News: Tesler's travels

Thursday, August 18, 2022

Tesler's travels

Aug 18, 2022

OUT OF OFFICE — Transportation Secretary Jamey Tesler has been out of state on a family vacation as officials race to prepare for the month-long Orange Line shutdown that begins Friday.

Tesler returned from a "planned family vacation" on Wednesday, MassDOT spokesperson Jacquelyn Goddard said in a statement to Playbook. "While out of state, he remained in close communication with staff on issues, including executing plans for the upcoming Orange Line closure," she added.

Not much else is known about Tesler's trip, including where the MassDOT CEO went and when he left Massachusetts. He took part in the press conference announcing the Orange Line shutdown on Aug. 3, but was not at Gov. Charlie Baker's follow-up press conference on Monday. Baker's office declined comment.

The state transportation secretary's physical absence during planning for the shutdown of a subway line that's expected to displace roughly 100,000 Orange Line riders and snarl traffic throughout the greater Boston region surprised some local officials scrambling to prepare for the closure.

But former Transportation Secretary Jim Aloisi is unperturbed. "Having been secretary, the job is truly 24/7 and it doesn't matter where you are," he told Playbook. "I don't personally have a problem with it because wherever [Tesler] is, I'm sure he's available whenever they need him."

Josh Ostroff, interim director of the advocacy coalition Transportation for Massachusetts, feels similarly. He said Tesler is "very dedicated to his job" and that he has "empowered the people who report to him to give the MBTA full cooperation and to work collaboratively with municipalities to lessen the impacts of this disruption."

Tesler is back in action today. The secretary, Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito and Registrar of Motor Vehicles Colleen Ogilvie will participate in a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new RMV location in Worcester at 11 a.m.

GOOD THURSDAY MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS. The MassGOP-backed push to repeal the new law giving undocumented immigrants access to driver's licenses is one step closer to making the November ballot.

Local clerks have now certified more than the 40,120 signatures the ballot committee had to collect by next Wednesday to advance their proposal, according to organizer Wendy Wakeman and the secretary of state's office. If the secretary of state also certifies that number of signatures, the question heads to the ballot.

"Despite organized opposition from people who are interfering with the volunteers on the streets, we hit our mark and we hit it early," Wakeman told Playbook.

Polling on the matter is mixed: A Suffolk University/Boston Globe poll from July found that 58 percent of registered voters would support keeping the new law, while 34 percent would vote to repeal it and 8 percent were unsure. But an April poll from the same group found 47 percent opposed the then-legislation while 46 percent were in favor of it and 7 percent were undecided.

TODAY — Baker and Polito host a Women's Rights History Trail ceremonial bill signing at 1:30 p.m. in Worcester. Baker is on GBH's "Boston Public Radio" at 11:30 a.m. Boston Mayor Michelle Wu shares updates on the Orange Line shutdown at 10:30 a.m. at the Traffic Management Center in City Hall, is on GBH's "Boston Public Radio" at 1 p.m. and launches a legacy business program at 2:30 p.m. in Dorchester. AG candidate Andrea Campbell and Suffolk DA candidate Ricardo Arroyo are on "Notorious In The Morning" at 8 a.m. and 9:30 a.m., respectively.

YAHD SIGNS AND BUMPAH STICKAHS

— FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: Attorney general hopeful Shannon Liss-Riordan is hitting the airwaves with her fourth television advertisement. "Workers" features several of Liss-Riordan's clients sharing stories of how she fought for them in court, with the candidate herself narrating just a few seconds at the end of the 30-second spot.

Liss-Riordan has now placed more than $3.6 million in ad buys since early July, according to ad tracker AdImpact. She's supporting that spending through the $3 million she's loaned her campaign.

The MassINC poll released this week, and sponsored by the Responsible Development Coalition, showed Liss-Riordan running second in the Democratic primary for attorney general with 16 percent support to Andrea Campbell's 24 percent. Quentin Palfrey had 4 percent support, while half of likely voters were undecided.

