers in the past few days. The three officers shot on Tuesday are in the hospital and all are expected to survive, though some of the injuries are serious, Superintendent-in-Chief Greg Long told reporters as night fell over the Dorchester scene.” WU TRAIN – “Mayor-elect Michelle Wu meets with transition team,” by Andrew Brinker, Boston Globe: “Mayor-elect Michelle Wu met Tuesday morning in City Hall with several members of her newly announced transition team and later told reporters that the group is preparing for a ‘speedy transition’ after she takes office next week. … She said she has had daily check-in calls with Acting Mayor Kim Janey ‘ just so we are on the same page.’” THE RACE FOR CITY HALL – “How a crowdsourced spreadsheet helped predict Boston's mayoral election in minutes,” by Lucia Maffei, Boston Business Journal: “The Rivera Consulting General Election Night Spreadsheet tracked election results that evening faster than the city's own numbers became available, becoming a resource for Boston-area residents and onlookers the night of Nov. 2. ” – “Boston mayoral race one of the most expensive in city history,” by Elizabeth Koh, Boston Globe: “With a few receipts still to be counted, this year’s race for Boston mayor appears to be one of the priciest elections in city history, with campaign spending topping $8.8 million, according to new campaign finance data. The final tally, which won’t be available for weeks, is likely to come close to, or even surpass, the $9.4 million spent in the city’s last open election for mayor, a hotly contested race in 2013.” FEELING '22 – “Sunu-no: Top GOP recruit won't run for Senate," by Stephanie Murray, POLITICO: "New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu said Tuesday he won't run for Senate — spurning national Republicans who clamored for him to challenge Democratic Sen. Maggie Hassan. Instead, Sununu will run for reelection, he said." – Attention pivoted to former Sen. Kelly Ayotte, who Hassan narrowly defeated in 2016, but sources close to Ayotte told WMUR she was out. A source close to former ambassador and Massachusetts Sen. Scott Brown , who moved to New Hampshire for an unsuccessful challenge to Sen. Jeanne Shaheen in 2014, told me that while Brown “has said he has one more rodeo left” he’s focused right now on supporting his wife, Gail Huff Brown, in her congressional campaign. – More: “Sununu announcement act rubs top Republicans the wrong way,” by Natalie Allison, POLITICO: “Mitch McConnell and Rick Scott found out the same way everyone else did that their top recruit to help secure the Senate majority was a no-go: They saw it on a local television livestream.” – SCOOPLET: Gov. Charlie Baker still hasn’t announced his 2022 intentions, but he does have another fundraiser on the books. And this one’s just him — Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito isn’t listed as a guest on the invitation obtained by POLITICO (though attendees are instructed to donate to the Polito Committee if they’ve maxed out to Baker’s). Tickets run from $250 to $1,000 for the 6:30 p.m. fundraiser today at the Ferncroft Country Club in Middleton that’s co-chaired by Ron Mastrogiovanni and Al Minahan. MAPMAKER, MAPMAKER – “Joe Kennedy III, advocates testify against Beacon Hill plan to split Fall River and New Bedford in different Congressional districts,” by Matt Stout, Boston Globe: “Legislative leaders crafting Massachusetts’ congressional map pushed back on Tuesday against criticisms of their decision to split the South Coast’s two major cities into separate districts, punctuating hours of deeply divided — and sometimes parochial — testimony over how best to draw boundaries through the region.” WARREN REPORT – “Vermont Publisher Chelsea Green Sues Sen. Warren for 'Suppressing' Book,” by Chelsea Edgar, Seven Days: “Vermont publisher Chelsea Green has filed a federal civil lawsuit claiming that U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) stifled free speech when she called on Amazon to curb the spread of COVID-19 misinformation and cited one of Chelsea Green's books as a source of ‘dangerous conspiracies.’" FROM THE DELEGATION – “Big bucks headed from DC to fix sewer systems,” by Christian M. Wade, CNHI/Eagle-Tribune: “A $1.2 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill, awaiting President Joe Biden’s signature, includes major federal investments in roadways, bridges, railways and broadband internet. But the massive spending bill also carves out $1.4 billion specifically for dealing with combined sewer overflows along the nation’s rivers and streams. Rep. Lori Trahan, a Westford