News: Do you know who your sheriff is?

Wednesday, April 13, 2022

Do you know who your sheriff is?

Apr 13, 2022

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FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: A DIFFERENT KIND OF SHERIFF CAMPAIGN — Massachusetts' 14 county sheriffs oversee roughly half of those incarcerated in the state, yet 83 percent of registered voters don't know who their sheriff is.

That's the topline of a new poll conducted for the ACLU of Massachusetts. And it's the basis for the "Know Your Sheriff" voter education campaign the civil liberties advocacy group is launching today.

"Sheriffs oversee jails and houses of corrections. They have tremendous power over whether or not people in their custody can make phone calls, whether they can have visitors, whether they get substance-use disorder treatment," Carol Rose, executive director of the ACLU of Massachusetts, told Playbook. "So the impact a sheriff has on the health and safety of our communities is vast."

The ACLU is releasing the full Beacon Research survey results later today, along with a video introducing the "Know Your Sheriff" campaign that says a majority of Massachusetts voters don't know what their sheriffs do, how long they serve or that sheriffs are elected to their six-year terms, rather than appointed.

Advocates are hoping to replicate the success of the ACLU of Massachusetts' last voter education campaign, "What a Difference a DA Makes," which Rose said resulted in a 16 percent increase in ballots cast for district attorney in Middlesex County in 2018, a 35 percent increase in Suffolk County and a 123 percent increase in Berkshire County.

There's no shortage of contested sheriff races this year. Suffolk County Sheriff Steve Tompkins, Hampshire County Sheriff Patrick Cahillane and Bristol County Sheriff Thomas Hodgson are among those who've drawn challengers. There's also a race underway to replace retiring Barnstable County Sheriff Jim Cummings. But Rose said her group won't be picking sides in any race.

The ACLU of Massachusetts has homed in on sheriffs before. The group, which advocates for prison reform, unsuccessfully challenged sheriffs' pandemic responses in court and decried sheriffs profiting from inmate phone calls in an amicus brief filed as part of a lawsuit against Hodgson over the practice.

GOOD WEDNESDAY MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS. Budget day has dawned in Boston.

Michelle Wu is unveiling her first budget as mayor in traditional fashion — a budget breakfast with City Council and Cabinet members at 8:30 a.m. But she's already teased some of the priorities in her proposed $3.99 billion fiscal 2023 operating budget — including housing affordability, climate initiatives, a new Center for Behavioral Health and support for small businesses — in a letter to councilors that also details how she plans to spend some of the city's federal Covid-19 relief funds.

Up on Beacon Hill, House lawmakers will release their full FY '23 budget proposal, which we know will include investments in child care and won't include tax cuts. Gov. Charlie Baker isn't giving up fighting for his $700 million tax relief package, though.

TODAY — Baker and Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito announce new capital funding for higher education at 2 p.m. at Salem State University. Baker makes a grant announcement at Lawrence City Hall at noon. Wu tours Fenway Park at 11 a.m., attends the Boston Blooms Food Truck Festival at 1 p.m. and speaks at the Boston Blooms Block Party at 5 p.m. State AG Maura Healey addresses the New England Council at 8 a.m. at Putnam Investments in Boston.

Rep. Ayanna Pressley delivers federal funding for a school-based community health center at noon in Randolph. Rep. Lori Trahan talks food security in Clinton at 10:30 a.m. and Acton at 1:30 p.m. Rep. Jim McGovern talks food insecurity at noon at Clark University and visits the Worcester Historical Museum at 5 p.m. GOP governor and lieutenant governor hopefuls Geoff Diehl and Leah Cole Allen hold a tele-town hall at 7:30 p.m.

Tips? Scoops? Budget questions? Email me: lkashinsky@politico.com.

A message from PhRMA:

Thousands of scientists in Massachusetts are creating ground-breaking treatments to fight everything from the common cold to cancer. Gov. Charlie Baker's bill would let the government set prices on medications, limiting the amount of research scientists can do to create cures. More importantly, it might make some medications harder to get. Gov. Baker: let the scientists do their jobs, don't discriminate against patients, and stop threatening access to medications. Go to SupportMassCures.com to learn more.

