Previewing the FY 2021 budget debate

       

Previewing the FY 2021 budget debate RON GILBERT / CREATIVE COMMONS / FLICKR.COM/PHOTOS/23161425@N08 In preparation for the Fiscal Year (FY) 2021 budget debate, the Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center (MassBudget) is publishing a series of four major stories to watch. These include whether lawmakers will pass a targeted tax cut to help working families, how the state will fund its newly-passed K-12 education funding overhaul, how the state will generate revenue to revamp its aging transportation system, and how revenue changes and assumptions will determine how much funding the budget can include. This series kicks off today with a brief that considers whether the Baker-Polito Administration will reboot its proposal to double a tax deduction people can claim based on how many dependents (like a child or grandparent) they have at home or whether lawmakers will adopt a measure that would give a better bang for the buck. The Administration earlier proposed to double the state's dependent deduction, from $1,000 to $2,000, which would cost the state $87.5 million per year. This proposal will only save families up to $50 per dependent in taxes. For about the same cost, the state could increase the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) by 10 percentage points - from the current 30 percent match of the federal credit to 40 percent. "The EITC is a proven way to move people out of poverty, boost long term health, and educational outcomes," said Phineas Baxandall, Senior Policy Analyst and author of the brief. "Compared to increasing the dependent deduction, an increased EITC would better help those who need it most." Read more about the Administration's proposal and the EITC in FY 2021 BUDGET PREVIEW: Will the Governor reboot his dependent deduction proposal or take a more targeted approach? Additional briefs in the FY 2021 Budget Preview series will be published into the week of Jan. 20. The briefs will be posted here. Once the Governor releases his budget, MassBudget will publish a Budget Snapshot highlighting some of the key stories in the proposal. MassBudget also will update its interactive Budget Browser, which allows users to track the funding for each line item going back to FY 2001. The Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center (MassBudget) produces policy research, analysis, and data-driven recommendations focused on improving the lives of low- and middle-income children and adults, strengthening our state's economy, and enhancing the quality of life in Massachusetts. MASSACHUSETTS BUDGET AND POLICY CENTER 1 STATE STREET, SUITE 1250 BOSTON, MA 02109

Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center, 1 State Street, Suite 1250, Boston, MA 02109

POLITICO Massachusetts Playbook: BUMP knocks BAKER — Mayor Pete’s BESTIE — How Boston Police use SNAPCHAT

BUMP knocks BAKER — Mayor Pete’s BESTIE — How Boston Police use SNAPCHAT

BY STEPHANIE MURRAY GOOD MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS. Happy Monday! BUMP HITS BAKER ON STATE GOVT WOES — Auditor Suzanne Bump laid some of the blame for recently uncovered dysfunction at state agencies at Gov. Charlie Baker's feet during a television interview Sunday. State government has been under a harsh spotlight in recent months. First there was the summer scandal at the Registry of Motor Vehicles, then a report finding safety is not a top priority at the MBTA, and now Bump's office is releasing a new audit that says the Department of Revenue has lacked the tools to protect sensitive data. Bump said she was not surprised by the slew of shortcomings at state agencies during an interview on WCVB's "On the Record", and pointed to Baker's decisions early in his term as governor as part of the problem. "The first act of his acts as governor, if you recall, was to offer an early retirement incentive plan to reduce the number of employees in state government. That had a significant impact on all of the agencies," Bump said. "They were terribly eroded and they haven't been built back up." "It was easy to predict that when you cut out so many people, and so many basic functions were being under-funded, under-populated with professionals," Bump continued, "that you would end up with results like this." Even as Democrats point to the Republican Baker administration as the reason for problems at state agencies, it doesn't seem to be affecting Baker's job approval in the state. Even after it was revealed that the RMV had failed to suspend thousands of licenses, Baker remained the nation's most popular governor. Have a tip, story, suggestion, birthday, anniversary, new job, or any other nugget for the Playbook? Get in touch: smurray@politico.com. TODAY — Gov. Charlie Baker and Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito attend the Human Resources Division Performance Recognition Awards Ceremony. Baker, Polito and Boston Mayor Marty Walsh make a MassWorks announcement in Boston. Walsh signs a home rule petition for a transfer fee on real estate sales over $2 million with Boston City Councilors Lydia Edwards and Kim Janey. Walsh attends a "Shop with a Cop" event in Dorchester. Former Gov. Deval Patrick speaks at St. Anselm College in Manchester, N.H. POLITICO TECH AT CES - We are bringing a special edition of the POLITICO Tech newsletter to CES 2020 . Written by Nancy Scola and Cristiano Lima, the newsletter will take you inside the largest and most influential technology event on the planet, featuring every major and emerging industry in the technology ecosystem gathered