| | |  | BY LISA KASHINSKY | MONEY MATTERS — State Attorney General Maura Healey is running circles around the Democratic candidates for governor when it comes to fundraising, and she’s not even officially in the race. Healey will report raising $403,351 in December and is kicking off the election year with nearly $3.67 million in her war chest, per a spokesperson. To put it into perspective, Healey’s December haul is: — Nearly five times the roughly $83,000 nonprofit leader and Harvard professor Danielle Allen will report raising in December, per her campaign. (Allen raised nearly $25,000 more in December than November). — Nearly four times the $102,606 state Sen. Sonia Chang-Díaz raised in December. (That's more than double what Chang-Díaz raised in November). — More than the $287,103 Republican Gov. Charlie Baker raised in November when he was still considering running for a third term. — More than the $330,579 Democrat Deval Patrick raised in April 2010, when he announced he would seek a second term as governor. — Healey's cash on hand dwarfs her would-be rivals, too. Allen has about $400,000 in her bank account, while Chang-Díaz has over $248,000, per their campaigns. Healey’s $403,351 — more than double her previous monthly record — came from 1,140 donors who contributed $354 on average, according to her spokesperson. Ninety-one percent of Healey’s December donors were from Massachusetts. Chang-Díaz’s campaign said 72 percent of her December contributions were $100 or less, and more than 80 percent of her 650 December donors were from Massachusetts. Allen’s campaign did not provide a donor breakdown. Republican Geoff Diehl’s December campaign finance report isn't online yet. GOOD TUESDAY MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS. State Sen. Eric Lesser is running for lieutenant governor. “I know the job: it’s to partner with our next governor to make sure she is the most successful governor in the country,” Lesser, a Longmeadow Democrat and Obama administration alum, wrote in an email to supporters this morning, ending speculation about his 2022 plans. “What I bring is the perspective of a parent of three young children, the experience of living far from Beacon Hill, and a proven record of standing up for the forgotten corners of Massachusetts.” Lesser, like many of his Beacon Hill colleagues seeking statewide office this year, says he’s running to upend the status quo. Unlike his Democratic competitors, he’s got more money in the bank. Lesser is kicking off his campaign with $651,001 in his coffers, while state Sen. Adam Hinds has $251,375, state Rep. Tami Gouveia has $17,835 and businessman Bret Bero had $134,526 at the end of November, per his latest report. | |
| | 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. | | | | | Running for something? Email me: lkashinsky@politico.com. TODAY — Boston Mayor Michelle Wu visits (Boston's) Long Island and holds a press conference on "Mass and Cass" at 12:15 p.m. in South Boston, and is on GBH’s “Greater Boston” at 7 p.m. |  | THE LATEST NUMBERS |
| – “Massachusetts reports surge of 31,184 coronavirus cases over the holiday weekend, hospitalizations spike,” by Rick Sobey, Boston Herald: “The 31,184 infection tally was up dramatically from last weekend’s count of 12,983 cases. The daily positive test rate for Monday’s report was a staggering 20.67%, a major jump from the positive test rate for last weekend’s report of 11.75%.” | | DATELINE BEACON HILL |
| – “Lawmakers mull universal free meals for Massachusetts schoolchildren as more kids go hungry in pandemic,” by Meghan Ottolini, Boston Herald: “Gov. Charlie Baker signed a bill into law in 2021 offering free meals to all students in certain qualifying districts, but it’s not a statewide program. The bill going before Beacon Hill Tuesday, an Act relative to universal school meals, would mean any kid in any public school cafeteria in Massachusetts would eschew the payment system altogether — whether the school is in Lawrence or Wellesley.” – Also up for a hearing today is a bill from state Sen. Becca Rausch that would mandate masks in schools through the end of the year. The current mask rule for schools expires on Jan. 15. – “Learning disruptions caused by the pandemic reinvigorate debate over MCAS,” by Stella Lorence, BU Statehouse Program/MetroWest Daily News: “While the decrease [in MCAS scores] may have been expected following nearly two years of remote or hybrid learning, the question of what to do about it has revived discussion over the test itself and whether it remains a useful tool for measuring educational progress in the state.” – “Comptroller: FY '21 Revenues Smashed Estimates By $13 