THE LATEST NUMBERS

— "Massachusetts COVID cases spike 53% in past week, virus hospitalizations jump," by Rick Sobey, Boston Herald: "The state Department of Public Health reported 1,712 COVID-19 cases, a 53% increase from 1,116 infections recorded last Tuesday. … The state's average percent positivity is now 3.42%, more than double the rate of 1.60% a few weeks ago."

DATELINE BEACON HILL

— "Baker makes the case for $9.7B transportation bond bill," by Amy Sokolow, Boston Herald: "Gov. Charlie Baker stopped by the Legislature's Joint Committee on Transportation to make his pitch for the $9.7 billion bond bill filed last month, arguing the legislation will allow the state to reap the benefits of the federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law enacted in November. … Baker administration officials that attended the hearing faced questions from lawmakers about whether the state has enough power grid capacity to handle the significant expansion of electric vehicle charging infrastructure outlined in Baker's bill."

— "Senate's climate change plan faces pushback," by Christian M. Wade, Newburyport News: "The state Senate is poised on Thursday to approve a climate change bill that would allow some communities to ban fossil fuel systems in new homes and buildings to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, but the move faces pushback from those who say it will put the brakes on development."

— "Nero's Law ceremoniously signed 4 years after death of Sgt. Sean Gannon," by Matthew Medsger, Boston Herald: "Four years after Yarmouth Police Sgt. Sean Gannon was murdered and his K-9 partner Nero wounded, Gov. Charlie Baker, with the sergeant's mother beside him, held an ceremonial signing of Nero's Law Tuesday."

VAX-ACHUSETTS

— "UMass model was most accurate at predicting COVID-19 deaths, study finds," by Martin Finucane, Boston Globe: "A University of Massachusetts model that combines dozens of other models to provide short-term forecasts of COVID-19 deaths in the United States performed better than the individual models, according to a new study."

— "Boston University laying off up to 175 employees from COVID-19 testing sites," by WCVB: "Boston University is planning to lay off employees hired during the pandemic to staff the campus' COVID-19 testing sites over the past 20 months. BU reported the layoffs of up to 175 people to the state last week, with an employment end date of May 31."

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WHAT CITY HALL IS READING

— "Wu to detail $3.99 billion budget, city priorities for COVID relief funds," by Emma Platoff, Boston Globe: "[Mayor Michelle] Wu's budget would spend $216 million more than the city allocated for the last fiscal year, pouring hundreds of millions of dollars into many of the issues she campaigned on, such as housing and the environment. … The mayor also intends to lean heavily on one-time COVID relief funds for 'once-in-a-generation, transformational investments that must create lasting impact,' she wrote. … Wu is proposing a 1 percent cut to the Boston Police Department budget, from just under $400 million allocated in fiscal year 2022 to about $396 million in fiscal year 2023. She intends to spend about $10 million less on personnel services, while increasing the department's budget in other areas."

— More: "City councilors share focus on mental health as top priority in police budget," by Ivy Scott, Boston Globe: "Councilors named a variety of programs they would like to see implemented or expanded, including crisis and de-escalation training for officers, and more widespread counseling options for officers routinely experiencing trauma."

— RACE FOR CITY HALL: Massachusetts Women's Political Caucus PAC is endorsing Gabriela Coletta for Boston City Council District 1, the PAC said. Coletta was associate director for MWPC in 2016-2017.

— COVID POSITIVE: Newton Mayor Ruthanne Fuller tested positive for Covid-19 on Sunday. The Newton mayor was at a press conference with state Attorney General Maura Healey, Boston Mayor Michelle Wu and several other mayors and city officials last Tuesday. Wu and Healey both tested negative yesterday, according to their spokespeople.

FROM THE HUB

— "Curtains for Marty Walsh? Boston Arts Academy parents, teachers push back on putting his name on new theater," by Sean Philip Cotter, Boston Herald: "There's drama brewing over the Boston Arts Academy's choice to name its brand-new building's theater after Marty Walsh — a move that the pro-Walsh contingent in charge of the school is pushing but several speakers say is tone deaf. Will Barrett, a teacher at BAA, said he doesn't like that the 'focal point' of a heavily minority arts school would be a theater named after a 'white male who's not synonymous with the arts.' That was the theme of several comments during a Boston Arts Academy public hearing Tuesday night on Zoom, where people argued over whether the soon-to-be-open new Fenway school building's main auditorium should be called 'The Honorable Martin J. Walsh Theater' after the current Labor secretary and former Boston mayor."