together in one place. The newsletter runs from Jan. 6 - 10 and will focus on the public policy related aspects of the gathering. Sign up today to receive exclusive coverage of the Summit. DATELINE BEACON HILL — "Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker signs $542 million closeout budget bill," by Shira Schoenberg, Springfield Republican: "Late Friday afternoon, Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker signed a supplemental budget bill that spends $542 million and ends a months-long legislative stalemate that had prevented the state from closing the books on the fiscal year that ended June 30, 2019. "A developing pattern of late appropriation bills bodes poorly for the future fiscal health of the Commonwealth, particularly if we encounter more challenging budgetary times," Baker wrote in a signing letter." — "Safety issues at MBTA, RMV show similar problems at each agency," by Mary Markos, Boston Herald: "Similar troubles with potentially fatal safety impacts are dogging both the MBTA and the Registry of Motor Vehicles, revealing what critics say is a "cultural problem" with the administration of Gov. Charlie Baker. An emphasis on bringing the T to a state of good repair faster was "detrimental" to operations, according to a report produced last week by a panel of transportation experts, who found the "T's approach to safety is questionable, which results in safety culture concerns." The safety review panel was hired by the Fiscal and Management Control Board, which oversees the MBTA, to conduct a comprehensive review of operations after the Red Line derailment disaster in June." — "State regulators issue new standards for toxins," The Associated Press: "Massachusetts state regulators have issued new standards for toxic compounds in drinking water. Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, collectively called PFAS, have turned up in public water supplies and private wells around the country, and there is growing evidence that long-term exposure can lead to cancer and low infant birth weights." — "For Berkshire legislative delegation, some hits, some misses on bills," by Carolyn Komatsoulis, Berkshire Eagle: "Everyone remembers the "Schoolhouse Rock!" song about a bill becoming a law and its happy ending: "He signed you, bill! Now you're a law!" So far this session, the Berkshire County delegation in the Statehouse has filed slightly fewer than 200 bills individually, according to an analysis of the Massachusetts Legislature website. Of those, 11 bills where one or both of the lead sponsors was a member of the Berkshire delegation have been signed by Gov. Charlie Baker and one has been vetoed — a sick leave bank for a government employee who died by the time it got to Baker ." — "Legislators seek to stop Charlie Baker from passing Transportation Climate Initiative," by Lisa Kashinsky, Boston Herald: "Opponents of the hotly debated Transportation Climate Initiative are pushing a bill this week that would force Gov. Charlie Baker to seek approval from the Legislature before enacting the multi-state compact that will hike the cost of gas. "The bottom line is we're filing something that will at least require the Legislature to approve and maybe direct it if it's passed," state Rep. David DeCoste, a Norwell Republican, told the Herald. Baker has been keen on the TCI deal — a collaboration between 12 states from New England to the Mid-Atlantic, as well as the District of Columbia — as a method of reducing carbon emissions and moving toward renewable energy for transportation." — "Income tax rate returning to 1985 level," by Sarah Betancourt, CommonWealth Magazine: "GOV. CHARLIE BAKER says the state's individual income tax rate will drop to 5 percent at the beginning of next year, ending a two-decades-long march back to the level it was at in 1985. The income tax rate was increased in 1985 and again in 1990, with politicians promising to lower it again when the economy improved. There was a small decrease in 1992 and another in 2000 before 59 percent of the state's voters approved a ballot question directing that the rate be lowered to 5 percent in three years. That schedule was put on hold in 2002 by the Legislature, which authorized incremental drops in the rate as long as economic conditions permitted." WHAT CITY HALL IS READING — "Mejia, St. Guillen look back on the closest Boston City Council race in history," by Adrian Walker, Boston Globe: "One vote. One lousy vote. Days after the conclusion of the closest Boston City Council election imaginable, both Julia Mejia and Alejandra St. Guillen were still in a bit of a state of shock over the outcome, which Mejia won by one vote after a recount. "It's still sinking in for me," Mejia said last week. "I feel like any moment, someone will say 'Psych! I was just joking!' It doesn't feel real yet." It's no less jarring for St. Guillen, who made the surprising decision not to challenge the result in court." FROM THE HUB — "Scores of sex offenders have state licenses to be electricians, manicurists, and more. The official who found out got fired," by Andrea Estes, Boston Globe: "It was pure chance that Ada Alfonso discovered a high-risk registered sex offender among the licensed electricians that her office oversees. Benjamin B. Brause had renewed his license online in June 2016 — even though at the time he was locked up for sexually assaulting a boy he coached in youth football. Even one such lapse is problematic; people licensed in the trades are trusted to work unsupervised in private homes. But a review of licensed professionals conducted by