Billion,” by Colin A. Young, State House News Service (paywall): “The grand total of state revenues collected by the end of fiscal year 2021 exceeded that year's budget estimates by more than $13 billion, including a surplus of more than $5.86 billion in tax revenue, according to a new report from the state comptroller. Fiscal year 2021 revenues from all sources totaled $56,867,366,700 as of June 30, 2021…” – “Massachusetts public employee payroll tops $8B, as overtime riding high on MBTA,” by Joe Dwinell, Boston Herald: “The state’s payroll received a booster shot last year surging to $8.39 billion with overtime on the MBTA allowing some to accelerate past $300,000 in annual pay, records show. It’s now all tallied up earlier than usual by the state comptroller’s office that shows two UMass doctors and the school’s men’s basketball coach topped $1 million in 2021. Another 115 in the state took home $300,000 or more; 950 topped $200,000; and, 22,164 surpassed $100,000.” – "Facial Recognition Panel Misses Reporting Deadline," by Chris Van Buskirk, State House News Service (paywall): "The commission tasked with delving into public agencies' use of facial recognition software in Massachusetts missed its deadline to file a final report, though one of the co-chairs of the group says it is nearing completion. ... [Commissioners] were required to submit recommendations to the Legislature and the Baker administration by Dec. 31, 2021." | | VAX-ACHUSETTS |
| – “‘We have to do better’: Massachusetts residents shiver in frigid cold for hours to get COVID tests, officials seek more testing sites amid omicron ‘log jam’,” by Rick Sobey, Boston Herald: “Bay Staters are having their patience tested to kick off the year as thousands of people on Monday waited in massive lines — some shivering in the bitter cold for hours — to get tested for COVID amid the omicron surge. As sites get overwhelmed following the holidays, local officials are pleading with Gov. Charlie Baker’s administration to add more locations to address the coronavirus testing ‘log jam.’" – Playbook asked what the Baker administration is doing to expand PCR testing: "Stop the Spread testing providers have increased staffing and hours of operation to meet this demand where needed, and these sites serve as one of many options residents of the Commonwealth have to get tested," a Health and Human Services spokesperson said. – “As cases surge, administrators and officials look to keep schools open for in-person learning,” by Bianca Vázquez Toness and Naomi Martin, Boston Globe: “Districts are prohibited by the state from closing schools to offer remote learning this year. Any unapproved days spent in remote learning won’t count toward the state’s mandatory instructional hours. An upbeat Governor Charlie Baker appeared Monday in Salem touting that most school districts had reopened for in-person learning, while also nodding to the testing resources his administration has provided to schools." – “Schools face staffing shortages as teachers ill with COVID,” by Shira Schoenberg, CommonWealth Magazine: “As COVID-19 surges through the population, teachers are, unsurprisingly, contracting the virus, forcing schools to figure out how to reopen after vacation with, in many cases, far fewer staff.” – "Gov. Baker, Dept. Of Education Defend Face Masks Given To Teachers," by CBS Boston: "The governor is defending face masks given to the teachers in the state after a study found they don’t offer much protection against coronavirus." – "Mass. schools delay reopening as they scramble to test staff during COVID surge," by Marilyn Schairer, GBH News: "... an apparent error resulted in some expired BinaxNOW brand tests being distributed to staff. 'Districts that have expired BinaxNOW tests were told not to use them,' [DESE spokesperson Jacqueline Reis] said." – “Quincy students push for virtual learning amid COVID surge, local schools take precautions,” by Mary Whitfill, Patriot Ledger: “Students in Quincy have started an online petition pushing for an option to attend remote classes amid a surge in COVID cases nationwide. Posted online Monday morning, the petition asks that some students be allowed to learn remotely on a per-student basis.” – “‘Really demoralizing and operationally very, very hard’: Child care providers try to stay open in COVID surge,” by Naomi Martin and Tiana Woodard, Boston Globe: “The COVID surge descended with a boom Wednesday at the Ellis Early Learning center in the South End. On its first morning open since Christmas, five teachers tested positive for COVID, joining four others already home with infections. Several classrooms closed, leaving some families without child care. Ellis’s experience could foreshadow what other child care centers see when many reopen this week after winter break.” – “ER providers are ‘overwhelmed’ amid Omicron surge,” by John R. Element and Maria Elena Little Endara, Boston Globe. – “MBTA may resume COVID testing for employees as omicron threatens staffing,” by Darryl C. Murphy, WBUR. – “Here's what Mass. colleges are doing to prepare for the omicron surge,” by Grant Welker, Boston Business Journal. | | FROM THE HUB |
