News: POLITICO Massachusetts Playbook: CAMPBELL's MOMENT in the Boston mayor's race — SWIFT's advice for HOCHUL

Wednesday, August 11, 2021

POLITICO Massachusetts Playbook: CAMPBELL's MOMENT in the Boston mayor's race — SWIFT's advice for HOCHUL — The ROAD AHEAD for INFRASTRUCTURE

Aug 11, 2021

CAMPBELL'S MAYORAL MOMENT — City Councilor Andrea Campbell is having a moment in the Boston mayor's race. Now she needs to turn that buzz into votes with just over a month to go until the September preliminary election.

Already among those pressing Acting Mayor Kim Janey to require city workers to get vaccinated or take weekly coronavirus tests, Campbell emerged as the field's strongest critic after Janey linked the idea of requiring proof of vaccination to slavery and birtherism. Janey expressed regret over the comments a couple of days later, but by that point Campbell had already booked a slot on MSNBC primetime's "The Last Word with Lawrence O'Donnell," where she addressed the controversy on national television and snagged the spotlight in the process.

Campbell's been hammering Janey on everything from the city's Covid-19 response to her handling of various police scandals . That steady drumbeat has helped keep Campbell in the headlines and given her more of a platform to share her own ideas for city governance and policing reform, even when polling has shown her trailing both Janey and City Councilor Michelle Wu by sizable margins.

But the rivals' diverging views on vaccine requirements presented what campaign insiders viewed as the biggest opportunity yet for Campbell to contrast with Janey and lay out her own vision for tackling the pandemic and other public health crises facing the city.

"Watching what's currently happening is not a surprise to me at all," said former Suffolk County sheriff and state public safety secretary Andrea Cabral, who endorsed Campbell last December when then-Mayor Marty Walsh was still expected to run for a third term. "She established her leadership positions on virtually every issue early on."

Cabral believes Campbell's recent leadership distinctions will "definitely help" her with voters who are just tuning into the mayor's race and will cement her standing with those "actively supporting her all along."

But Mattapan state Rep. Russell Holmes said Campbell's comments "cut both ways" with people in his district, which also includes parts of Dorchester, Hyde Park, Jamaica Plain and Roslindale.

"There are people giving Andrea a second look, definitely," Holmes told me. "But there are also some folks calling me saying they don't like Andrea hitting Kim so hard."

Holmes said folks in his circles are also concerned with splitting the vote and losing the opportunity to keep a Black woman in the mayor's office.

"They love Andrea, but don't want to knock out the possibility of continuing on with Kim," Holmes said. "So that's what they've been toying with."

Some prominent Black and Latino leaders and community groups have been coalescing around Janey in recent weeks. But Campbell is capitalizing on her moment by releasing her first television advertisement and rolling out a mystery endorsement from a "prominent elected official" in Janey's Roxbury neighborhood today.

GOOD WEDNESDAY MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS. New York Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul is poised to become the state's first female governor when Gov. Andrew Cuomo steps down in two weeks. Playbook asked former Massachusetts Gov. Jane Swift, who became the first woman to serve as governor here when then-Gov. Paul Cellucci resigned to become President George W. Bush's ambassador to Canada, to share some advice for the neighboring governor-to-be.

"It's hard to be first," Swift, who served as acting governor from 2001 to 2003, told me. But the "importance to young women and girls is achieved just by being in the job. I have had the wonderful opportunity to meet a lot of women over the last decade who were young women or girls when I was in office, and I am still stunned at how important it was. But don't shoulder the burden of having to do more than be a great governor of New York. That is enough."

Hochul will take the reins in New York as the Delta variant continues to drive up coronavirus cases. Swift urged Hochul to lean on health and education experts as she navigates the current debates over masks and vaccinations.

Swift called the sexual harassment allegations that led to Cuomo's resignation her "worst nightmare" as a mother of three daughters who are preparing to enter the workforce.

"But there is this silver lining," she said. "To break another glass ceiling and have another woman in such a visible position of leadership is only positive."