— "How local police are preparing for the Boston Marathon following the NYC subway shooting," by Nik DeCosta-Klipa, WBUR: "Boston-area police stressed during a press conference Tuesday afternoon that there is no evidence of a threat — 'credible or otherwise' — to the MBTA or the Boston Marathon itself, which will return Monday on its traditional Patriots' Day date for the first time since before the COVID-19 pandemic."

— "Boston 'not there yet' on mask mandate — which now is health board decision," by Sean Philip Cotter, Boston Herald: "Boston is 'not there yet' in following Philadelphia's lead and reimplementing a mask mandate, Mayor Michelle Wu told reporters as case counts trend upward — and now, with no emergency declaration in place, it technically would be up to the Board of Health, anyway."

ON THE STUMP

— "'We don't want to be left out': GOP gubernatorial Chris Doughty hopeful joins chorus of debate requests," by Alison Kuznitz, MassLive: "Republican gubernatorial hopeful Chris Doughty doesn't want to be excluded from the increasingly meta debate about debating permeating Massachusetts politics in recent weeks. … Doughty agreed to a debate with the Norfolk County Republican Club on May 10, his campaign announced early Tuesday afternoon. But [rival Geoff] Diehl cannot participate and 'the organizers of that event have been advised,' Diehl's campaign manager Amanda Orlando told MassLive shortly after Doughty's campaign mounted the debate challenge. Doughty's campaign also agreed to debate proposals with [GBH], WCVB and [WBZ's] Jon Keller. Meanwhile, Diehl's campaign won't take the bait just yet."

— "Massachusetts AG candidate Quentin Palfrey tests positive for COVID, reports 'mild' symptoms," by Alison Kuznitz, MassLive.

— "Chicopee state representative race expands with candidate Sean Goonan announcing he will run as an independent," by Jeanette DeForge, Springfield Republican: "A fourth candidate has jumped into the race for the 8th Hampden District state representative seat with a former City Council candidate announcing his run. Sean Goonan, 28, a carpenter's helper and laborer for BRJ Builders who also operates a part-time family farm, announced on Tuesday that he will run for the seat as an independent."

— "Executive office hopefuls make pitches at Northampton forum," by Dusty Christensen, Daily Hampshire Gazette: "As Democrats look to solidify their control of state government in November, most of the party's candidates for governor and lieutenant governor made an appearance at a Northampton candidates forum Tuesday. … Attorney General Maura Healey's campaign said she had a scheduling conflict and could not attend, event organizers said."

A message from PhRMA:

PLANES, TRAINS AND AUTOMOBILES

— "Man's death wasn't the first time a person was trapped and dragged by a T subway train," by Taylor Dolven, Boston Globe: "A Globe review of news archives found that several people have been injured after getting stuck in subway doors on the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority system since the 1990s."

— More: "A timeline of delays plaguing the rollout of new MBTA Red and Orange Line train cars," by Travis Andersen, Boston Globe.

— "JetBlue CEO blames Logan delays on staff shortages, plans to reduce service through summer," by Marilyn Schairer, GBH News.

— "Attorney General Maura Healey calls Boston Red Line death 'tragic' but comments on general transportation issues rather than specific incident," by Kiernan Dunlop, MassLive.

DAY IN COURT

— "Inmate granted the state's first commutation of a life sentence for murder in 25 years to be set free," by Shelley Murphy, Boston Globe: "The state Parole Board voted unanimously Tuesday to release Thomas Koonce, one of two prisoners who this year became the first inmates in a quarter-century to have their life without parole sentences for murder commuted. In a unanimous decision, the six-member board found that Koonce, who has served 30 years in prison for killing a man in New Bedford in 1987, 'is rehabilitated and merits parole at this time.' The board ordered Koonce, 54, to spend four months at a residential reentry program in Boston before seeking approval for a 'family-sponsored or independent living home plan.'"

— "Fishermen from Mass., N.J., sue federal government to block ban on fishing near Gulf of Maine," by Jeremy C. Fox, Boston Globe.

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IT'S NOT EASY BEING GREEN

— "Mass. wants more electric vehicles. How about more chargers?" by Aaron Pressman, Boston Globe: "Massachusetts has set some lofty goals to reduce carbon emissions, including putting 750,000 electric vehicles on the roads by 2030. But as the Globe's recent reporting has shown, the state is woefully behind. … And there's the chicken-and-egg problem of the lack of high-speed chargers on highways. Massachusetts has really fallen down on that score, with a grand total of six charging spots on the entire 138-mile length of the Turnpike (and two of those have been out of order for months)."

