| | | | |  | | By Lisa Kashinsky | | | CLIMATE REVOLUTION — Mayor Michelle Wu is working to make Boston a Green New Deal city. The Brits just gave her a worldwide platform to show off her progress. Most of the coverage of the Prince and Princess of Wales' three-day visit to Massachusetts will focus on the royals — what they're saying, who they're wearing , and how many residents of this former colony are showing up to greet them in the pouring rain. There will also be callbacks to the late President John F. Kennedy, whose famous "moonshot" speech serves as the namesake of the Earthshot Prize awards for climate innovators that brought the royals across the pond in the first place. But, as Prince William said, Boston was also "the obvious choice" to host the second Earthshot awards ceremony "because your universities, research centers and vibrant startup scene make you a global leader in science, innovation and boundless ambition." And he lauded Wu for centering climate policies in her administration.
|  Prince William, left, and Kate, Princess of Wales, center left, join with Massachusetts Gov.-elect Maura Healey, center right, and Boston Mayor Michelle Wu, right, in pushing a green button to illuminate Boston City Hall green. | AP | While Wu is gaining a spotlight to showcase the city's green initiatives and climate resiliency efforts, Maura Healey is getting a taste of some of the more performative responsibilities that come with being governor — in this case, hobnobbing with high-profile visitors. Gov. Charlie Baker greeted the prince and princess when they flew (commercial) into Boston. But it was the governor-elect who met the royals at City Hall and helped introduce them to an adoring crowd in a speech that doubled as a reiteration of her campaign's climate goals . And she looked like she was having a ball sitting courtside with them (and Wu) at the Celtics game.
|  From left to right, Boston Mayor Michelle Wu, Massachusetts Gov.-elect Maura Healey, Britain's Prince William and Kate, Princess of Wales prior to an NBA basketball game between the Boston Celtics and Miami Heat. | AP | "It was wonderful to see them and to know that they're here particularly for this cause and this issue, their commitment to climate, environmental justice," Healey told Playbook after the City Hall welcome event. "I know Boston and the commonwealth will put on a great visit for them." Boston will get even more publicity when President Joe Biden returns tomorrow for a fundraiser with Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey to aid Democrats in the Georgia U.S. Senate runoff. The president is expected to greet the British royals while he's here. GOOD THURSDAY MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS. It's been one year since Baker said he wasn't running for a third term as governor. Boy how things have changed. TODAY — Baker and Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito attend a Last Mile event at 11 a.m. in Ashfield and visit Mercy Medical Center in Springfield at 2:15 p.m. Wu joins the royals at Piers Park at 3 p.m., attends the Boston Common Tree Lighting at 7 p.m. on the Boston Common and the Commonwealth Avenue Tree Lighting at 8 p.m. Tips? Scoops? Seen the royals around town? Email me: lkashinsky@politico.com .
| | | | A message from Sense Labs: 65M smart meters will be replaced by 2027. Guidehouse reports on how next-gen smart meters can support decision-making based on actual energy use and grid conditions. | | | |  | THE CLARK CAUCUS | | — "Katherine Clark cements new, historic role in House leadership," by Tal Kopan, Boston Globe: "Representative Katherine Clark cemented her future Wednesday as the number two House Democrat in the next Congress, making history as only the second woman to hold the position after outgoing House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. The Revere Democrat ran unopposed for the position and was chosen by unanimous consent, according to her spokeswoman. 'It is very deeply humbling and honoring. I am looking forward to working with this caucus and the incredible team, with the historic election of Hakeem Jeffries and Pete Aguilar,' Clark told the Globe. 'This is a caucus ready to get to work for the American people.'" Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) was elected House Democratic leader and Rep. Pete Aguilar (D-Calif.) will round out the top three. The new power trio, my colleagues report , has jokingly called itself the "kids table" for the last two years as they carefully crafted their rise. They represent a generational change in House Democratic leadership, taking over for a trio of octogenarians. Clark, 59, was a state lawmaker before being elected to Congress in 2013, where she's been the fourth-ranking Democrat. — MEANWHILE, FROM RHODE ISLAND: "A new challenger to Jim Clyburn has emerged for a top Democratic House leadership spot: David Cicilline," by Sarah Ferris, POLITICO: "The Rhode Island Democrat announced his bid for the No. 4 position — assistant leader — in a letter to his colleagues. His pitch: Putting an LGBTQ-member at the leadership table. ... Cicilline had long been mulling his plan to return to party leadership, where positions like vice chair and caucus messaging arm have been fiercely competitive. Ultimately, he decided to make a second bid at the assistant leader position, after losing to Rep. Katherine Clark (D-Mass.) two years ago."