TODAY — Campbell hosts her endorsement event at 10 a.m. at John Eliot Square in Roxbury. Wu joins small business and restaurant owners to urge City Hall to require proof of vaccination in high-risk places at 10 a.m., Fort Hill Bar & Grill. Janey hosts a Neighborhood Coffee Hour at Elliot Norton Park in Bay Village at 10:30 a.m. Mayoral candidate John Barros visits small businesses in Cleary Square to talk about Covid-related resources and assistance starting at Fair Nutrition at 1:30 p.m. Gov. Charlie Baker is scheduled to return from California.

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

THE LATEST NUMBERS

— "Massachusetts coronavirus cases jump 1,109, most daily COVID deaths in nearly 3 months," by Rick Sobey, Boston Herald: "Massachusetts health officials on Tuesday reported a spike of 1,109 new coronavirus cases, as the state reported its highest daily COVID death count in almost three months."

— "Percentage of COVID vaccinated people testing positive in Massachusetts is now 0.23%, new data shows," by Noah R. Bombard, MassLive.com: "According to the state data, as of Aug. 7, there were 4,321,931 fully vaccinated people and there have been a cumulative 9,969 cases in people who had tested positive at least two weeks after receiving their final COVID vaccine shot."

DATELINE BEACON HILL

— "State Rep Racked Up $154,000 In Unpaid Federal Taxes," by Sam Doran, State House News Service (paywall): "The Internal Revenue Service has filed a hefty lien against a state representative for nonpayment of taxes, but [Rep. David Linsky] said Tuesday that he has already paid off some of the bottom line, expects the lien to be lifted, and vowed to give the federal government 'every dime' he owes."

— "Gambling revenues soar as states cash in on sports betting, but Massachusetts still dragging its feet," by Erin Tiernan, Boston Herald: "Sports betting has proven to be a slam dunk, buoying gaming revenues nationally throughout the coronavirus pandemic, the latest tallies show, but it's still unclear if Massachusetts will get its shot to cash in as the state Senate drags its feet once again."

— "Opposed to a proposed development? Going to court could cost $50,000 under new state law," by Wheeler Cowperthwaite, Patriot Ledger: "Recent changes to housing choice laws approved by Gov. Baker in January will make it harder and more expensive for anyone who wants to take their development grievances to court. The law allows developers to ask judges to impose a $50,000 bond on anyone who wants to appeal a housing project, including any that fall under the state's Chapter 40B statute."

— "Pioneer Institute calls for reforms to 'Payment in Lieu of Taxes' programs for nonprofits," by Amy Sokolow, Boston Herald: "'Payment in Lieu of Taxes,' or PILOT programs, aimed at shoring up city funds from nonprofits, have long been unevenly applied across both nonprofits and cities, the Pioneer Institute argued in a white paper released Tuesday."

— "Lawmakers React to 'Concerning' Health of Historic Trees on DCR Parkways," by Ryan Kath, NBC 10 Boston: "According to a 2019 DCR inventory of about 10,000 trees along 14 state parkways, only 2% were in good condition. ... 'Some of the numbers are very concerning,' said Sen. Becca Rausch, who chairs the legislature's Joint Committee on Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture."

VAX-ACHUSETTS

— "Health care leaders back vaccine mandates," by Bruce Mohl, CommonWealth Magazine: "Three of the state's health care leaders urged employers to require their workers to get vaccinated against COVID-19, saying the only real protection against the Delta variant of the disease is inoculation."

— "Mass. State Prisons See New COVID-19 Outbreak," by Jenifer B. McKim, GBH News: "Thirty prisoners have active COVID-19 cases, most of them housed at the Souza-Baranowski Correctional Center in Lancaster, state officials said Tuesday. The data released by the Massachusetts Department of Correction marks a jump in the number of COVID-19 cases in the state's incarcerated population. Last month, numbers had dropped to zero."

— "Skewed Data Confuses Vaccination Rates In Some Western Mass. Towns," by Karen Brown, New England Public Media: "Two small towns in western Massachusetts are ranked among the lowest COVID-19 vaccination rates in the state. But some officials blame a glitch in the data collection."

— "Salem To Implement New Indoor Mask Mandate Through Its Popular Halloween Season," by Esteban Bustillos, GBH News.

— "With COVID delta variant rising, these towns and cities have enacted face-covering guidelines," by Noah R. Bombard, MassLive.com.

