News : POLITICO Massachusetts Playbook: Framingham’s 1ST MAYOR seeks 2ND TERM — Left PRESSURES Markey

Thursday, May 13, 2021

POLITICO Massachusetts Playbook: Framingham’s 1ST MAYOR seeks 2ND TERM — Left PRESSURES Markey — Marijuana approval process UNDER FIRE

May 13, 2021

GOOD MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS. Vaccines are now open to those ages 12 to 15.

BREAKING THIS MORNING — Yvonne Spicer, Framingham's first mayor, is seeking a second term at a time when several of her counterparts are calling it quits after a year of Covid-19.

"Never in my wildest dreams did I think 'your first term as mayor is going to be marked by a pandemic and economic downturn,'" Spicer told me. "I've brought my city through it. There is more to this recovery, and I want to continue to do this work."

Nearly a fifth of the state's mayors are hanging up their hats, according to CommonWealth Magazine, with several citing Covid fatigue as a factor.

"I'm tired of Covid. I'm not tired of public service," Somerville Mayor Joseph Curtatone told reporters after he announced in early March that he wouldn't seek reelection after nearly 18 years in office.

"Certainly it takes a toll on you not to be able to be with family because of Covid, and not to mention people are angry and tired of being on lockdown and wearing face masks, and sometimes folks need a target," Spicer told me. "I just try to take it with a grain of salt and stay the course."

Spicer has spent a solid quarter of her term steering hard-hit Framingham through the pandemic. She's also clashed with councilors for unrelated reasons and has already drawn a challenger, former city councilor and selectman Charlie Sisitsky, who said in his announcement that his supporters "are concerned with the trajectory of our current administration."

Spicer was a political newcomer when she was elected in 2017, and says she's the first popularly elected Black woman mayor in Massachusetts.

Several of her counterparts who are moving on have been in office for far longer — Newburyport Mayor Donna Holaday has 12 years under her belt, and David Narkiewicz of Northampton has nearly 10. Some have already left for other jobs — former Boston Mayor Marty Walsh is President Joe Biden's Labor secretary, former Lawrence Mayor Daniel Rivera now leads MassDevelopment and former Holyoke Mayor Alex Morse is the new town manager of Provincetown.

Spicer isn't ready to step back . "I feel like there's so much more work that I envision for Framingham that we haven't gotten to," she said, rattling off municipal matters from traffic to housing. "I'd like the opportunity to continue seeing that through."

PROGRESSIVES PRESS MARKEY — The progressive groups and activists who helped power Ed Markey's 2020 primary victory over Rep. Joe Kennedy are pressuring the senator to "stand up for Palestinian lives" after he issued a "both sides" statement Tuesday night on the escalating Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

By Wednesday night, former Markey staffers, fellows and volunteers, the Sunrise Movement, and democratic socialist state Rep. Erika Uyterhoeven had signed onto a letter to the senator urging him to take action in Congress.

"Senator Markey's refusal to support justice in Palestine is antithetical to the Green New Deal and the progressive movement that won him re-election," the letter to Markey reads.

It's an unusual amount of blowback from the Markeyverse — the senator's typically fervently supportive online base. But young and progressive activists that helped Markey fell a Kennedy are showing they're not afraid to hold him accountable.

Markey spokesman Geoff Burgan stressed that the senator values "transparency and accountability" and "stands by the commitment he made to this powerful movement of young people," in a statement to POLITICO.

"Senator Markey welcomes debate on all issues, whether on the Senate floor or online," Burgan said, adding that his boss "will continue to call for peace and for an end to the violence against innocent Palestinian and Israeli children and families."

Have a tip, story, suggestion, birthday, anniversary, new job, or any other nugget for the Playbook? Get in touch: lkashinsky@politico.com.

TODAY — Acting Boston Mayor Kim Janey gives closing remarks at The Future is Female webinar hosted by the Boston Globe and Deloitte at 1 p.m. Gov. Charlie Baker appears at the Massachusetts Department of Higher Education's "29 Who Shine" ceremony at 2 p.m. Former Boston Police Commissioner William Gross will endorse Boston mayoral candidate Annissa Essaibi George and join her for a small business tour in Mattapan at 12:30 p.m.