A client of Shannon Liss-Riordan speaks in her new television ad

Shannon Liss-Riordan's fourth television ad in her campaign for Massachusetts attorney general features her clients. | Liss-Riordan campaign video screenshot.

— NEW SUPER PAC SPENDING: The Environmental League of Massachusetts Action Fund IEPAC has doled out $470,543 on digital ads, mailers and Spanish-language print and radio ads for 10 state and local candidates. That includes roughly $143,000 for Campbell for attorney general, nearly $130,000 for Chris Dempsey for auditor, nearly $114,000 for Attorney General Maura Healey for governor and nearly $84,000 across seven state legislative candidates, the group said.

Campbell and Dempsey are prominently featured in the mailer shared with Playbook . Top donors to the super PAC listed on the mailer are the ELM Action Fund, billionaire Amos Hostetter, Peter Bauer, Rick Burnes and the Green Advocacy Project. A full disclosure is expected soon on OCPF.

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DATELINE BEACON HILL

— "Trio of challengers hope to unseat Straus in 10th Bristol District," by Grace Ferguson, New Bedford Light: "Democratic Rep. Bill Straus has held the seat for almost 30 years. A solar eclipse is more common for Straus than a Democratic primary opponent — businessman Rick Trapilo of Fairhaven will be the second-ever Democrat to challenge Straus's incumbency when they face off in the primary on Sept. 6. Even rarer, there are not one but two candidates running for the GOP nomination. The last time that happened was 2004. Plymouth County Deputy Sheriff Robert Scott McConnell of Fairhaven and chiropractor Dr. Jeffrey Swift of Mattapoisett will be on the Republican ballot."

VAX-ACHUSETTS

— "'COVID is far from over:' UMass Memorial outpatient COVID treatment center treated its 10,000th patient on Aug. 15," by Kiernan Dunlop, MassLive: "As the nation turns its eyes to the new viral threat of monkeypox, UMass Memorial's COVID Treatment Center treated its 10,000th patient on Aug. 15. 'We are still consistently treating 40 to 50 patients a day Monday through Saturday,' the center's director Dr. Sandeep Jubbal told MassLive Wednesday."

FROM THE HUB

— "Right-wing groups hit Boston Children's with barrage of threats over trans health program," by Felice J. Freyer and Kay Lazar, Boston Globe: "Doctors and other staff who care for transgender children at Boston Children's Hospital are facing a barrage of threats and harassment that started last week with an online campaign, prompting the hospital to seek help from law enforcement and remove doctors' names and images from its website."

— "The Green New Deal is a concept, not a plan. Advocates say Mayor Wu is missing that so far," by Emma Platoff and Sabrina Shankman, Boston Globe: "Nine months ago, [Michelle] Wu swept into office with the hopes of the national climate movement on her shoulders, promising to make radical shifts even in this change-resistant city, innovations that would create a template for transformation elsewhere. But well into her first year, making progress has proved challenging. Though she has won widespread praise for a litany of new initiatives, many achievements are modest — announcements of pilot programs and small bites out of bigger problems."

— "See how Mayor Wu's proposed pay raises for top Boston officials stack up with other cities," by Alexander Thompson, Boston Globe: "Under the plan, the mayor's annual salary would increase from $207,000 to $230,000 while councilors' would climb from $103,500 to $115,000. Those raises would go into effect after the next election in 2026, while the new salary ranges for appointed positions would be implemented immediately. The proposed salary levels are generally comparable with salaries of top officials in peer cities, especially when Boston's high cost of living is taken into account, a Globe review found."

PLANES, TRAINS AND AUTOMOBILES

— "MBTA to add bus access to Chinatown following backlash to Orange Line plan," by Gayla Cawley, Boston Herald: "The MBTA is planning to bring shuttle bus service to Chinatown after the neighborhood's exclusion from the Orange Line alternative route prompted blowback from the community."