FROM THE HUB

— "Boston School Superintendent Brenda Cassellius warned that her authority may be limited until she passes licensing exam," by Andrea Estes, Boston Globe: "Boston School Superintendent Brenda Cassellius should avoid signing any legal documents over the next month while she awaits the results of her licensing exam, the state education commissioner told the Boston School Committee Tuesday."

—"Boston lawyer forgot to tell judge about missing evidence in exam school challenge, new court documents say," by Bianca Vázquez Toness, Boston Globe: "Lawyers for the City of Boston blamed memory lapses and poor communication for their failure to alert a federal court judge to missing evidence in a closely watched court challenge to a previous exam school admissions policy, new court documents show."

— "Kim Janey leaves door open for plans to house homeless at Boston Methadone Mile hotel," by Sean Philip Cotter, Boston Herald: "Acting Mayor Kim Janey appeared to leave the door open to the city taking another shot at housing homeless at a hotel in the middle of Boston's Methadone Mile a week after a controversial plan to do so went down in flames. "

— "Boston mayor spending federal COVID relief money on 'listening campaign'," by Dan Atkinson, WHDH: "Janey said some funding from the American Rescue Plan will fund the Let's Go Better campaign to let residents share concerns and ideas in community meetings, especially in neighborhoods disproportionately affected by the pandemic."

— "Report: Business at Boston restaurants soared since January, but flattened last month due to fears about Delta variant," by Marie Szaniszlo, Boston Herald: "Foot traffic to Boston retail, entertainment and restaurants soared since Jan. 1, far outpacing the national average, but flattened last month due to fears about the coronavirus Delta variant and the CDC's recommendation that people return to wearing masks indoors, according to a new report."

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THE RACE FOR CITY HALL

— "Mayoral candidate John Barros calls for MBTA to use potential federal cash from infrastructure bill for upgrades," by Tiana Woodard, Boston Globe: "Barros urged the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority to use federal funding that he expects to come from an infrastructure package that passed the US Senate on Tuesday to begin sweeping reforms to Boston's public transportation system. He wants the T to upgrade the Fairmount Line with electric trains, expand low-income fare options across the system, and make spaces for local shops at some stations throughout Greater Boston."

— "Boston Mayoral Candidate Essaibi George Would Avoid A Vaccine Mandate 'As Much As Possible'," by Zoe Mathews, GBH News: "[City Councilor Annissa] Essaibi George told Boston Public Radio Tuesday she'd like to 'avoid a mandate as much as possible.' 'I'm certainly willing to explore it,' Essaibi George said, but noted she would like to avoid it ultimately."

FEELING '22

— State Sen. Sonia Chang-Díaz has been endorsed in her gubernatorial bid by state Sens. Rebecca Rausch and Jamie Eldridge; state Reps. Lindsay Sabadosa, Liz Miranda, Nika Elugardo, Maria Robinson, Danillo Sena and Mary Keefe; Boston City Councilor Julia Mejia, Worcester City Councilor Sarai Rivera, Worcester School Committee member Tracy Novick and Lawrence School Committee member Jonathan Guzman. More from the Boston Herald's Erin Tiernan and State House News Service's Katie Lannan.

WARREN REPORT

— "Warren introduces bill to target corporate profits," by Caitlin Oprysko, POLITICO: "A trio of Democratic lawmakers on Monday introduced legislation targeting some of the country's richest companies as a means of forcing the corporations to pay more in taxes while at the same time financing the party's $3.5 trillion reconciliation bill. The bill, from Sens. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Angus King (I-Maine) and Rep. Don Beyer (D-Va.), would levy a 7 percent tax on the annual income that companies report to investors, or their book income, over $100 million. It would target earnings that companies typically strive to maximize rather than what corporations report to the IRS, those played down in order to minimize their tax bills."

DATELINE D.C.

— "Senate passes bipartisan infrastructure bill — but what comes next won't be easy," by Tanya Snyder, POLITICO Pro Transportation: "Now Democrats must keep their own party in line as they attempt to move the infrastructure bill forward in the House, where it will eventually be paired with a $3.5 trillion budget reconciliation package loaded with their party's climate, health and social priorities. Because of the way reconciliation works, Democrats won't need any Republican votes for that huge bill — but they will need every Democratic senator's support."

— LISTEN: "Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley On The Rocky Path Forward For Infrastructure Bill," by Ailsa Chang, Sarah Handel and Karen Zamora, NPR.

