| | | | |  | | By Kelly Garrity and Lisa Kashinsky | | Presented by |  | | | BIDEN CALLING — Gov. Maura Healey and Boston Mayor Michelle Wu are set to greet President Joe Biden on the tarmac when he touches down in Boston this afternoon for a trio of campaign fundraisers. But it won’t be an entirely warm welcome back to the Bay State for the president, who last visited in December for another fundraising sweep that culminated with a concert by James Taylor. Pro-Palestinian protestors are planning a rally at South Station to “make it clear that [Biden] is NOT welcome in our city while he continues to fund the Israeli genocide of Palestinians!” according to a post on social media from the Boston chapter of the Party for Socialism and Liberation. The group was one of the organizers behind the demonstration outside the private event Vice President Kamala Harris attended at the Ritz-Carlton last November. Meanwhile, MassGOP Chair Amy Carnevale sent a letter to Healey Monday urging the governor to “leverage” her relationship with Biden to push the president to tighten immigration laws — including reinstating the "Remain in Mexico" program and adding more Coast Guard patrols off the state’s coast — as migrants continue to overwhelm Massachusetts’ emergency shelter system. That’s unlikely, given that Healey long ago shifted blame onto congressional Republicans for the lack of federal action on new immigration legislation. But Biden will likely be shielded from it all as he motorcades between private events where he’ll be surrounded by seas of friendly faces who are personally contributing thousands of dollars to his reelection campaign — and in some cases, bundling far more.
|  Gov. Maura Healey and Boston Mayor Michelle Wu greeted President Joe Biden the last time he was in Boston. The weather will be warmer this time. | Evan Vucci/AP | Campaign surrogate Healey is headlining a fundraising reception in the Seaport, with a host committee that includes familiar Democratic players and donors such as Wu, MassDems Chair Steve Kerrigan and former Ambassador Alan Solomont. Events planner Bryan Rafanelli and his partner Mark Walsh are hosting another event alongside Boston philanthropists Jack and Eileen Connors. And Boston real-estate executive Mark Schuster and his wife Audrey, both longtime Biden backers, are hosting a third alongside Lizbeth and George Krupp and Judith and Douglas Krupp, according to invitations obtained by Playbook and people familiar with the events granted anonymity to discuss them. It’s a big show of Bay State support for Biden at a key moment in the campaign. Fundraising has slowed across the president's political operation, and he’s trailing Donald Trump in polls of several key swing states just as the race is about to kick into a higher gear, with two debates on the books and the former president’s criminal hush-money trial winding down. GOOD TUESDAY MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS. Before he heads here, Biden is stopping in New Hampshire to tout the PACT Act he signed to expand health care for veterans. TODAY — Healey announces a “new investment to expand in-school programming” to support students struggling academically due to their mental health at 10:45 a.m. at Wellesley High. Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll attends a Military Friends Foundation event at 10 a.m. at the State House and speaks at a groundbreaking revitalized public housing units at 1 p.m. in Worcester. Rep. Richard Neal announces federal funding to improve Springfield Union Station at 10 a.m. Rep. Bill Keating celebrates the High Street Dam removal at 11 a.m. in Bridgewater. Wu talks summer safety at 8:30 a.m. in Mission Hill. Tips? Scoops? Heading to one of the Biden fundraisers today? Email us (we can keep you anonymous): kgarrity@politico.com and lkashinsky@politico.com.