the state in May after Alfonso's questions revealed a much bigger problem." — "This Decade, Boston Voters Crushed the Old Guard," by David Bernstein, Boston Magazine: "A mere ten years ago, Boston politics didn't seem all that different from a century earlier. Men—primarily white, Catholic men—led the city's transactional, tribal political machinery, where what you get is about who you know, and who you owe. Cracks in that system were beginning to show ten years ago. Today, the dam has burst. A more anarchic and progressive politics has rushed in, with a wave of younger, more progressive, and more diverse candidates bulldozing past the remnants of the old guard, as it tried in vain to hold back the deluge." — "Protesters call for more affordable housing in Suffolk Downs redevelopment," by Jeremy C. Fox, Boston Globe: ""More than 100 community members and affordable housing advocates rallied Saturday afternoon in East Boston's Central Square to call for greater transparency, more community input, and an increase in the number of affordable units for a proposed development at Suffolk Downs. Neighborhood residents feel their voices are not being heard by the 161-acre site's proposed developers, HYM Investment Group, or by the Boston Planning & Development Agency, said Andres Del Castillo, an organizer from the affordable housing group City Life/Vida Urbana who planned the protest." — "Amid reforms and staffing dips, overtime for prison officers soars," by Gal Tziperman Lotan, Boston Globe: "Massachusetts has the lowest incarceration rate in the country, and its state prison population has dropped by 19 percent since 2015. But hopes for increased cost savings have not been realized. Payroll for correctional officers has increased slightly over that span, as overtime costs have nearly tripled, a Globe review has found. Last year, correctional officers received $44.68 million in overtime, up from $16.3 million in 2015. This year, overtime pay is on pace to rise again, having reached $40 million by early November." DEBATE PREP: Seven candidates have qualified for the final Democratic Presidential debate, hosted by PBS Newshour and POLITICO, in Los Angeles on Dec. 19. Check out POLITICO's debate hub featuring election forecasts, a breakdown of the candidates' policy positions, and everything you need to know to get ready for the big night. FROM THE DELEGATION — "Ayanna Pressley's prison plan slammed by law enforcement officials," by Rick Sobey and Erin Tiernan, Boston Herald: "U.S. Rep. Ayanna Pressley's sweeping plan to significantly cut jail and prison populations, in part by declining to prosecute numerous offenses, is drawing heat from law enforcement officials who say it would trigger more crime and is "only exacerbating problems." Pressley's resolution — called "The People's Justice Guarantee" — includes proposals that would dramatically reduce the number of people incarcerated across the country, and would encourage diversion programs. The plan also calls for declining to criminally prosecute low-level offenses associated with poverty and addiction, and ending mandatory minimum sentencing." ALL ABOARD — "Get ready: Keolis says fare gates are coming to the commuter rail next year," by Adam Vaccaro, Boston Globe: "The mad dash to catch a rush-hour commuter train is about to get more complicated for tens of thousands of riders, as the MBTA prepares to install turnstiles similar to those in the subways at its three busiest stations in order to improve fare collections. They're probably coming to North Station first, sometime in the first half of 2020, before rolling into the Back Bay and South Station later in the year, according to rail operator Keolis Commuter Services, which will install the gates for the MBTA." DAY IN COURT — "Boston law enforcement has been fighting a court order to release data on who police target on Snapchat," by Elizabeth Weill-Greenberg, The Appeal: "For almost a year, Boston prosecutors and police have been fighting a court order to disclose police reports that advocates say could expose a pattern of racially discriminatory policing practices. In January, Superior Court Judge Robert Ullmann ruled that the police department must provide Boston defense attorney Josh Raisler Cohn with reports from Aug. 1, 2017 to July 31, 2018, for any case in which a charge was filed as a result of law enforcement surveillance of Snapchat accounts. Ullmann excluded sexual assault, murder, and human trafficking cases." WARREN REPORT — "Mayor Pete's bestie is also helping craft the Warren agenda," by Alex Thompson and Elena Schneider, POLITICO: "Ganesh Sitaraman is one of Elizabeth Warren's closest advisors. He's also one of Pete Buttigieg's best friends. How's that for awkward? The 37-year-old Vanderbilt Law School professor, who's been with Warren since before the start of her political career, has been a key architect of the sweeping policy agenda that powered her surge to the top of the Democratic field. But in his new book, The Great Democracy, the first person Sitaraman acknowledges isn't Warren. It's the man she's been battling fiercely for bragging rights in Iowa." — "Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders Have a Problem: Each Other," by Jonathan Martin, The New York Times: "Diane Chojnowski and Denyce Rusch were among the Iowans who braved light snowfall and temperatures in the teens to see Senator Bernie Sanders on Sunday afternoon, a few hours before Senator Elizabeth Warren was also due in this liberal pillar of eastern Iowa. But after Ms. Chojnowski and Ms. Rusch praised Ms. Sanders, they turned