| | | | |  | | By Kelly Garrity | | Presented by |  | | | WHAT HAPPENS AT NEW LAWMAKER BOOTCAMP — Newly elected state lawmakers are back at UMass Amherst today for day two of the “new legislator academy,” a program the school helps put on to prep new members before they’re sworn in at the start of next year. The three-day orientation kicked off yesterday with panels that covered the state’s budget process and communications — including advice on how to deal with the press, a person familiar with the program tells us. Among the recommendations: If a reporter calls, let it go to voicemail, or wait for them to send a text; Find out what they’re calling about before you answer. And let leadership know what’s up – their office may be fielding the same questions. It’s an interesting insight into how Beacon Hill leaders are thinking about the media amid increased scrutiny over their level of (or lack of) transparency — a topic that caused headaches for some incumbents on the campaign trail, and one voters were made more aware of during state Auditor Diana DiZoglio’s ballot question campaign. What’s on tap for today: After capping yesterday off at the UMass v. Boston University hockey game, state representatives- and senators-elect are back for trainings from the State Ethics Commission and the Office of Campaign and Political Finance, as well as a simulated legislative session before they break for a “Made in Massachusetts” reception. And tomorrow they’ll tackle “relationship building” before wrapping up for the week. GOOD THURSDAY MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS. Hope you guys stayed dry out there yesterday! Are you a newly elected state legislator who got a voicemail and/or text from me yesterday? Give me a ring! Or drop me a line at: kgarrity@politico.com. TODAY — Gov. Maura Healey speaks at the Massachusetts Conference for Women at noon in Boston; First Lady Joanna Lydgate, Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll, state Treasurer Deb Goldberg and state Auditor Diana DiZoglio attend. Driscoll chairs a Governor’s Council meeting addressing sexual assault, domestic violence and human trafficking at 2 p.m. at the State House. DiZoglio speaks at the North Shore Clerks Quarterly Luncheon in Danvers at 2 p.m. Boston Mayor Michelle Wu announces the launch of the Boston Acquisition Fund, a new fund to address the city’s housing crisis, at noon at City Hall and attends the Archdale Toy Drive at 3 p.m. in Roslindale. That State House Press Association hosts its holiday party at 4:30 p.m. at the State House.
| | | | A message from Johnson & Johnson: We’re restoring the true meaning of healthcare—Innovating more precise, less invasive surgery and improving recovery. See how we’re connecting the best of Health&Care for every patient and provider. Learn more. | | | |  | DATELINE BEACON HILL | | — “Massachusetts spent less on emergency shelters in FY24 than originally projected, report shows,” by Chris Van Buskirk, Boston Herald: “Multiple reports over the last several months that detail the cost of the emergency shelter system housing migrant and local homeless families showed the Healey administration shelled out $856.8 million last fiscal year, about 8% less than an initial projection from January of $932 million. A spokesperson for Healey’s budget writing office confirmed the figure was the final spend for the fiscal year and said various policies implemented over the past year, like a cap on the number of families in the system and a limit on lengths of stays, led to the reduced expenses.” — “Governor's Council expresses support for Parisella to become judge,” by Paul Leighton, The Salem News: “State Rep. Jerry Parisella of Beverly received strong support on Wednesday from the state panel charged with approving his nomination to become a judge, an opportunity that Parisella called ‘the American dream come true.’” — “James Retiring After 26 Years As House Clerk,” by Sam Doran, State House News Service (paywall): “After a 60-year career working for the House of Representatives, Clerk Steven James plans to make the 193rd General Court his last. James will retire at the end of the current session on Dec. 31, he told the News Service. He is on deck to formally announce his plans in the House Chamber on Dec. 16 after departing representatives have given their farewell speeches, the speaker's office said."
| | YAHD SIGNS AND BUMPAH STICKAHS | | CASH DASH — Boston Mayor Michelle Wu hosted her end-of-year fundraiser in the South End last night, asking donors to raise $5,000 to be a co-host and $10,000 to be a co-chair, per the invite. She's not the only one squeezing in one more fundraiser before the end of the year. Gov. Maura Healey and Lt. Gov Kim Driscoll are hosting a joint event Monday in downtown Boston. Suggested contributions for the "holiday reception" range from $250 for a "Friend" to $2,000 for a "73 Circle Sponsor," a status that gets you access to the "pre-reception," per the invite. — “RFK Jr.’s unusual fund-raising was a windfall for an obscure Massachusetts group,” by Tal Kopan, The Boston Globe: “Amid a floundering independent run for president this summer, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. quietly inked a fund-raising agreement that allowed him to ask supporters for bigger donations. The deal was lucrative — but not just for Kennedy’s campaign. It also ended up being a boon for some of his political opponents and even an obscure Massachusetts political group.”