| | | | A message from NextEra Energy: With a presence in 49 states, NextEra Energy is one of the nation’s largest capital investors in infrastructure, creating thousands of jobs and generating millions of dollars in new tax revenue for communities across the U.S. We generate more electricity from the wind and sun than anyone in the world as we work toward securing America’s energy independence and security with clean and emission-free low-cost energy. | | | |  | DATELINE BEACON HILL | | BUDGET DEBATE BEGINS — Senators will start working their way through 1,100 budget amendments today, after Senate Ways and Means Chair Michael Rodrigues and Minority Leader Bruce Tarr engaged in a lively question-and-answer session Monday on the nuts and bolts of the spending plan. The Republican leader’s message heading into today’s debate: "We are in unusual times where we see the state revenue collections are on a roller coaster. We see an uncertain future with regard to inflation, and cost of living in Massachusetts. And yet we have a budget that's increasing state spending by $1.8 billion," Tarr told reporters outside the Senate chamber. "Certainly one avenue is to spend money, but it's not the only avenue. We need to remember that. Saving money is an option as well." SWIMMING IN SURTAX — Massachusetts brought in more than $1.8 billion in revenue from the so-called millionaires tax over the first nine months of this fiscal year. That blows past the $1 billion that budget writers factored into the state’s spending plan and potentially leaves lawmakers with hundreds of millions of dollars more to spend on transportation and education initiatives. Rodrigues said they “will not have any problems identifying” needs. Raise Up Massachusetts, the coalition that successfully pushed for the surtax, is taking a victory lap: “Opponents of the Fair Share Amendment claimed that multi-millionaires would flee Massachusetts rather than pay the new tax, and they are being proven wrong every day,” Andrew Farnitano, the group’s spokesperson, said in a statement. But Massachusetts Fiscal Alliance spokesperson Paul Craney argued that the “long term negative effect” of the tax will outweigh any short-term benefits. More from The Boston Globe. — “Healey, Dem Leaders Not In Meeting Mode,” by Colin A. Young, State House News Service (paywall): “Gov. Maura Healey, Senate President Karen Spilka and House Speaker Ronald Mariano have held three meetings as a group so far in 2024. … By contrast, Healey is scheduled to meet privately with Treasurer Deborah Goldberg on Wednesday for the third time since the last time she met privately with Mariano and Spilka.” — “Healey expands housing tax credits,” by Christian M. Wade, The Eagle-Tribune: “Gov. Maura Healey is touting $12 million in tax credits to help build affordable housing as lawmakers consider her administration’s proposal to make a soon-to-expire program permanent. The fresh infusion of funds from the state’s Community Investment Tax Credit program will benefit 54 Community Development Corporations that partner with nonprofits to build affordable housing, according to the Healey administration.” — “Mass. public housing tenants press for more money to fix up old buildings,” by Kinga Borondy, Telegram & Gazette.
| | | | THE GOLD STANDARD OF POLICY REPORTING & INTELLIGENCE: POLITICO has more than 500 journalists delivering unrivaled reporting and illuminating the policy and regulatory landscape for those who need to know what’s next. Throughout the election and the legislative and regulatory pushes that will follow, POLITICO Pro is indispensable to those who need to make informed decisions fast. The Pro platform dives deeper into critical and quickly evolving sectors and industries—finance, defense, technology, healthcare, energy—equipping policymakers and those who shape legislation and regulation with essential news and intelligence from the world’s best politics and policy journalists.
Our newsroom is deeper, more experienced, and better sourced than any other—with teams embedded in the world’s most active legislative and regulatory power centers. From Brussels to Washington, New York to London, Sacramento to Paris, we bring subscribers inside the conversations that determine policy outcomes and the future of industries, providing insight that cannot be found anywhere else. Get the premier news and policy intelligence service, SUBSCRIBE TO POLITICO PRO TODAY. | | | | | | | MIGRANTS IN MASSACHUSETTS | | — “With shelter deadlines looming, English classes prepare residents for 'self-sufficiency',” by Simón Rios, WBUR: “About half of the 7,500 families in the state’s emergency shelters are immigrants, and many of them say that without English, it’s more difficult to find work. That’s why the state is running an English Works program, a pilot effort to bring basic English-as-a-second-language classes to the shelters. It's a program that could become standard across the state’s emergency shelter system.”
| | FROM THE HUB | | — “Boston Mayor Wu’s Italy trip sparks latest battle in North End outdoor dining war,” by Gayla Cawley, Boston Herald: “A group of restaurant owners suing the mayor over her decision to restrict outdoor dining in the North End seized on what they described as a 'tale of two different Italian cities.' They compared the economic struggles Boston’s Little Italy is facing to the thriving restaurant scene in Sulmona, a city Wu visited that her office described as having “strong ties” to the North End through immigration. The difference, the restaurateurs said during a Monday press conference, is outdoor dining.”
| | | | A message from NextEra Energy:   | | | | | MEDIA MATTERS | | — “GBH News general manager Pam Johnston announces departure,” by Aidan Ryan, The Boston Globe.