| – “Outside City Hall, new councillors take office in history-making ceremony,” by Gintautas Dumcius, Dorchester Reporter: “City Hall on Monday welcomed five new councillors, masked and bundled up against the cold as they joined returning incumbents in taking their oaths of office in the January air. Mayor Michelle Wu, who administered the oath of office, noted that 2022 marks 200 years since Boston turned over from a town to a city and created its first City Council. Back then, there were 55 councillors, and for more than 100 years there were no women or people of color serving on the body.” – MAIDEN VOYAGE: New Boston District 6 City Councilor Kendra Hicks is trading her campaign last name for her maiden name, Kendra Lara , for her council business. After going through a divorce while campaigning for the council seat, Lara will now be going by her father's name and said her dad "got emotional" when they arrived at City Hall yesterday to see her parking plaque bearing the family name. "It has a lot of history for my family," Lara told me. "I'm excited to be able to bring that with me to City Hall." – “More than 155 Boston school staff, teachers test positive; officials tell parents to brace for cancellations,” by Erin Tiernan, Boston Herald: “Boston Public Schools Superintendent Brenda Cassellius is telling parents to brace for school cancelations after more than 150 staff and faculty tested positive for coronavirus over the weekend. … even as school and city officials remain committed to in-person learning, Mayor Michelle Wu said the district needs to ‘be realistic about staffing challenges.’” – "Wu: Boston COVID Testing Lines ‘Absolutely Unacceptable'," by Mary Markos, NBC10 Boston: "'I'll be getting together with our team to ensure that we're increasing the number of testing sites and the capacity at each site, but also speeding up the operations of each line,' Wu said." – “Anti-vax protest nearly drowns out Boston City Council swearing-in ceremony,” by Erin Tiernan, Boston Herald: “The whistles, sirens, boos and chants from anti-vax protesters echoed throughout the concrete courtyard at City Hall, at times nearly drowning out Mayor Michelle Wu as she administered the oath of office to the new City Council. … The group leading Monday’s event, Boston First Responders United, has organized a handful of demonstrations disrupting the mayor and threatened litigation over Wu’s new vaccine mandates.” | | FEELING '22 |
| – FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: THE AG MONEY RACE — They’re only running if Maura Healey’s out, but Shannon Liss-Riordan and Quentin Palfrey are both raising money for potential state attorney general campaigns. Liss-Riordan, a prominent labor attorney who formed a campaign committee on Dec. 8 to start fundraising for a possible bid, will report bringing in $165,103 in December from 290 donors and about $159,000 in cash on hand, according to a spokesperson. Palfrey, a former Democratic lieutenant governor nominee who started exploring a bid in July, raised $76,000 last month and has $136,000 in his bank account, according to a spokesperson. – WALSH WATCH: Labor Secretary Marty Walsh still isn’t biting on questions about whether he’s considering running for governor. “I’m just enjoying the new year and I look forward to heading back to Washington ... and working to carry out the president's agenda,” the former Boston mayor said Monday after the Boston City Council inauguration. | | IT'S NOT EASY BEING GREEN |
| – “State Borrows from California to Speed Transition to Electric Trucks,” by Colin A. Young, State House News Service (paywall): “The Department of Environmental Protection last week filed emergency regulations and amendments to immediately adopt the Golden State's Advanced Clean Trucks (ACT) policy, which requires an increasing percentage of trucks sold between model year 2025 and model year 2035 to be zero-emissions vehicles.” | | FROM THE 413 |