FROM THE 413

— "Air quality in Springfield's East Forest Park is good, while those with respiratory, heart disease in Upper Hill need to be careful, new Pioneer Valley pollution level tracking website states," by Heather Morrison, MassLive: "The website is part of AG [Maura] Healey's Clean Air Initiative, which is focused on tackling air pollution that disproportionately impacts historically marginalized communities in cities like Springfield and Holyoke."

— "Chicopee mayor to name permanent police chief following scandal," by Jeanette DeForge, Springfield Republican: "The mayor will name the city's next police chief on Friday, following a six-month search disrupted by a separate scandal that resulted in the arrest of the school superintendent. … The two finalists — Capt. Patrick Major and Jeffrey Gawron, who has served as interim chief since the summer — were questioned behind closed doors on April 8 by Vieau and a five-member advisory panel he created."

A message from PhRMA:

Massachusetts is a booming biotech ecosystem. Its scientists and researchers are developing ground-breaking treatments to fight everything from the common cold to cancer.

Gov. Charlie Baker's bill imposes government prices on medications, which would then limit the amount of research scientists can do to create lifesaving treatments. By setting medication prices, it also means politicians decide which patients and diseases are more important than others.

State bureaucrats should not be playing doctor. When the government imposes artificial prices from the top-down, some patients can lose access to their medications. Seniors, the disabled, and the chronically ill are most vulnerable to these policies.

Gov. Baker: let the scientists and doctors do their jobs, don't discriminate against patients, and stop threatening access to medications. Go to SupportMassCures.com to learn more.

THE LOCAL ANGLE

— "Danvers superintendent will retire," by Julie Manganis, Salem News: "Embattled Danvers School Superintendent Lisa Dana will retire, the town's School Committee announced Tuesday. Dana, who has been on medical leave since the end of December, has faced public criticism over her handling of reports of racist and homophobic hazing on the school's hockey team, after fighting efforts to release details of investigations into the incidents. The committee's statement did not address that controversy…"

— "Weymouth compressor station upgrades to address unplanned gas releases," by Ed Baker, Wicked Local: "Unplanned natural gas releases at the gas compressor station on the banks of the Fore River have residents and town officials concerned about future leaks, but modifications are underway to fix problems and prevent future incidents, a spokesman for owner Enbridge says."

— "Silence around Mikayla Miller belies Hopkinton's changes 1 year after teen's death," by Kyle Stucker, USA Today Network: "One year after the outrage and advocacy began, students, adults and officials say they haven't stopped their pursuit of correcting the social injustices and inequity Miller's death helped lay bare. The progress has been slow, but they say real change is happening — despite the fact there are many lingering questions about the case."

— "Somerset political infighting continues," by Bruce Mohl, CommonWealth Magazine: "Voters in Somerset on Monday ousted from the Select Board a leader of the successful effort to shut down a controversial scrap metal export business at Brayton Point, a move suggesting the bitter political divisions within the community have not gone away."

— "State prison system uses 'unreliable' drug test to screen mail in violation of court order, complaint says," by Deborah Becker, WBUR: "The Massachusetts Department of Correction has continued to use an unreliable drug test to screen prisoners' mail in violation of a court order, according to a lawsuit in state court."

— "Retiring WPS Superintendent Maureen Binienda reflects on 46-year career. What's next? A run for office?" by Jeff A. Chamer, Worcester Telegram & Gazette: "On June 30, Superintendent Maureen F. Binienda will retire, and for the first time in 46 years, she will no longer be a Worcester Public Schools employee. … 'I am considering getting involved in a leadership role in Worcester,' Binienda said."

TRANSITIONS — Kathryn Niforos, the wife of former Boston City Councilor Matt O'Malley, is now communications director for the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center.

— Rosemary Boeglin has joined Sen. Ed Markey 's office as communications director. She previously was director of messaging and advocacy at Building Back Together, and is a Biden White House, transition and campaign alum.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY — to Courtney Lewis, Laura Chester, the Boston Herald's Nancy Lane and Brian Bartlett of Rational 360.

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