Democrat who pushed to divert more federal resources to dealing with the sewage discharges, said the influx of money will provide ‘robust investments’ to address chronic sewage overflows.” DAY IN COURT – “Prosecutors file an appeal in the Jasiel Correia case, seeking 10 more fraud convictions,” by Dan Medeiros, Herald News: “While former mayor Jasiel F. Correia II appeals his conviction on 11 fraud and extortion charges, his prosecutors have filed an appeal of their own: they want the jury's 21 convictions to stand. On Monday, the U.S. government filed notice with the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit that it is appealing a decision by Judge Douglas Woodlock to acquit Correia of 10 other counts of wire fraud and tax fraud.” – “Attorneys in Zhukovskyy case spar over evidence as trial date nears,” by Amy Coveno, WMUR: “Volodymyr Zhukovskyy, 25, of West Springfield, Massachusetts, is facing charges of negligent homicide, manslaughter, driving under the influence and reckless conduct in connection with a June 21, 2019, crash in which seven motorcyclists were killed. … Zhukovskyy's defense team objected to the state's slate of witnesses who claim they saw him driving erratically before the crash. The defense also worked to exclude testimony about Zhukovskyy's drug use on the day of the crash and revealed plans to argue that the lead motorcycle had a role in the crash.” FROM THE 413 – “Questions raised about Springfield mail-in voting,” by Peter Goonan, Springfield Republican: “City Councilor Justin Hurst said Tuesday that he believes some voters who requested mail-in ballots this year received them too close to Election Day, while the city clerk disputed his description and said the program was a success, with more than 2,000 ballots returned. In a statement, Hurst said he wants to meet with Mayor Domenic Sarno and city clerk Gladys Oyola-Lopez, who oversees the election office, to discuss his concerns.” – “Northampton election breaks mold,” by Brian Steele, Daily Hampshire Gazette: “Two women will serve at large on the City Council for what could be the first time in Northampton’s history after voters chose Jamila Gore and Marissa Elkins in last week’s election.” THE LOCAL ANGLE – “GE to split into three companies by 2024,” by Greg Ryan and Don Seiffert, Boston Business Journal: “General Electric announced Tuesday morning that it plans to split into three publicly traded companies over the next three years. … Asked about the future of GE's Boston headquarters, a spokesperson said only that the region will remain an important hub for the company, considering it will want to hold onto corporate talent as it undergoes its transformation. GE currently has about 3,300 employees in Massachusetts, most of them at the aviation facility in Lynn.” – "Mass. abortion rights group going it alone," by Stephanie Ebbert, Boston Globe: "NARAL Pro-Choice Massachusetts, one of the organizations that successfully pushed for the state law that expanded abortion rights last year, is being renamed Reproductive Equity Now after a break with its national organization. Reproductive Equity Now intends to continue its state-level advocacy in Massachusetts and offer grassroots support in places like neighboring New Hampshire, which recently enacted strict new limits on abortion ." (More background on the split from Playbook in July). – “New allegations of racism, antisemitism surface in Danvers after graffiti is discovered at middle school,” by Bob Hohler, Boston Globe: “Racist, homophobic, and antisemitic graffiti was found in a student bathroom at a Danvers middle school, town officials disclosed Tuesday. The discovery marked the latest in a series of disturbing incidents in the North Shore community.” – “Worcester community activist on being first openly nonbinary person elected in Mass.” by Rupa Shenoy and Dan Guzman, WBUR: “ A Worcester community activist will make history this winter when they become the first openly nonbinary person to take office in Massachusetts. Thu Nguyen won an at-large seat on the Worcester City Council last week and will take on the new role in January. Nguyen says they ran for office not as ‘the nonbinary candidate,’ but rather as ‘a candidate who happens to be nonbinary.’ They are also the first Southeast Asian American elected to office in Worcester.” TRANSITIONS – Tim Biba is moving on from his role as Rep. Seth Moulton’s communications director for a new opportunity with a public relations firm. Aisha Miller and Tanisha Arena have been appointed to the Massachusetts Commission on the Status of Women. Former Philadelphia mayor Michael Nutter has been appointed chair of the Harvard Institute of Politics’ Senior Advisory Committee. HAPPY BIRTHDAY – to MassINC’s Steve Koczela, Shawn Duhamel and Alex Bausch. 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.   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.       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 ‘people’s house’ is still closed to most people

 