| | DATELINE BEACON HILL | | — NOT DONE YET: Secretary of State Bill Galvin has ordered hand recounts in two state representative races: the Second Essex District battle between incumbent GOP state Rep. Lenny Mirra and Democrat Kristin Kassner and the First Middlesex race between Democrat Margaret Scarsdale and Republican Andrew Shepherd to fill an open seat the GOP has held for decades. Mirra led by just 10 votes in his district, which was drastically changed in redistricting, while Scarsdale led by 17 in hers, according to vote totals certified by the Governor's Council. Neither race will change the balance of power in the House, where Democrats will continue to hold their supermajority. But the loss of two more Republican seats will likely lead to more finger-pointing within the state GOP. The Boston Globe's Matt Stout has more . — "Push to lift shipping rules faces pushback," by Christian M. Wade, Gloucester Daily Times: "Gov. Charlie Baker and other New England governors are urging the Biden administration to lift federal restrictions banning foreign vessels in domestic waters, arguing the century-old rules are compounding a regional energy crisis. … The governors argued the rules are preventing liquified natural gas from reaching New England and contributing to high natural gas prices heading into winter."
| | | | POLITICO APP USERS: UPGRADE YOUR APP BY DECEMBER 19! We recently upgraded the POLITICO app with a fresh look and improved features for easier access to POLITICO's scoops and groundbreaking reporting. Starting December 19, users will no longer have access to the previous version of the app. Update your app today to stay on top of essential political news, insights, and analysis from the best journalists in the business. UPDATE iOS APP – UPDATE ANDROID APP . | | | | | | | YAHD SIGNS AND BUMPAH STICKAHS | | — FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: Lt. Gov.-elect Kim Driscoll is throwing her support behind Dominick Pangallo, her longtime City Hall chief of staff, to succeed her as Salem mayor. "No one is better prepared to build on the foundation we've created together and to continue the work that has made Salem the successful, vibrant place it is now," Driscoll wrote in an email to supporters, obtained by Playbook, that doubles as a fundraising pitch for Pangallo and an invitation to his campaign kickoff on Dec. 20. Driscoll will step down as mayor "in a few short weeks" according to the letter. Her ascension to Beacon Hill will trigger a special election to replace her in Salem.
| | VAX-ACHUSETTS | | — "COVID deaths in younger people increased last year, deaths in older people decreased: Brigham study," by Rick Sobey, Boston Herald: "Younger people made up a greater proportion of COVID deaths last year compared to 2020, according to a new study from Boston researchers who found an increase in 'years of life lost' due to the virus. … As the age distribution of deaths shifted downward, the median age of COVID deaths decreased from 78 years in 2020 to 69 years in 2021."
| | | | A message from Sense Labs:   | | | | | FROM THE HUB | | |  In this photo provided by the Massachusetts Governor's Press Office, Britain's Prince William, center, and Kate, Princess of Wales, left, are greeted by Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker, right, and first lady Lauren Baker, second right, as they arrive at Boston Logan International Airport on Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2022, in Boston. The Prince and Princess of Wales are making their first overseas trip since the death of Queen Elizabeth II in September. (Joshua Qualls/Massachusetts Governor's Press Office via AP) | AP | — "Boston welcomes Prince and Princess of Wales for Earthshot awards, in a showcase for Michelle Wu's climate agenda," by Emma Platoff, Boston Globe: "Thousands waited on a blustery and wet City Hall Plaza, taking shelter under umbrellas and waving British flags, to catch a glimpse of William and Kate on the first royal visit to the city since Queen Elizabeth II came in 1976. The couple will host the second annual Earthshot event, awarding five winners $1.2 million each for their leadership on combating the climate crisis. ... Other stops on their agenda included a Celtics game Wednesday evening, visits to Roca, a youth development organization in Chelsea, and Greentown Labs in Somerville. Kate will drop by the Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University, while William is scheduled to take a tour of the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum in Dorchester on Friday." Not everyone's thrilled the royals are here. Their trip to Greentown Labs in Somerville today is causing some consternation that people won't be able to get to Market Basket . — "Boston City Council backs letting more teens vote, but push faces an uphill climb," by Adam Reilly, GBH News: "The Boston City Council voted overwhelmingly Wednesday to give 16- and 17-year-olds the right to vote in municipal elections, but the prospects of the proposed change becoming reality remain murky. The 9-to-4 vote sends a home-rule petition that would implement expanded eligibility to Mayor Michelle Wu. If she signs it, it will then go to the state Legislature, which has chosen not to support similar proposals from several other Massachusetts communities."