to a predicament far more bothersome than the winter weather: choosing between the two progressive candidates." — "A new Warren surrogate gingerly takes the stage: 'Hi, I'm Elizabeth's husband,'" by Jess Bidgood, Boston Globe: "He wryly admitted to being a poor substitute for his wife. He warned that his golden retriever, Bailey, might jump on the assembled volunteers. And he seemed almost embarrassed by the lengthy introduction that preceded his own remarks. This week, Senator Elizabeth Warren's presidential campaign rolled out a new and exceedingly low-key surrogate: her husband, Bruce Mann, who up until now has been more likely to be folding chairs after a Warren event than taking the microphone to kick one off." ABOVE THE FOLD — Herald: "PATS CLINCH," "CRIME ALERT," — Globe: "A quiet morning, then chaos," "3 busiest rail hubs to get fare gates soon." EYE ON 2020 — MEANWHILE IN NEW HAMPSHIRE: "Lower-tier candidates stand firm in NH primary field," by Christian M. Wade, Eagle-Tribune: "Dennis Ryan is a Democrat who has voted in every presidential election since the early 1970s, but he doesn't consider himself beholden to the party's nominee. The Manchester man is among the politically active residents of the Granite State who have been squeezing into town hall meetings, watching televised debates and combing over policy statements in search of a candidate to support in New Hampshire's Democratic presidential primary. He said the crowded field makes it difficult." — MEANWHILE IN OHIO: "Amherst's Nakajima campaigns for Patrick in Ohio," by Scott Merzbach, Daily Hampshire Gazette: "An Amherst School Committee member who served in state government during Deval Patrick's tenure is in Ohio this week working on the former Massachusetts governor's fledgling presidential campaign. "I'm organizing volunteers and helping us to get set up across the state of Ohio, and to build support," Eric Nakajima said on Friday as he was driving near Cleveland. But Nakajima, chairman of the Amherst Regional School Committee, said his immediate focus is on collecting enough signatures so Patrick's name can appear on the primary ballot alongside other Democrats running for president." FROM THE 413 — "His struggle with heroin landed him behind bars; Here's how he got clean in a Western Massachusetts jail," by Douglas Hook, MassLive.com: "Allan J. Ryan has spent the past decade in-and-out of trouble with the authorities. His longtime struggles with drug addiction led him to present-day life inside the Franklin County House of Correction in Greenfield serving time for larceny. In the library of the jail, he sits. A tall, slender man in an orange jumpsuit, he waits for his dose of methadone daily. He looks over the top of his oval glasses waiting for the nurse to call his name so he can walk over and relieve his craving for the heroin addiction he has developed over the years." — "The Richie Neal Moment in the House of Representatives," by Matt Szafranski, Western Mass Politics & Insight: "One day in October, the House Ways & Means Committee chairman, Springfield Congressman Richard Neal, exited the stately conference room in the Capitol. A swarm of Capitol Hill scribes were waiting, buzzing him with questions about impeachment, Donald Trump's tax returns and pending legislation. A staffer walked ahead, recording exchanges for quote accuracy. Aside from Ireland matters or a hit on CNBC to nerd out on tax policy, such a sudden scrum around Neal would be unthinkable a few years ago." THE LOCAL ANGLE — "Worcester vape shop owners report big losses as Mass. ban expires," by George Barnes, Telegram & Gazette: "Adrian Pelkey has vape pens on display in his counters at Rize+ store, tobacco flavored products on the shelves, but stored away is $100,000 worth of flavored vaping products the state has prohibited him from selling. The state ban on unflavored vaping products expired Wednesday, but Pelkey's flavored products sold at the Park Avenue store before the ban remain off the shelves. Since the vaping products ban went into effect in September, Rize+ has been focused more on CDB products, smoking glassware items such as bongs and other products to stay in business." — "Officials: Amazon eyeing West Quincy property," by Mary Whitfill, The Patriot Ledger: "Online retail giant Amazon has its eye on West Quincy as the potential site of a new distribution center, officials say. The online retailer, which recently dropped plans for a facility on Campanelli Drive in Braintree, is considering building at the site of a former Lowe's hardware store on Burgin Parkway. The MBTA has also expressed interest in the site for a new bus maintenance center to replace the aging facility on Hancock Street. Palmucci said an engineer for Amazon met with city officials to express interest in the 13-acre parcel at 599 Burgin Parkway." MEDIA MATTERS — "The Short List Mourns The Demise Of Small-Town Newspapers," by Jill Kaufman, NEPR: "In western Massachusetts this week, the Athol Daily News shut its office in town. The paper will still be published, but will be based some 25 miles away in Greenfield. Staff were cut in what the paper's parent company said is a cost-cutting move. Susannah Whipps, Athol's state representative, said she understands the expense of running a daily paper. "The Athol Daily News has been a staple in the community for decades, for as long as I can remember," she said." TRANSITIONS - Cassie Moreno joins Suraj Patel's congressional campaign in New York's 12th District as communications director. Moreno previously served as communications director for Boston City