The Longmeadow Democratic Town Committee hosts its Democrat of the Year Gala at 7 p.m. via Zoom. This year's honoree is Secretary of State William Galvin. Other attendees include Sen. Ed Markey, Rep. Richard Neal, Attorney General Maura Healey, Auditor Suzanne Bump, Treasurer Deb Goldberg, MassDems Chairman Gus Bickford, state Sen. Eric Lesser, state Rep. Brian Ashe and District Attorneys Anthony Gulluni and David Sullivan.

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THE LATEST NUMBERS

– "58,254 more coronavirus vaccine shots given in Massachusetts, 626 new virus cases," by Rick Sobey, Boston Herald: "More than 58,000 coronavirus vaccine doses were administered in Massachusetts during the most recent day of vax data, while state health officials on Wednesday also reported 626 new virus cases and 13 new deaths a day after no new deaths were recorded."

DATELINE BEACON HILL

– "'Liz Cheney is absolutely right': Charlie Baker says after Republicans vote Cheney out of leadership for speaking out against Trump," by Nik DeCosta-Klipa, Boston.com: "Gov. Charlie Baker says Rep. Liz Cheney was "absolutely right" to speak out against fellow Republicans' attempts to sow doubt in the 2020 presidential election results, even if it resulted in the Wyoming congresswoman losing her position in the GOP's congressional leadership."

– SHOT: "Baker urged to restore rules for jobless benefits," by Christian M. Wade, CNHI: "Business groups are urging the state to restore a work-search requirement for people collecting unemployment benefits, arguing that stricter rules are needed to get more workers back on the job. Gov. Charlie Baker relaxed the rules last year amid a wave of layoffs and unemployment claims fueled by government-mandated business closures in response to the pandemic."

– CHASER: "Baker signals no plans to drop $300 bonus weekly unemployment checks," by Erin Tiernan, Boston Herald: "Gov. Charlie Baker signaled he wouldn't join a growing number of Republican-led states that have moved to cancel the federal government's $300 boost in weekly unemployment benefits."

– "Opioid overdose deaths among Black men in Massachusetts spike 69% during COVID pandemic, new data shows," by Tanner Stening, MassLive.com: "The COVID pandemic has exacerbated substance use issues across Massachusetts, and new data from the Department of Public Health shows that Black men of color have seen the highest number of opioid overdose deaths in 2020. Preliminary data released on Wednesday shows that overall overdose deaths in Massachusetts increased 5% in 2020 compared to 2019, reversing a downward trend that's been observed since 2016."

VAX-ACHUSETTS

– "Massachusetts to launch employer COVID vaccination program, let companies request on-site clinics," by Benjamin Kail, MassLive.com: "Massachusetts will soon launch an employer COVID-19 vaccination program, offering workers across the state another avenue to get inoculated, Gov. Charlie Baker announced Wednesday. The new program will let employers book blocks of appointments for workers at one of the state's seven mass vaccination sites, or give businesses the option of requesting mobile pop-up clinics to arrive on-site at scheduled times to deliver shots."

– "Charlie Baker says 'no' to COVID kid vaccine mandate," by Erin Tiernan, Boston Herald: "Gov. Charlie Baker has uttered a definitive 'no' on the question of mandating coronavirus vaccines for public school students this fall."

– "Moderna CEO: Booster shots could be coming in fall," by Bruce Mohl, CommonWealth Magazine: "Single-dose booster COVID-19 shots are likely to be available late this summer or during the fall for people who were originally vaccinated in December or January, the CEO of Moderna said on Wednesday."

FROM THE HUB

– "Boston School Committee raises graduation standards and hears proposal for nine major school construction projects," by James Vaznis, Boston Globe: "The Boston School Committee on Wednesday night approved a plan to toughen the standards for earning a high school diploma, representing the biggest changes to the system's graduation requirements in more than a decade. The graduation policy will go into effect for the class of 2026 — this year's seventh-graders — and aims to provide all students with the courses needed for admission to one of the state's public universities."