BY LISA KASHINSKY WE CAN WORK FROM HOME — Bills keep moving on Beacon Hill, whether lawmakers are debating them from the State House or from their own homes. But there’s not much else stirring under the golden dome of the building that’s been closed to the public for nearly 20 months. And it’s not looking like there will be anytime soon. Most lawmakers have vaxxed up or asked for exemptions at this point. Only five of the state's 159 sitting representatives have yet to comply with the House's vaccine mandate, which requires them to show proof of immunization or get an exemption to work in the building. At least 96 percent of the state’s senators and their staffers are vaccinated, and the rest are in the process of either getting their shots or getting an exemption. And at least 95 percent of executive branch employees have complied with Gov. Charlie Baker's vaccine mandate. But the so-called "people's house" isn't only for legislators and state workers, and that's where leadership says it gets complicated. “This isn’t just a workplace for us. It is a tourist attraction,” House Speaker Ron Mariano said yesterday, adding that unlike in schools and businesses "it’s not as simple as controlling the people who work here.” For now that means reopening phases without definitive timelines, and staunch defenses of lawmakers’ abilities to work from home from Mariano, Senate President Karen Spilka and even Baker. “It’s certainly my hope that at some point this place will bustle again, because I think it’s important that it bustles,” Baker said. “But I don’t think you should understate or underestimate the roles and responsibilities and the work that has been done by elected officials, especially legislators, during the course of this pandemic.” GOOD TUESDAY MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS. Boston City Councilor Annissa Essaibi George gave her mayoral campaign a quarter of a million dollars in October to help pay for television advertising, her campaign confirmed. The $250,000 loan showed up in the more than $1 million in receipts Essaibi George reported for October. She had $186,370 left in her campaign account as of Oct. 31, two days before Election Day. Mayor-elect Michelle Wu raised $725,378 last month and had $236,924 in her coffers entering November. Essaibi George outspent Wu on the airwaves during the general election, shelling out $518,708 for TV and digital ads compared to Wu’s $433,025, according to AdImpact, an ad tracking service. TODAY — Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito makes grant announcements in Rockland at 10:30 a.m. and Hyannis at 12:30 p.m., attends a virtual Local Government Advisory Commission meeting at 2:30 p.m. and makes a grant announcement at UMass Dartmouth at 3:30 p.m. The Legislature’s redistricting committee holds a virtual public hearing at 11 a.m. on the proposed congressional and Governor’s Council maps (expect the South Coast to be a point of contention). The Massachusetts Women’s Political Caucus hosts an "Empowering Women in Government" panel with state Reps. Christine Barber and Natalie Higgins at noon. Rep. Ayanna Pressley rallies with Harvard custodial workers and graduate students for better worker protections at noon at Harvard Yard; media availability to follow at 1 p.m. outside the Harvard MBTA stop. Wu meets with her transition co-chairs and advisors at 8 a.m. with an 8:45 a.m. media availability to follow, and then attends six more briefings. Have a tip, story, suggestion, birthday, anniversary, new job, or any other nugget for the Playbook? Get in touch: lkashinsky@politico.com.   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.     