— "'They're ignoring them': Riders concerned by how foreign language speakers will be notified during Orange Line shutdown," by Bryan Lambert, Kimberly Bookman, Aisha Mbowe and Mari Salazar, WHDH: "Just three days out from a month-long shutdown for the Orange Line, signs warning riders of the disruption of service can be found in every T station. However, in a city where 37 percent of residents speak a language other than English at home, every sign erected thus far has only been available in the one language. … A spokesperson for the MBTA said that riders are encouraged to use the 'T's Rider Guide' and that it will be translated into nine languages."

ON THE STUMP

— FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: State Sen. Eric Lesser and state Rep. Tami Gouveia, both Democrats running for lieutenant governor, are endorsing the "Yes on 2" campaign in favor of this fall's ballot question to regulate dental insurance.

— IBEW 2222, which represents the state Senate staffers trying to unionize on Beacon Hill, is endorsing state Sen. Diana DiZoglio for auditor, citing her support of staffers' efforts and of organized labor.

— Suffolk District Attorney Kevin Hayden has been endorsed for a full term by state Reps. Jessica Giannino and Jeffrey Turco, Revere City Council President Gerry Visconti, Revere City Councilors Dan Rizzo and George Rotondo, Chelsea City Councilor Leo Robinson and Winthrop Town Councilor Rob DeMarco, his campaign said.

— Suffolk County Sheriff Steve Tompkins has been endorsed for reelection by Reps. Stephen Lynch of Boston and Seth Moulton of Salem.

— "She cleared the Democratic field for governor. Now, Healey is redefining the race to be her running mate," by Matt Stout, Boston Globe: "Seated around a slick, curved table for their first debate, Kim Driscoll, Eric Lesser, and Tami Gouveia cast themselves as contrasting choices to be Massachusetts' next lieutenant governor. It also quickly became clear that a different candidate would consume the event's focus. 'The question voters are going to be asking is: 'Who is the right lieutenant for Maura Healey?'' Lesser said. And with that, over the next five minutes Healey was named or referenced 12 different times in a primary that she's not even running in."

— "Spurning debate offers, Geoff Diehl only agreed to forums on conservative radio. His campaign says that's his strategy," by Matt Stout and Samantha J. Gross, Boston Globe: "As he vies to be Massachusetts' GOP gubernatorial nominee, Geoff Diehl refused to face his primary opponent, Chris Doughty, at a TV debate proposed by WCVB, WBUR, and the Globe. He reportedly declined a debate invitation on NECN, the regional cable news channel. And he rejected an offer to appear on GBH, prompting the public station to instead run a year-old interview with him. … Calculating there is little to gain in engaging with major news outlets, Diehl stuck to the red — and, in Massachusetts, the relatively thin — waters of conservative media, where his campaign argues he can best reach those most likely to vote in a primary where unenrolled voters, too, could cast a ballot."

— "Framingham's first mayor is back on the campaign trail, but not for herself," by Abby Patkin, MetroWest Daily News: "Yvonne Spicer has fallen back on a familiar routine, greeting residents effusively with hugs and handshakes, slipping campaign literature into outstretched hands and urging voters to turn out to the polls. This time around, though, the former Framingham mayor isn't on the ballot. Since leaving office Jan. 1, Spicer has opened a new chapter in her political career as a champion for women in office."

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MARIJUANA IN MASSACHUSETTS

— "Healey says her prior cannabis concerns may have been 'unnecessary'," by Shira Schoenberg, CommonWealth Magazine: "It was November 2016, days before Massachusetts voters would legalize recreational marijuana. Attorney General Maura Healey stood in front of the State House at a rally with health care professionals and warned of dangerous outcomes should marijuana be legalized. Ballot question opponents voiced concerns that marijuana-infused edibles could be accidentally eaten by children and that there would be an uptick in impaired driving. … At a meeting with CommonWealth, Healey was asked whether her fears about the cannabis industry were realized. Healey said she opposed legalization because of her concern about the impact it would have on young people and the potential for addiction. 'I hope that my concerns about the adverse impact on young people don't come true. To date I haven't seen evidence of that,' she said."