| | PLANES, TRAINS AND AUTOMOBILES | | — "North Station commuter rail gates show promise," by Bruce Mohl, CommonWealth Magazine: "Passengers seem to be adapting to new commuter rail fare gates at North Station, and early data indicate the tap-in, tap-out gates may be having a positive impact on fare collection." — "New head of MBTA quality, compliance and oversight looks at tough job ahead," by Mike Beaudet, WCVB: "Some would say Katie Choe picked the short straw. As director of quality, compliance and oversight, she's running the MBTA's new office that's addressing the Federal Transit Administration's scathing report about safety problems at the T. … 'The top priority from my perspective is really looking at our staffing levels and our workforce, and we know that we have almost 2,000 positions now that we'll need to fill over the course of the next year,' Choe said."
| | | | GO INSIDE THE MILKEN INSTITUTE FUTURE OF HEALTH SUMMIT: POLITICO is featuring a special edition of our "Future Pulse" newsletter at the 2022 Milken Institute Future of Health Summit from Dec. 6 to 8. The newsletter takes readers inside one of the most influential gatherings of health industry leaders and innovators solving the biggest global health issues to ensure a healthier, more resilient future for all. SUBSCRIBE TODAY TO RECEIVE EXCLUSIVE COVERAGE . | | | | | | | FROM THE 413 | | — "'The time is right': City Councilor Justin Hurst will challenge Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno," by Stephanie Barry and Jim Kinney, Springfield Republican: "Hurst, a five-term councilor and past council president, today formally announced a bid to unseat Mayor Domenic J. Sarno, silencing months — or even years — of speculation he'd run for the city's corner office. It was his 44th birthday, he noted. … Hurst jumped into the political ring exceptionally early, possibly to beat a wider field of potential challengers to the punch. A Latino state representative and an ambitious council colleague who has made his ambitions widely known, plus other outliers, are already mentioned among other contenders. If Hurst manages to topple the longest-serving mayor in the city's history, he will become Springfield's first Black mayor. Hurst has been a brash and unrelenting critic of Sarno particularly around police relations with the city's communities of color, a potential vulnerability for the mayor who has served since 2008."
| | THE LOCAL ANGLE | | — "New survey reveals stark racial disparities among those who rely on ERs for health care," by Jessica Bartlett, Boston Globe: "Black and Hispanic residents were far more likely than white residents to visit hospital emergency departments for care, even before the pandemic, according to a new state analysis released Wednesday." — "State criticized for allowing 'equity theft' from homeowners," by Christian M. Wade, Eagle-Tribune: "Massachusetts is among a handful of states that allow local governments and private investors to 'steal' equity from homeowners who are late in their property taxes, according to a new report. The report by the nonprofit Pacific Legal Foundation found that Massachusetts and 11 other states, plus Washington, D.C., have laws on the books that allow local governments or private investors to take dramatically more than what is owed from homeowners who are behind." — IN MEMORIAM: "Melody Miller, Trusted Aide to the Kennedys, Dies at 77," by Clay Risen, The New York Times.
| | | | A message from Sense Labs: According to Guidehouse, one quarter of all utility smart meters in the U.S. will need to be replaced by 2030. The next generation of smart meters now act like smart phones, with apps for energy efficiency and demand response. So for the first time ever, consumers can see exactly where and how to save energy and money in their home and utilities can have powerful grid-edge computing devices at their disposal. | | | | | HEARD 'ROUND THE BUBBLAH | | SPOTTED — Boston City Council President Ed Flynn joining the British royals (and Boston Mayor Michelle Wu and Gov.-elect Maura Healey) at City Hall over tea and cake, and City Councilor Michael Flaherty at the rope line (h/t pooler the Boston Globe's Emma Platoff). ALSO SPOTTED — Healey helping the Prince and Princess of Wales snap a photo at the Celtics game. HAPPY BIRTHDAY — to Jennifer Jordan, John Murray and Joe Murray, Berry Kurland and Katie Wetstone. NEW HORSE RACE ALERT: CONDITIONS OF TRANSITION — Axios Boston's Steph Solis talks to hosts Steve Koczela, Jennifer Smith and Lisa Kashinsky about the influx of migrants to Massachusetts. Kashinsky updates the crew on Gov.-elect Maura Healey's transition. Also, the British are here. Subscribe and listen on iTunes and SoundCloud . 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 | | | | Subscribe to the POLITICO Playbook family Playbook | Playbook PM | California Playbook | Florida Playbook | Illinois Playbook | Massachusetts Playbook | New Jersey Playbook | New York Playbook | Ottawa Playbook | Brussels Playbook | London Playbook View all our politics and policy newsletters | | Follow us | | | | |
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