Councilor Michelle Wu, and is a Rep. Seth Moulton alum. MAZEL! to the State House News Service's Colin Young, who got engaged and turned 30 in the same weekend. Tweet. HAPPY BIRTHDAY — to Boston Globe's Liz Goodwin, Charlotte DuHamel, Ryan McCollum and Beth Fairservis DID THE HOME TEAM WIN? Yes! The Patriots beat the Bengals 34-13. FOR YOUR COMMUTE: THE POLL-AR EXPRESS — On this week's Horse Race podcast, hosts Jennifer Smith and Steve Koczela discuss new polling on the New Hampshire primary. Boston Globe reporter Adam Vaccaro runs through the safety report on the MBTA conducted by an independent panel of experts. MassINC Polling Group Research Director Rich Parr rounds out the show with a look at a regional poll focused on the Transportation Climate Initiative. Subscribe and listen on iTunes and Sound Cloud. Want to make an impact? POLITICO Massachusetts has a variety of solutions available for partners looking to reach and activate the most influential people in the Bay State. Have a petition you want signed? A cause you're promoting? Seeking to increase brand awareness among this key audience? Share your message with our influential readers to foster engagement and drive action. Contact Jesse Shapiro to find out how: jshapiro@politico.com. Follow us on Twitter Stephanie Murray @StephMurr_Jour Subscribe to the POLITICO Playbook family Playbook  |  Playbook PM  |  California Playbook  |  Florida Playbook  |  Illinois Playbook  |  Massachusetts Playbook  |  New Jersey Playbook  |  New York Playbook  |  Brussels Playbook  |  London Playbook View all our politics and policy newsletters FOLLOW US

POLITICO, LLC 1000 Wilson Blvd. Arlington, VA, 22209, USA

POLITICO Massachusetts Playbook: PATRICK reunion — Late night BUDGET deal — Is BILL GALVIN ‘too persnickety’? — BOSTON BOMBER back in court

PATRICK reunion — Late night BUDGET deal — Is BILL GALVIN ‘too persnickety’? — BOSTON BOMBER back in court

BY STEPHANIE MURRAY GOOD MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS. NEW: PATRICK ALUMNI TO RAISE CASH — A group of Deval Patrick alumni will get together to raise money for the former governor's presidential campaign in Boston next week. The fundraiser planned for Monday evening will be held at Central Wharf Co. Suggested contributions range from $50 to $250, according to an invitation obtained by POLITICO. Co-hosts include Patrick's former deputy chief of staff Sydney Asbury, former press secretary Alex Goldstein, former campaign field director Clare Kelly and former Boston City Councilor Tito Jackson. Also on the co-host list are Patrick's 2020 national organizing director Chelsie Ouellette, Joe Rull, a former aide to Boston Mayor Marty Walsh, and Eric Nakajima, who served in the Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development and is now an Ohio organizer for Patrick's campaign. Because he entered the race so late, Patrick is under pressure to raise as much cash as possible in the small amount of time before the first states vote in February. Patrick and his wife, Diane Patrick, recently held a fundraiser. FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: CAVELL'S BROOKLINE ENDORSEMENTS — Candidate for Congress Dave Cavell will announce this morning that he nabbed two endorsements from elected officials in his hometown of Brookline. Brookline Select Board Chair Bernard Greene and his predecessor Neil Wishinsky, endorsed Cavell in his bid to replace Rep. Joe Kennedy III. The 4th District primary is a crowded race. And of the six candidates running, four hail from Brookline: Cavell, Jesse Mermell, Alan Khazei, and Ihssane Leckey. "Dave Cavell should be our next congressional representative because he has demonstrated three of the most important traits for success in public service: passion guided by wisdom, competence to do the job right, and an ability to make personal connections with people from all walks of life," Greene said in a statement. Have a tip, story, suggestion, birthday, anniversary, new job, or any other nugget for the Playbook? Get in touch: smurray@politico.com. TODAY — Gov. Charlie Baker, Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito and Boston Mayor Marty Walsh hold a press conference to formally welcome the NAACP to Boston ahead of the organization's national convention in July. Polito speaks at the Massachusetts Conference for Women. Senate candidate Shannon Liss-Riordan is endorsed by Local 22 ATU in Worcester. Walsh and Boston Police Commissioner William Gross host a press conference to discuss a new nightclub safety report. Walsh presents an award at the Massachusetts Housing & Shelter Alliance annual meeting, state Sen. Paul Feeney is honored at the event. DATELINE BEACON HILL - "State lawmakers reach compromise on long-stalled spending bill," by Matt Stout and Victoria McGrane, Boston Globe: "State lawmakers passed a compromise spending bill Thursday and will avoid a potential legal clash with the state comptroller, capping a weekslong dispute over how to spend the state's $1 billion surplus. But in reaching the deal, legislators sliced what both chambers had previously earmarked — and Governor Charlie Baker had requested — for the MBTA, whittling the extra funding from $50 million to $32 million days after a high-profile report criticized the T for not prioritizing safety. The compromise also did not include a controversial corporate tax change that had the backing of businesses, Baker, and the House, but not the Senate." - "Comptroller postpones decision to sweep $1 billion into rainy day fund after lawmakers fail to reach budget deal," by Shira Schoenberg, Springfield