– "Surge in Israeli-Palestinian violence prompts concern, calls for peace from New England," by Jeremy C. Fox and Christine Mui, Boston Globe: "At dueling rallies in Boston, and in homes across the region, many called Wednesday for a peaceful end to deadly violence in Israel and the Gaza Strip, where the Israeli military and Palestinian militants have been engaged in airstrikes and rocket fire amid escalating tensions."

– "Nonprofit Leadership Is Becoming More Diverse In Boston. What Took So Long?" by Meghan Smith, GBH News: "Across the Boston area, a transformation has quietly been taking place: Over the past year, people of color have been hired as executive directors of several major non-profit organizations, including some that will have a non-white leader for the first time."

THE RACE FOR CITY HALL

– "Activists tell mayoral candidates 'no votes' without plan for 'inhumane' conditions at Methadone Mile," by Meghan Ottolini, Boston Herald: "Activists from Roxbury and the South End say they are fed up with 'inhumane' conditions surrounding the opioid-addicted population that roam their neighborhoods. They're also vowing to make it an issue for the upcoming mayoral election."

PLANES, TRAINS AND AUTOMOBILES

– "Advocates: Tap fed infrastructure funds for Allston I-90 project," by Bruce Mohl, CommonWealth Magazine: "A group of transportation advocates sent a letter on Wednesday to all members of the Massachusetts congressional delegation urging them to press for federal funding for an all-at-grade I-90 Allston project."

THE CLARK CAUCUS

– "Rep. Katherine Clark leads bipartisan push to help kids with serious health conditions get quicker out-of-state care," by Benjamin Kail, MassLive.com: "Rep. Katherine Clark is leading a renewed bipartisan push to bolster health equity by improving timely access to critical pediatric care when families must rely on out-of-state providers. The Massachusetts Democrat on Wednesday introduced the Accelerating Kids' Access to Care Act, which is designed to eliminate administrative hurdles and ensure families get the quick care or procedures their children need when facilities in their home state can't provide highly specialized care."

THE PRESSLEY PARTY

– "Rep. Ayanna Pressley adds support for push to end death penalty but no sign Biden admin is on board," by Christina Carrega, CNN: "Rep. Ayanna Pressley knew that abolishing the death penalty would not be an easy task. In fact, Pressley is aware that urging President Joe Biden to abolish the federal death penalty with a stroke of a pen would only be the beginning ."

IT'S NOT EASY BEING GREEN

– "White House climate czar pledges to balance offshore wind, fishing sector," by Ted Nesi, WPRI: "The White House's top climate official promised Wednesday that the administration will listen to concerns of the fishing industry as President Biden pushes forward with a major expansion of offshore wind energy. Gina McCarthy — who led the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency under President Obama and is now the first-ever White House national climate adviser — said the administration already took those complaints into account before granting approval Tuesday to Vineyard Wind, the nation's first large-scale offshore wind farm."

MARIJUANA IN MASSACHUSETTS

– "Lawmakers again weigh reforms to local marijuana agreements," by Dan Adams, Boston Globe: "Massachusetts lawmakers on Tuesday took blistering testimony from attorneys, entrepreneurs, and advocates who slammed the state's local approval process for marijuana companies as little more than a form of legal extortion — one they said has allowed municipalities to collect and spend millions of dollars in unjustified fees without accountability or transparency."

THE LOWELL CONNECTOR

– "Appeals Court denies Lowell's request for stay, Dominik Lay sworn in as member of School Committee," by Alana Melanson, Lowell Sun: "The Massachusetts Appeals Court on Wednesday denied the city's request for a stay in the Dominik Lay residency case, clearing the way for Lay to be voted in as a member of the School Committee."