IT'S NOT EASY BEING GREEN – DISPATCHES FROM GLASGOW: There's a disconnect between climate risk assessments and climate policy, according to a new report from the Falmouth-based Woodwell Climate Research Center based on findings from 13 workshops at the United Nations' climate summit. I caught up with Woodwell's David McGlinchey on the findings and his other takeaways from COP26. Here are some highlights: Your report says climate change risks are being modeled with "greater clarity than ever before" but that current climate policies remain "woefully insufficient." Why is that and what can be done to fix that? We believe that many senior policymakers, many heads of state, do not truly appreciate the scope and scale of the risk. ... What we heard, especially in our U.S. workshop, was that you need to take the time up front to identify the politicians you’re trying to reach, talk to them and their offices, and figure out the questions that will resonate with them. I don’t think the scientific community has done that well enough in the past. What's an example of a good policy that's come out of COP26 so far? There’s no pathway to a safe and stable climate without ending deforestation. To see a widespread global commitment on that is really encouraging. What haven’t you heard enough about so far? I don’t think that the big tipping points are getting enough attention. … We spend a lot of time studying permafrost thaw in the Arctic because it contains an enormous amount of carbon. If that feedback loop gets out of control, and we lose that carbon store, we’re in big trouble. – More: Rep. Bill Keating landed in Scotland last night as part of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s nearly two-dozen member delegation at COP26. – “Radical changes and big incentives as Mass Save becomes a climate fighting tool — but is it enough?” by Sabrina Shankman, Boston Globe: “The nearly $4 billion Mass Save plan, which covers 2022 to 2024, dramatically expands an initial proposal in April and includes $800 million for the electrification of homes. In one major departure from the earlier plan, the new version offers incentives for buildings using natural gas to purchase heat pumps.” THE LATEST NUMBERS – “Massachusetts averaged 1,346 new COVID cases over weekend as state sees record weekend for booster shots,” by Benjamin Kail, MassLive: “The weekend average of 1,346 represents an increase of 265 cases over the weekend average of 1,081 reported by the state last Monday.” DATELINE BEACON HILL – “Massachusetts state senators propose wide-reaching mental health bill,” by Sera Congi, WCVB: “Senate President Karen Spilka and Senator Julian Cyr are proposing the ‘Mental Health ABC Act 2.0,’ which they plan to unveil on Tuesday. … Among the proposals included in the new bill are a requirement for insurance to cover a mental health wellness exam, like an annual checkup, and a requirement to cover mental health treatment to the same extent as other conditions.” – “Beacon Hill gives cold shoulder to Michelle Wu’s fare-free T idea for Boston,” by Erin Tiernan, Boston Herald: “Senate President Karen Spilka on Monday praised Wu’s ‘great ideas’ during a Q&A with reporters following a legislative leadership meeting at the State House. But when it comes to the issue of a fare-free T, the Ashland Democrat said she ‘would like to have a discussion with her.’ Speaker of the House Ronald Mariano, a Quincy Democrat, pushed back on the proposal saying he’s ‘probably more concerned about the running of the MBTA right now than anything else’ but said he’s ‘willing to talk’ about Wu’s proposal.” – “Battle for wages rages in restaurant industry’s pandemic recovery,” by Meghan Ottolini, Boston Herald: “As the restaurant industry limps toward recovery, some lawmakers and eatery entrepreneurs see raising wages across the board as the only way to bounce back. … ‘It makes business sense, as well as promoting equity,’ said state Sen. Pat Jehlen, D-Somerville, who will present a bill that would raise minimum wage for tipped workers in a joint hearing later this month.” – “Fines for not voting? It’s a long shot, but here’s why one Mass. rep has proposed it anyway,” by Mihiro Shimano, Boston.com: “It’s not looking like Massachusetts residents will be getting fined for not voting anytime soon — a bill that would have allowed for that, proposed by state Rep. Dylan A. Fernandes, failed to make it out of committee last month. But Fernandes, who represents Falmouth, Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket at the Statehouse, says he’s OK with that, if the proposal gets people talking and thinking.” – “Amid ARPA debates, Mass Audubon chief urges $1B investment in climate measures,” by Boston Business Journal: “President David O’Neill envisions a pool of funding under the American Rescue Plan Act that could transform pockets Chelsea, Lowell, Springfield and other racially diverse, low-income communities in need of more green space.” – "Bump Clarifies 'Casual Remarks' On Future Work," by Matt Murphy, State House News Service (paywall): "Auditor Suzanne Bump said Monday afternoon that she was not actively trying to line up a job at the federal Government Accountability Office for when she leaves office when her term expires after 2022, clarifying comments she made earlier in the day while appearing on a state lawmaker's radio show. ... 