Republican: "The Massachusetts comptroller postponed a decision on sweeping $1 billion into the state's rainy day fund on Wednesday, citing "substantial progress" by lawmakers in reaching a deal on a final closeout budget for fiscal 2019. The fiscal year ended June 30. The state had a $1 billion budget surplus, of which $316 million is needed to pay the state's lingering bills for things like MassHealth services. Comptroller Andrew Maylor was waiting for the House and Senate to agree on a final closeout budget, and already missed an Oct. 31 deadline for closing the state's books." - "Secretary of state Bill Galvin calls Sen. Don Humason's resignation letter 'worthless'; alleges voter suppression effort," by Shira Schoenberg, Springfield Republican: "Secretary of the Commonwealth William Galvin said Wednesday that a resignation letter filed by state Sen. Don Humason, R-Westfield, is "a worthless piece of paper" and cannot be used to call a special election. "This is all about suppressing voter turnout," Galvin, a Democrat, said in an interview. "That's all Republicans are up to." Humason responded, "I think the secretary is being...a little too persnickety." Humason is leaving the Senate to become the mayor of Westfield." - "Vape Sales Resume, With Warning From State Health Commissioner," by Colin A. Young, State House News Service: "The state Public Health Council approved new regulations for vaping Wednesday, putting in place tighter restrictions on the sale of e-cigarettes and other vaping products that spurred a public health emergency this year. The new regulations end the emergency ban on all vaping product sales in the state that Gov. Charlie Baker implemented in September amid a national outbreak of vaping-related lung disease, including three deaths in Massachusetts. That ban, which had been whittled away by the courts, had been set to lift on Dec. 24 but Baker announced late last month that it would instead remain in effect through Dec. 11." FROM THE HUB - "Meet the 2019 Bostonians of the Year: Andrew Lelling and Rachael Rollins," by Neil Swidey, Boston Globe: "FOR ALL THEIR DIFFERENCES, Rollins and Lelling have much in common. They are both funny and blunt, about the same age, and oversee similar size staffs and $21 million budgets. They both welcome being challenged by people who see the world differently. And they are both passionate about increasing fairness in the justice system, albeit with very different approaches. Depending on your politics, you probably view one of them as being far more deserving of praise than the other." - "'Sanctuary cities', deployment to U.S.-Mexico border contributed to 15% drop in ICE arrests in New England," by Steph Solis, MassLive.com: "New England saw its lowest number of immigration-related arrests in two years, mirroring a national trend that federal officials attribute to the redeployment of resources at the southern border and lack of cooperation with so-called sanctuary cities. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's Boston division, which oversees six states, made 2,469 administrative arrests in fiscal 2019 or about 15% less than the previous fiscal year, according to apprehension data released Wednesday by the agency. ICE Boston recorded 2,908 administrative arrests in fiscal 2018 and 2,834 administrative arrests in fiscal 2017." - "The Celtics' Enes Kanter stands tall for human rights," by Neil Swidey, Boston Globe: "His is a voice of conscience, irrespective of cost, against efforts to curb human rights in his home country of Turkey as well as many other places. "To some people, it's money over principles," Kanter says. "To me, it's principles over money." And for him, the biggest toll has nothing to do with cash. What makes him so dangerous to the powerful interests he stands up to is his imperviousness to the threats that work on most people. What can they take from him when he has already surrendered so much?" - "Boston City Council updates Trust Act, clarifies limits on police cooperation with ICE," by Steph Solis, MassLive.com: "The Boston City Council unanimously passed an updated version of the Trust Act, which prohibits local law enforcement from detaining someone solely over a civil immigration detainer requested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The updated law strengthens limitations on informal information sharing between police and ICE and mandates training to make sure police officers know the requirements and the limitations of the Trust Act, which was first passed in 2014." - "Boston approves fee on real estate transactions," by Sarah Betancourt, CommonWealth Magazine: "THE BOSTON CITY COUNCIL on Wednesday approved a fee of up to 2 percent on real estate transactions greater than $2 million, a measure that is expected to raise $168 million a year for affordable housing production. The new transfer fee, an attempt to capitalize on Boston's hot real estate market, is expected to be signed by Mayor Martin Walsh and then go as a home rule petition to the Legislature for approval. If approved by the Legislature, the city would have the ability to determine whether to assess a single flat fee on all transactions over $2 million or go with a graduated rate based on the size of the transaction." - "On Cassellius' Community Tour, Boston Parents Call For Quality Schools For Every Student," by Carrie Jung, WBUR: "Empty seats were hard to come by as Boston Public Schools Superintendent Brenda Cassellius geared up for one of the last stops on her community engagement tour. More than 100 students and parents squeezed into the