FROM THE 413

– "Amherst's progressive reputation on trial at stormy Board of Registrars meeting," by Jim Russell, Springfield Republican: "The town's progressive reputation ended up on trial during a stormy Board of Registrars meeting Monday, when board member Demetria Shabazz said she may resign, accusing the municipality of voter 'disenfranchisement' involving more than 100 rejected signatures on a citizens petition related to Jones Library."

– "Police OT under scrutiny in Holyoke," by Dusty Christensen, Daily Hampshire Gazette: "Overtime pay in the police department has spiraled upward over the past decade, according to a Gazette review of city payroll records from the 2011 through 2020 calendar years. City-paid overtime costs have increased from $587,257 in 2011 to $1.4 million in 2019 and $1.3 million in 2020. Grant-funded overtime pay also has risen over the past decade, going from $94,267 in 2011 to $335,629 in 2020."

– "Chairs say launch of Rural Schools Commission 'a big win' for region," by Anita Fritz, Greenfield Recorder: "State Sen. Adam Hinds and state Rep. Natalie Blais recently chaired the first meeting of the state's Rural Schools Commission, and they expect that the body will have recommendations by the end of the year for how to permanently fund rural school districts."

THE LOCAL ANGLE

– "Yvonne Spicer seeks second term as Framingham mayor," by Jeff Malachowski, MetroWest Daily News: "The city's first mayor is seeking a second term. Mayor Yvonne Spicer officially announced her re-election bid in a video message Thursday morning. In 2018, Spicer became Framingham's first mayor and the first popularly elected African American female mayor in Massachusetts. The former teacher defeated former selectman and current District 8 City Councilor John Stefanini in the November 2017 mayoral race."

– "Worcester groups renew calls for civilian police review board with subpoena powers," by Brad Petrishen, Worcester Telegram & Gazette: "Eighteen community groups, citing a lack of police transparency and oversight, wrote a letter to city leaders and politicians Wednesday renewing calls for a civilian review board with subpoena powers. The groups, which include churches, activist groups and the local NAACP, said such a board is needed because the city has repeatedly declined to release information about police officers and incidents."

– "State denies Brockton High's waiver request to remain hybrid this school year," by Cody Shepard, Brockton Enterprise: "Brockton Public Schools officials have said a return to full-time in-person learning at Brockton High School, the state's largest school, is "simply not feasible" this spring amid the COVID-19 pandemic. But officials are now going to have to find a way to make it work after the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education denied the district's waiver request to remain hybrid through the rest of the school year."

– "Pandemic drives up rates of chronic absenteeism in Cape schools," by Cynthia McCormick, Cape Cod Times: "The rate of chronic school absenteeism shot up across Massachusetts this academic year, with many Cape districts surpassing the state average of 17%."

– "Bridgewater student's Harvard admissions essay about finding passion for life after losing her mother to cancer goes viral on TikTok," by Steve Annear, Boston Globe: "When Abigail Mack sat down to write her college application essay in October, she had a sudden realization: She strongly disliked the letter 's.' The consonant had stung since she was 12, when her mother, Julie, died of cancer. Each time she heard the word 'parents,' or said it herself, she realized she only had one. In time, she found herself wanting to escape the heavy grief that seemed to cling to its snake-like curve. Staring at a blank screen, Mack, a Bridgewater resident who attends Cardinal Spellman High School in Brockton, started to type."

– "Guregian: Tom Brady's homecoming will be epic," by Karen Guregian, Boston Herald: "Grudge matches between legendary quarterbacks and their former teams aren't new in the NFL. … and yet, none of them holds a candle to the bout that's going to take place Week 4, in prime time. Tom Brady vs. the Patriots."

– "Parties in civil suit over turkeys," by Jill Harmacinski, Eagle-Tribune: "What began as a charitable effort to feed those in need has turned into a civil lawsuit involving two nonprofits, a Lawrence business, 1,200 turkeys and the question of who was supposed to pay for them, according to court papers."

MEDIA MATTERS

– Boston.com has a new look.

TRANSITIONS – Katrina Gaddis joins Rep. Katherine Clark's political team as campaign manager.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY – to Michael Goldman, president of Goldman Associates

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