— "Mass. could receive up to $8 billion under $1 trillion infrastructure package," by Travis Andersen, Boston Globe: "The trillion-dollar infrastructure bill that the US Senate passed Tuesday will direct $8 billion to Massachusetts for various projects if the measure ultimately becomes law, Senator Ed Markey's office said Tuesday. … the cash that would come Massachusetts's way includes $4.2 billion for road improvements, $1.1 billion for bridge replacement and repair, and $2.5 billion for enhancing public transit systems like the MBTA."

PLANES, TRAINS AND AUTOMOBILES

— "MBTA Green Line operator has history of problems at the T," by Kathy Curran, WCVB: "5 Investigates has learned that the operator in the Green Line crash had been terminated with pay in August 2017, and rehired in October 2017."

— "New Orange Line cars being tested," by Bruce Mohl, CommonWealth Magazine: "The MBTA has begun testing its new Orange Line cars with the goal of returning them to active service in the coming weeks, a move that suggests the transit authority is finally closing in on the cause of a derailment nearly six months ago."

DAY IN COURT

— "Chelsea School Committee member held on child-rape charge," by Sean Philip Cotter, Boston Herald: "A Chelsea School Committee member is behind bars — and banned from setting foot on school-district property — on 'disturbing' charges that he enticed and sexually assaulted a 12-year-old boy. Henry Wilson, 56, quietly shook his head as officers cuffed him and led him away in Chelsea District Court on Tuesday, a day after his arrest."

— "A Swansea official is facing criminal charges. Did Jasiel Correia try to help him out?" by Jo C. Goode, Herald News: "A Swansea elected official is facing witness intimidation and destruction of property charges and convicted ex-Fall River mayor Jasiel Correia allegedly attempted to intervene in the local criminal case."

IT'S NOT EASY BEING GREEN

— "'Take us to court:' Scituate takes no action on wind turbine complaints," by Wheeler Cowperthwaite, Patriot Ledger: "The Scituate Board of Health has voted not to investigate complaints from neighbors about a noisy wind turbine. … Neighbors have blamed the turbine for health problems stemming from sleep deprivation, including a heart attack and childhood illnesses."

THE LOCAL ELECTIONS ROUNDUP

— "Lawrence races take shape for Sept. 21 election," by Jill Harmacinski, Eagle-Tribune: "Incumbent Mayor Kendrys Vasquez, Brian DePena, William Lantigua, Vilma Martinez-Dominguez and Doris Rodriguez are still vying for the corner office at 200 Common St."

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THE LOCAL ANGLE

— "DraftKings and Tom Brady's Autograph launch NFT marketplace," by Lucia Maffei, Boston Business Journal: "Boston-based DraftKings Inc. has officially entered the NFT ecosystem by launching a marketplace for digital sports collectibles based on blockchain technology. The move is made possible thanks to a collaboration with Autograph, the NFT startup launched by former New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady earlier this year."

— "Employers still struggle to find workers," by Christian M. Wade, CNHI/Salem News: "The national survey of employers by the National Federation of Independent Businesses found that nearly half of all businesses couldn't hire enough staff in July, while more than 22% of available positions went unfilled. … Business leaders say the data shows a deepening hiring crunch that has been fueled in Massachusetts, in part, by generous unemployment benefits."

TRANSITIONS – Sasha Baker, the National Security Council's senior director for strategic planning who previously served as an adviser to Warren, is President Joe Biden's nominee for deputy undersecretary of defense for policy. Sam Slater, managing partner at Tremont Asset Management LLC and member of the overseer boards of the New England Aquarium and Boston Children's Museum, was nominated to the Board of Directors of the Metropolitan Washington Airport Authority.

CONGRATS — to Matthew McDermott , a pollster and VP at Whitman Insight Strategies, and Dillon Jones, who works for Providence Public Schools, who got married Saturday in Provincetown. Pic, via Kim Reilly, Studio K Photography … Another pic … SPOTTED: officiant Alex Morse, Sean McElwee and Brett Smiley.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY — to state Sen. Jamie Eldridge, Megan Alberto, Dan Wolf, founder and CEO of Cape Air; and Boston Business Journal digital editor Steph Solis. Happy belated to Deanna Schwartz, 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.

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