'I stated that I hoped to remain active in the area of governmental accountability, and I mentioned my acquaintance with the Government Accountability Office. I did not mean to convey that I was intending to work at the GAO, or that a job had even been discussed,' Bump said." FROM THE HUB – TRANSITION TIME: Michelle Wu will be sworn in as Boston’s next mayor at noon on Nov. 16 in the City Council chamber. She’s planning a full inauguration with public events in January, when councilors take their oaths of office. Acting Mayor Kim Janey will deliver her farewell address at 4 p.m. Wednesday at Hibernian Hall in Roxbury. Janey will serve as honorary chair of Wu's transition; other co-chairs include former state Rep. Charlotte Golar Richie, former Democratic gubernatorial hopeful Jay Gonzalez and community activist Noemi “Mimi” Ramos. Wu's transition advisors, made public moments ago, are: Julian Agyeman, Dana Alas, Shawn Brown, Joe Byrne, Ali Fong, Trish Fontanilla, the Rev. Dr. Arlene Hall, José Massó, Marcus McNeil, Cassandra Pierre, Micho Spring, Kannan Thiruvengadam and Mitchell Weiss. – “Mayor-elect calls for more resources, support in Boston Public Schools,” by Jenna Russell, Boston Globe: “Days after a Boston school principal was left hospitalized by a student assault, Mayor-elect Michelle Wu met with school leaders Monday and stressed the need for robust mental health supports to address trauma and prevent school violence.” – “Meet Boston’s newest city councilors,” by Julia Carlin and Tiana Woodard, Boston Globe: “In January, Boston will welcome five new city councilors. Each will bring a fresh set of eyes and a lifetime of unique experiences to City Hall, joining the eight incumbent councilors who were reelected this month.” – "Kim Janey administration gets a fifth of homeless living at Mass & Cass off the streets," by Erin Tiernan, Boston Herald: "Acting Mayor Kim Janey has vowed to continue chipping away at the Mass and Cass crisis in her final days with one-fifth of the more than 300 people living in tents at the infamous intersection off of the streets." – “‘We’re not trying to hurt anybody’: Suffolk County Sheriff Steve Tompkins pushes back against critics of his proposal to address Mass. and Cass,” by Dialynn Dwyer, Boston.com: “Suffolk County Sheriff Steve Tompkins is pressing ahead despite growing pushback against his plan to open a treatment facility on his South Bay correctional campus where people in the area of Mass. and Cass with open warrants could be directed by the special court sessions operating at the jail. Tompkins told Boston.com in a recent interview that his hope is the facility will be up and running around Thanksgiving.” THE RACE FOR CITY HALL – IT'S NOT OVER YET: Chelsea City Council hopeful María Belén Power is gathering signatures to request a recount after unofficial tallies from the city showed she lost her district race by just four votes, she said in a statement. Guy O’Donnell has filed for a recount in his Holyoke City Council race against Linda Vacon, per the Springfield Republican. – “Vote tallying continues in Amherst election after 17 ballots found,” by Scott Merzbach, Daily Hampshire Gazette: “Ballot counting for Amherst’s biennial election continued Monday morning, nearly a week after polls closed, following the discovery of 17 ballots that had been placed in the town clerk’s vault without being tallied on election night. The continued process of counting ballots has not yet resolved the outcome of the tightest race, where District 4 Councilor Evan Ross lost his reelection bid to the Town Council to challenger Pamela Rooney by four votes.” PLANES, TRAINS AND AUTOMOBILES – “Acting Mayor Janey extends free MBTA ridership in her final days in office,” by Aidan Connelly, GBH News: “Boston’s acting Mayor Kim Janey Monday said she’s using her final eight days in office to extend free ridership on the 28 bus, which runs from Mattapan Square to Roxbury’s Ruggles Station, through the end of the year. ‘I know this is a priority for Mayor-elect [Michelle] Wu, so I’m hoping that she will be able to build upon this work,’ Janey said in an interview on GBH News’ Boston Public Radio.” DAY IN COURT – “New Hampshire crash that killed 7 Jarheads bikers finally heading to trial,” by Joe Dwinell, Boston Herald: “The trial of Volodymyr Zhukovskyy, accused of triggering a horrific crash that killed seven motorcyclists, is finally set to