| | MARIJUANA IN MASSACHUSETTS | | — “Cannabis Control Commission drags its feet on two-driver rule,” by Bhaamati Borkhetaria, CommonWealth Beacon.
| | FROM THE 413 | | ICYMI — “With a Show of Force, Gomez Begins Reelection Campaign Underscoring Community,” by Matt Szafranski, Western Mass Politics & Insight: “Facing his first electoral challenge since defeating an incumbent himself, Senator Adam Gomez kicked off his bid for a third term a few doors down from where his opponent had launched weeks before. Filling the lower level of Dewey’s Lounge, a downtown jazz bar, the senator underscored community, both the one he represented, and the one that propelled him to the City Council and later the State Senate for the Hampden District.” — “UMass Faculty Senate votes no confidence in chancellor over protest breakup,” by Scott Merzbach, Daily Hampshire Gazette: “Nearly 500 members of the faculty and librarians are expressing no confidence in the leadership of University of Massachusetts Chancellor Javier Reyes stemming from the breakup of a pro-Palestinian encampment on May 7 that led to the arrests of 134 people, including students, faculty and community members.”
| | | | DON’T MISS POLITICO’S ENERGY SUMMIT: The future of energy faces a crossroads in 2024 as policymakers and industry leaders shape new rules, investments and technologies. Join POLITICO’s Energy Summit on June 5 as we convene top voices to examine the shifting global policy environment in a year of major elections in the U.S. and around the world. POLITICO will examine how governments are writing and rewriting new rules for the energy future and America’s own role as a major exporter. REGISTER HERE. | | | | | | | THE LOCAL ANGLE | | STEWARD WATCH — Suzanne Koenig, president and founder of a health care consulting firm, was appointed Monday to monitor care at Steward’s hospitals in Massachusetts and a handful of other states and report back to the court if Steward’s care isn’t up to standard as the company goes through bankruptcy restructuring, the State House News Service reports. Despite the concerns it has caused, Rep. Stephen Lynch says there’s a silver lining to Steward filing for bankruptcy: There’s no longer a need for Congress to subpoena the health care company to be able to crack open its books. "From an investigatory standpoint, bankruptcy is a good thing," Lynch told WBUR’s Tiziana Dearing. But Lynch is still keeping close watch on Steward’s proposed plan to sell its hospitals — three of which are in his district. “I’m really loathe to allow Steward or [Medical Properties Trust] to benefit from their conduct,” Lynch said. "I'd like to sort of put Humpty Dumpty back together here. Give the land back to the hospitals, force a transaction at the lowest possible price, and then go from there. Don't allow this to happen again.” — “Koch fires top city official amid investigation into 'financial irregularities',” by Peter Blandino, The Patriot Ledger: “Mayor Thomas Koch has fired Director of Elder Services Tom Clasby in the midst of an internal audit and police investigation into ‘financial irregularities’ at the department. Clasby was placed on paid leave on April 19. In a dismissal letter addressed to Clasby dated May 16, Koch noted that he is legally required to specify why he is firing Clasby, but that he feels ‘somewhat constrained to enumerate all of what I have learned so far’ before Quincy police finishes its investigation.” — “Mansfield voters will decide on trash fee, MBTA zoning proposal at town meeting,” by Stephen Peterson, The Sun Chronicle: “Residents at Wednesday’s annual town meeting will decide on a budget that calls for implementing a trash fee for the first time as well as a zoning change to meet requirements of the controversial MBTA Communities Act.” — “Mass. residents are clamoring for more beach access. The state says it’s listening,” by Chris Burrell, GBH News.
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The need for reliable, low-cost clean energy in America has never been greater – and NextEra Energy is ready to deliver it.
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We are also working toward securing America’s energy independence and security with clean and emission-free low-cost energy. We’ve virtually eliminated foreign oil from our power plants and, today, generate more electricity from the wind and sun than anyone in the world – while continuing lead in battery storage technology. | | | | | | HEARD ‘ROUND THE BUBBLAH | | HAPPY BIRTHDAY — to Seth Klarman, Edelman’s Amy Larkin Long, Beth Dozoretz, Arthur Brooks and Lacey Rose. 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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