| – “Massachusetts officials helping with Springfield’s COVID testing woes at Eastfield Mall — but details are murky,” by Alison Kuznitz, MassLive: “State officials are stepping in to help alleviate COVID-19 testing woes at Springfield’s Eastfield Mall, though the Baker administration on Monday afternoon stopped short of explaining its strategy to MassLive." – “COVID patients flood area hospitals,” by Dusty Christensen, Daily Hampshire Gazette: “On Monday, Baystate Health reported that it was treating 233 COVID-19 patients across its hospital system, 26 of whom were in critical care. … Those 233 hospitalized patients represent a record high for Baystate during the entirety of the COVID-19 pandemic.” | | THE LOCAL ANGLE |
| – “St. Vincent Hospital nurses 'overwhelmingly' approve contract, officially ending strike,” by Cyrus Moulton, Worcester Telegram & Gazette: “St. Vincent Hospital nurses 'overwhelmingly' ratified a new contract Monday, officially ending the 300-plus-day nurses strike. 'We have achieved our goal,' Marlena Pellegrino, a nurse on the bargaining committee, announced to a crowd of nurses, politicians, and media at a press conference Monday night after all the votes had been cast. Nurses voted 487-9 in favor of ratification." – “Raytheon quietly resumed political donations to election deniers, report finds,” by Pranshu Verma, Boston Globe: “Last January, as large swaths of the country rushed to denounce the insurrection, Raytheon and other corporations said they would pause political donations to lawmakers so they could chart a way forward in an upended political world. But a new report shows the Waltham defense juggernaut later resumed donations to federal lawmakers who refused to certify President Biden’s election, drawing rebuke and casting doubt on the firm’s commitment to democratic ideals.” – "1st Cambodian American mayor in U.S. takes office," by Philip Marcelo, Associated Press: "A refugee who survived the Khmer Rouge’s brutal rule has become the first Cambodian American mayor in the United States. Sokhary Chau, a city councilor in Lowell, Massachusetts, was unanimously picked by his council peers to assume the legislative body’s top post on Monday. He also became the city’s first Asian American mayor." – "Worcester’s 2022 inauguration highlights most diverse council, school committee in city’s history," by Michael Bonner, MassLive: "'If anyone ever questions why we celebrate diversity and welcome immigrants to our community, tell them about this night,' said Mayor Joseph Petty in his record sixth inauguration address. Political heavyweights attended the event such as Congressman Jim McGovern and Attorney General Maura Healey. Sec. of Labor Marty Walsh joined via Zoom. Sen. Ed Markey spoke for about 10 minutes praising the city and its leaders. But the night belonged to the fresh faces of Worcester’s political universe." – “People are moving out of Mass., while few are moving in, studies suggest,” by Boston Business Journal: “Massachusetts ranks near the top of the list of states people are leaving the fastest, and near the bottom of those people are moving into, according to two studies released Monday by moving firms.” | | MEANWHILE IN NEW HAMPSHIRE |
| – “First-in-the-nation primary loses its top champion — but the calendar probably isn’t changing,” by Zach Montellaro and David Siders, POLITICO: “Bill Gardner is leaving, but New Hampshire isn't going to be any less militant about protecting its legendary perch in presidential politics. Gardner has for several decades served as the chief defender of New Hampshire’s first-in-the-nation role at the top of the presidential primary calendar. Gardner, a Democrat, announced on Monday that he would soon be stepping down as the state’s secretary of state, a role he has held since 1976.” TRANSITIONS — Bob LaRocca, who served as senior advisor on Jesse Mermell’s congressional campaign and as executive director of the Voter Protection Corps, is launching LaRocca Strategies today. WBUR’s Jamie Bologna joins GBH as Boston Public Radio's executive producer on Jan. 10. ENGAGED — State Rep. David Biele proposed to Rosemarie O’Connor at Fan Pier in the South Boston Waterfront on New Year’s Eve, a short walk from where the couple first met. ALSO ENGAGED — Amy Inglis, a Housatonic, Mass.-based professional wedding photographer for her business Avida Love Photography, got engaged to Jackson Whalan, a hip-hop artist and music producer. The couple met in elementary school, but fell in love when they re-connected as adults at one of Jackson’s live shows in 2018. He proposed on Christmas Day at the top of Baldwin Hill in Egremont, Mass. Pics by Emma Skakel of Wilhelmina Studio ... Another pic HAPPY BIRTHDAY — to Doris Kearns Goodwin and Shawnee Tannenbaum. Happy belated to Boston City Councilor Julia Mejia. 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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