FROM THE 413

— "Sheriff Nicholas Cocchi's annual cookout shows Western Mass political clout," by Jim Kinney, Springfield Republican: "Attorney General Maura Healey and Geoff Diehl aim to face each other in the Massachusetts governor's race in November. They nearly encountered each other yesterday at Sheriff Nicholas Cocchi's annual cookout, circulating through the crowd at what's long been the singular event for holders and candidates for statewide office to meet and greet in Western Massachusetts where there are fewer votes, but votes nonetheless, to be had. … [N]early every statewide candidate was there along with most local candidates for state House and state Senate seats, city councilors, mayors and the like."

— ALSO SPOTTED AT THE COOKOUT: Salem Mayor Kim Driscoll, state Sen. Eric Lesser, Andrea Campbell, Shannon Liss-Riordan, Chris Dempsey, state Sen. Diana DiZoglio, Secretary of State Bill Galvin, state Rep. Jake Oliveira, Sydney Levin-Epstein, Joel McAuliffe and Springfield City Council President Jesse Lederman.

— "Oops: State Veterans Services agency prematurely announces 'award' of $130 million in federal VA funding for new Holyoke Soldiers' Home," by Stephanie Barry, Springfield Republican: "The state Department of Veterans' Services jumped the gun when it announced a federal award of $130 million to build a new Soldiers' Home in Holyoke. No money has yet been awarded, and the state remains on a waiting list to learn if it will receive the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs construction funding, Maj. Gen. Gary Keefe, chair of the Soldier's Home Board of Trustees, said Wednesday."

THE LOCAL ANGLE

— "Hospitals furloughed and laid off hundreds. Some executives still saw pay increases," by Jessica Bartlett, Boston Globe: "Hospitals furloughed and let go of hundreds of employees during the height of the pandemic in 2020, when forced shutdowns in elective surgeries decimated hospital revenues. But that didn't stop some hospital executives from receiving compensation increases, new filings show."

— "Will Worcester try to ban fossil fuels in new construction? City Hall won't say," by Henry Schwan, Telegram & Gazette: "In the same week that Boston Mayor Michelle Wu said she wants her city to ban fossil fuels in new construction and major rehabilitation projects, Worcester City Hall is not prepared to say whether it is considering a similar move."

— "Graphic novel 'Smahtguy' features life and work of Barney Frank, and the SouthCoast," by Kristina Fontes, Herald News: "It's not often that you get a graphic novel whose protagonist is someone working within a system, chipping away at systemic inequality while attempting to do the work of changing things. Unless of course your former aide decides you're 'wicked smaht' and wants to tell that kind of story. That's exactly what artist and comic creator Eric Orner did with his graphic novel, 'Smahtguy: The Life and Times of Barney Frank.'"

MEANWHILE IN NEW HAMPSHIRE

— "Pence: 'I would consider' testifying to Jan. 6 committee," by Lisa Kashinsky and Kyle Cheney, POLITICO: "Former Vice President Mike Pence hasn't ruled out testifying before the Jan. 6 select committee investigating efforts by his former boss and his allies to overturn the results of the 2020 election. 'If there was an invitation to participate, I would consider it,' Pence told a packed room at the New England Council and Saint Anselm College's 'Politics & Eggs' event on Wednesday morning. … The former vice president is one of several high-profile Republicans — [former President Donald] Trump included — to hint at a presidential campaign in 2024. Pence did little on Wednesday to dispel talk that he might mount a 2024 White House bid."

HEARD 'ROUND THE BUBBLAH

AWARD WINNER — Gov. Charlie Baker received the John F. Kennedy Hyannis Museum Foundation's 2022 JFK Hyannis Museum Founders Leadership Award at a reception last Friday.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY — to Jason Furman and Oskar Hallig. Happy belated to Kate Norton and Bob Massie, who celebrated Wednesday.

NEW HORSE RACE ALERT: UP AND DOWN THE BALLOT — With less than three weeks until the state primaries, hosts Jennifer Smith, Steve Koczela and Lisa Kashinsky dig into the latest MassINC Democratic primary polling. Yawu Miller of the Bay State Banner and Marco Cartolano of the Worcester Telegram & Gazette break down local races. Subscribe and listen on iTunes and Sound Cloud.

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