second floor library of the English High School in Jamaica Plain to speak with the new superintendent. After a quick presentation and video, it was time for the crowd to take the mic. Parents were eager to voice their concerns. It didn't take long for the common themes to emerge." PRIMARY SOURCES - "Lydia Edwards endorses Shannon Liss-Riordan in US Senate race," by Victoria McGrane, Boston Globe: "Labor attorney Shannon Liss-Riordan nabbed a notable endorsement as she campaigns to unseat Senator Edward J. Markey in the Democratic primary next fall: Boston City Councilor Lydia Edwards. "Massachusetts and this country need Shannon in the Senate, fighting for workers and holding abusive corporations accountable, as she has every day over the last 20 years as a champion for working people," Edwards said in a statement announcing the endorsement." - "Belmont Democratic Town Committee votes to endorse Ed Markey," from the Belmont DTC: "The Belmont Democratic Town Committee overwhelmingly voted to endorse Senator Ed Markey in his re-election bid Wednesday evening, the first Massachusetts Democratic Town Committee to hold an endorsement vote. Members heard from Attorney Shannon Liss- Riordan and surrogates from Senator Markey and Congressman Joe Kennedys' campaigns." DAY IN COURT - "Tsarnaev's Attorneys Want Him Off Death Row. Here's What They'll Argue," by Ally Jarmanning, WBUR: "More than four years after Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev was sentenced to death for killing four people and wounding hundreds more, his attorneys will argue in a Boston courtroom Thursday why his conviction and death sentence should be thrown out. Attorneys for Tsarnev's defense and the federal government will each have an hour to make their cases in front of three appeals court judges at the Moakley Courthouse in Boston — the same courthouse where Tsarnaev was sentenced in 2015." - "Lawrence mayor urges judge to reject gas explosion settlement, saying lawyers would receive too large a share," by John R. Ellement and Danny McDonald, Boston Globe: "Lawrence Mayor Daniel Rivera wants a judge to reject the proposed $143 million settlement of a class action lawsuit against Columbia Gas, arguing that lawyers are taking too large a share of the money destined for victims of the 2018 natural gas explosions that rocked the Merrimack Valley. In a letter sent to the firm hired to administer the settlement, Rivera criticized the $23.5 million that would go to the attorneys. "At its core, this settlement favors the interests of the class action attorneys and not the victims in the three communities that were directly impacted and continue to be today," Rivera wrote." - "Former Mass. State Police troopers Paul Wosny, Michael Wilmot arraigned on charges of taking weapons from state police armory," by Aviva Luttrell, MassLive.com: "Two former Massachusetts State Police troopers accused of taking free guns from a prospective vendor and weapons from the state police armory were arraigned on the charges in East Brookfield District Court. Former Lt. Paul M. Wosny, 50, of Norfolk, and former Trooper Michael G. Wilmot, 59, of Sturbridge, were arraigned in East Brookfield District Court Wednesday on a charge of using an official position to obtain an unwarranted privilege. Not-guilty pleas were entered on their behalf." WARREN REPORT - "Warren Is Spending Campaign Cash to Unseat Susan Collins," by Gideon Resnick, The Daily Beast: "Sen. Elizabeth Warren's (D-MA) presidential campaign is putting resources into Maine, where it hopes to help unseat Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) in one of the most high-profile Senate races of this cycle. A new memo sent to supporters on Tuesday from Warren's campaign manager Roger Lau details a series of investments on state directors and organizers for states that vote and caucus in March. The campaign, Lau writes, is devoting these resources not just to boost Warren ahead of primary voting but to assist Democrats in marquee Senate, House, and state legislative contests in 2020. On the target list Lau offered was Maine, where Collins is facing a number of potential Democratic challengers, including Maine House Speaker Sara Gideon." PATRICK PRIMARY - "Oops. Missed call by Deval Patrick puts nascent presidential campaign in a jam," by James Pindell, Boston Globe: "Former Massachusetts governor Deval Patrick's presidential campaign is scrambling to collect signatures in Michigan to secure a spot on the state's presidential primary ballot because neither Patrick nor his aides called the state Democratic Party and asked to be placed on the ballot in the hours after he floated a White House bid this year. Oops. If Patrick's team doesn't collect another 3,300 signatures by Friday, he won't be a listed choice for voters in the March 10 primary." - "Former judges claim unequal pay, retaliation during Deval Patrick's tenure," by Stephanie Ebbert, Boston Globe: "As former governor Deval Patrick runs for president, he faces the uncomfortable prospect of being deposed in a lawsuit over gender discrimination and retaliation filed by three women he appointed as judges. The onetime administrative judges say their performance reviews plummeted and they were not reappointed after they complained that a new male judge had been hired at a higher salary and offered a downtown Boston parking space. Patrick's labor secretary allegedly defended the pay disparity by telling the women's supervisor, "We have to pay him; he's our only black judge," the suit claims." MOULTON MATTERS - "Top general: Military won't be a 'raping, burning and pillaging' gang after Trump's war crimes pardons," by Connor O'Brien, POLITICO: "The military's top officer today defended efforts to maintain discipline in the ranks amid stiff questioning from lawmakers on whether President Donald Trump's intervention in the cases of three service members accused or convicted of war crimes will create chaos on the battlefield. "We do maintain, and we will maintain, good order and discipline," Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Mark Milley told the House Armed Services Committee. "We will not turn into a gang of raping, burning and pillaging throughout ... That is not going to happen as a result of this or anything else." Milley was responding to questions from Rep. Seth Moulton (D-Mass.)