begin. After a final pretrial hearing Tuesday, jury selection is set to begin Nov. 16 with the trial commencing on Nov. 29, New Hampshire court officials announced Monday.” THE LOCAL ANGLE – “Mass. National Guard completes school transportation mission,” by Mia McCarthy, Boston.com: “The Massachusetts National Guard completed their school transportation mission on Nov. 5, after the 13 districts that requested assistance were able to meet transportation demands using civilian drivers. Guard members were initially recruited to assist amid a shortage of bus drivers.” – “Saint Vincent Hospital nurses’ strike reaches eight months while Tenet announces $448M third quarter profits,” by Tom Matthews, MassLive: “The Saint Vincent Hospital nurses’ strike hit a record eight months Monday, Nov. 8, after its corporate owner Tenet Health announced $448 million in profits for its third quarter due to increased emergency room admission and surgeries.” – “Danvers leaders come under fire for response to hockey team’s alleged misconduct,” by Bob Hohler and Michael Silverman, Boston Globe: “Civil rights leaders, elected officials, and residents on Monday decried Danvers school and police authorities for concealing allegations of violent, racist, and homophobic locker room behavior on the 2019-2020 boys varsity high school hockey team, whose coach was a prominent local police sergeant. Longtime district Superintendent Lisa Dana became a prime target of the outcry, as School Committee member Robin Doherty called for her to be placed on immediate leave.” – “As of Friday, 79% of city employees vaccinated,” by Anoushka Dalmia, Worcester Telegram & Gazette: “Over a month ago, when COVID-19 cases and deaths started rising again, the city asked its 1,865 employees to submit proof of vaccination or to start getting tested weekly by Nov. 1 in order to keep their jobs. As of Friday, 79% of its employees were vaccinated, 12% were testing compliant and 9% were not compliant.” – “Tearful reunions fill Logan Airport’s international terminal as travel restrictions ease from 33 countries,” by Taylor Dolven and Julia Carlin, Boston Globe: “Clutching a heart-shaped balloon with the words ‘I love you’ on it, Paul Campbell rocked back and forth on his heels inside Terminal E of Logan International Airport, nervously refreshing the Internet browser on his phone. He had not seen his fiancé, Patricia Bittag, who lives in Hamburg, for 23 months.” – “Eight days after cycling accident, wife of Fall River mayor released from the hospital,” by Jo C. Goode, Herald News: “Eight days after suffering severe injuries in a cycling accident in Mattapoisett that landed her in the ICU at St. Luke's Hospital, Judi St. Hilaire, the wife of Mayor Paul Coogan, was released on Monday afternoon.” – “Massachusetts had second warmest October on record, Northeast US had the warmest October on record,” by Cassie McGrath, MassLive: “Additionally, Massachusetts had its second warmest October, recording an average of 56.2 degrees, 5.2 degrees higher than normal. The coolest October on record in Massachusetts was 43.4 degrees in 1925 and the highest was 57.5 degrees in 2017.” MEANWHILE IN NEW HAMPSHIRE – "Sununu to make long-awaited announcement on his political future today in Concord," by John DiStaso and Adam Sexton, WMUR: "Gov. Chris Sununu will end months of speculation about his political future at a news conference this morning, where he is expected to announce if he will run for the U.S. Senate, for a fourth term as governor or step away from public life in 2022." TRANSITIONS – Lauren Gedney is now scheduler for Rep. Raul Ruiz (D-Calif.). She most recently was an intern for Rep. Bill Keating. Colleen Fonseca is the inaugural executive director of Builders of Color Coalition (h/t Samuel Gebru). Abby Parker joins the Greenway Conservancy as director of horticulture. Gov. Charlie Baker has reappointed Denella Clark as chair of the Massachusetts Commission on the Status of Women for a third term. MAZEL — to the Boston Herald's Rick Sobey and the Boston Globe's Felicia Gans on their weekend wedding. Pic and more pics (via photog Ashley Green). HAPPY BIRTHDAY – to GBH's Tori Bedford, Mike Bloomberg of Groundwork Data, Joyce Linehan, Carolyn Casey, Shannon Felton Spence, Pamela J. Johnson and Karen Scott. Happy belated to CommonWealth Magazine's Michael Jonas and Casey Hernandez Rosen, who celebrated Monday. 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.   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.       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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