." KENNEDY COMPOUND - "Joe Kennedy III is speaking out about safe injection sites. Here's why." by Nik DeCosta-Klipa, Boston.com: "Rep. Joe Kennedy III says his support for safe injection facilities is nothing new, but one recent experience particularly elucidates why he's now speaking up on the subject. A few days after launching his Senate primary campaign in September, the Massachusetts congressman visited the area around Massachusetts Avenue and Melnea Cass Boulevard in Boston that has become known as "Methadone Mile" due to its rampant, open drug use. There, he witnessed people in the throes of opioid addiction just steps away from clinics like the city's Health Care for the Homeless Program. To a certain degree, the clinic doors felt like an arbitrary barrier." IT'S NOT EASY BEING GREEN - "6 more protestors arrested at Weymouth compressor site," by Joe DiFazio, The Patriot Ledger: "Six protesters were arrested near the base of the Fore River Bridge on Wednesday as they again tried to stop crews from preparing for the construction of a 7,700-horsepower natural gas compressor station fiercely opposed by nearby residents and elected officials. The escalating protests on the edge of the Fore River come as activists find themselves with fewer and fewer legal and political avenues for stopping a project that they say will vent toxic gases into nearby neighborhoods and put the entire region at risk. Last week, as crews were just starting to prepare the site, four protesters were arrested, though none were charged." ABOVE THE FOLD — Herald: "IN HELL," — Globe: "When a lifesaving measure goes wrong," "Watchdog offers grim assessment of FBI." THE LOCAL ANGLE - "Brookline Votes To Ban Face Surveillance Technology," by Tori Bedford, WGBH News: ""The town of Brookline voted overwhelmingly to ban government use of facial surveillance technology during a town meeting Wednesday. With 179 votes in favor of the ban, eight opposed and 12 abstaining, the town joined Somerville as the second Massachusetts town to block their municipality from using the technology. Kade Crockford, director of the Technology for Liberty Program at the ACLU of Massachusetts, said the vote marks a huge victory for civil rights." - "Worcester City Council OKs petition to retain Columbus Day," by Nick Kotsopoulos, Telegram & Gazette: "Columbus Day is going to remain a holiday in the city, celebrated on the second Monday in October as it always has been. The City Council Tuesday night unanimously voted to reaffirm the city's commitment and participation in the celebration of Columbus Day as a holiday, six weeks after it had been asked by a resident to abolish Columbus Day and replace it with Indigenous Peoples' Day." ICYMI: BENNET IN BOSTON - Colorado Sen. Michael Bennet talked about his presidential campaign, why he's betting on New Hampshire and his vision for the future at the Kennedy Institute yesterday. You can watch a video of the talk here. STAFF TRACKER - FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: Roger Lis joins Rep. Joe Kennedy III's campaign for Senate as digital director. Lis is the former New Hampshire digital director for Beto O'Rourke's presidential campaign. The Kennedy campaign has also hired six organizers. HAPPY BIRTHDAY - to Boston City Councilor Annissa Essaibi George; Alex Reimer, communications director for state Sen. Eric Lesser; Jeff Goldstein, and John Lippmann. DID THE HOME TEAM WIN? No and no! The Pacers beat the Celtics 122-117. The Capitals beat the Bruins 3-2. FOR YOUR COMMUTE: THE POLL-AR EXPRESS - On this week's Horse Race podcast, hosts Jennifer Smith and Steve Koczela discuss new polling on the New Hampshire primary. Boston Globe reporter Adam Vaccaro runs through the safety report on the MBTA conducted by an independent panel of experts. MassINC Polling Group Research Director Rich Parr rounds out the show with a look at a regional poll focused on the Transportation Climate Initiative. Subscribe and listen on iTunes and Sound Cloud. Want to make an impact? POLITICO Massachusetts has a variety of solutions available for partners looking to reach and activate the most influential people in the Bay State. Have a petition you want signed? A cause you're promoting? Seeking to increase brand awareness among this key audience? Share your message with our influential readers to foster engagement and drive action. Contact Jesse Shapiro to find out how: jshapiro@politico.com.   Follow us on Twitter Stephanie Murray @StephMurr_Jour   Subscribe to the POLITICO Playbook family Playbook  |  Playbook PM  |  California Playbook  |  Florida Playbook  |  Illinois Playbook  |  Massachusetts Playbook  |  New Jersey Playbook  |  New York Playbook  |  Brussels Playbook  |  London Playbook View all our politics and policy newsletters FOLLOW US

POLITICO, LLC 1000 Wilson Blvd. Arlington, VA, 22209, USA