| | | | Billions in spending. Critical foreign aid. Immigration reform. The final weeks of 2024 could bring major policy changes. Inside Congress provides daily insights into how Congressional leaders are navigating these high-stakes issues. Subscribe today. | | | | | | | FROM THE HUB | | — “Michelle Wu says Senate defeat of property tax plan 'heartbreaking' for local homeowners,” by Alexi Cohan, GBH News: “Boston Mayor Michelle Wu’s controversial property tax plan collapsed in the Senate earlier this week. Now, she said she’s thinking of the residents who will be impacted while also pushing back on lawmakers who killed the bill." MEANWHILE — “After months of debate at City Hall and on Beacon Hill, council greenlights higher property taxes,” by Niki Griswold and Anjali Huynh, The Boston Globe. RELATED — “How an elusive math problem killed Mayor Wu’s tax plan,” by Catherine Carlock, The Boston Globe: “How much is a city like Boston worth? The answer is a moving target. And a narrow miss just torpedoed Mayor Michelle Wu’s contentious push to boost tax rates on office buildings." — “Boston City Councilor Tania Fernandes Anderson defies calls to resign amid public corruption charges,” by Gayla Cawley, Boston Herald: “Boston City Councilor Tania Fernandes Anderson defied calls to resign from her six-figure job amid federal public corruption charges that allege she ripped off thousands of dollars from taxpayers, saying she remains committed to her work. Fernandes Anderson, speaking publicly for the first time since the feds indicted her for an alleged bonus kickback scheme carried out last year in a City Hall bathroom, said she could still effectively serve her constituents, but declined to comment on any questions related to the investigation, even when asked if she was innocent.” BABY BUMP — Boston’s annual State of the City address is getting pushed back from its usual mid-January date to March this year, Boston Mayor Michelle Wu said yesterday during an interview on GBH’s “Boston Public Radio,” as she prepares to welcome her third child in January.
| | | PLANES, TRAINS AND AUTOMOBILES | | | — “After high-level meeting, massive I-90 Allston project remains a work in progress,” by Gintautas Dumcius, CommonWealth Beacon: “Activists in Allston were incensed after state transportation officials, just before the Thanksgiving break, quietly announced big changes to a massive project in their Boston neighborhood that affects rail service for both the eastern and western parts of the state. But at a meeting this week of high-level state and city leaders that included Gov. Maura Healey and Boston Mayor Michelle Wu, there were signs that elements of the project are still fluid, and state officials are racing to lock in federal funding amid concerns that the incoming Republican administration may try to punish the heavily Democratic Bay State.”
| | | | A message from Johnson & Johnson:   | | | | | FROM THE DELEGATION | | — “Warren on UnitedHealthcare CEO’s killing: ‘People can only be pushed so far’,” by Ben Johansen, POLITICO: “Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), one of the staunchest critics of the American health care system writ large among U.S. lawmakers, condemned the assassination of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson on Tuesday — but added that people “can be pushed only so far,” in an interview with the Huffington Post.” — “Mass. Rep. Ayanna Pressley targeted in bomb threat,” by John L. Micek, MassLive: “U.S. Rep. Ayanna Pressley’s home and family were targeted in a bomb threat, a spokesperson for the Boston Democrat has told MassLive. The threat against Pressley, D-7th District, was received by Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office on Monday, and Boston police were ‘on site at the Congresswoman’s residence to assess the situation,’ the spokesperson said in a statement. The Boston Democrat was unharmed.”
| | IT'S NOT EASY BEING GREEN | | — “Why did Vineyard Wind’s turbine blade fail?,” by Anastasia E. Lennon, The New Bedford Light: “The blade failure — described with these new details based on documents The Light obtained through the Freedom of Information Act — was not the first broken blade for this blade model. Nor was it the last broken blade for the Haliade-X, manufactured by GE Vernova.”
| | FROM THE 413 | | — “Easthampton Mayor LaChapelle vetoes salary increase council approved,” by Alexa Lewis, Daily Hampshire Gazette: “Easthampton Mayor Nicole LaChapelle notified city officials Wednesday morning of her decision to veto the salary increased passed by the City Council for the city’s next mayor. According to City Council President Homar Gomez, council members received a message from LaChapelle stating, ‘I have vetoed the council’s proposed mayor salary increase in line with the city’s fiscal goals.’” — “Dean of students at Pittsfield High School arrested by feds for allegedly running a cocaine distribution operation,” by Amanda Burke, The Berkshire Eagle.
| | | | Write your own chapter in the new Washington. From the Lame Duck Congress Series to New Administration insights, POLITICO Pro delivers intelligence across 22+ policy areas to help you anticipate and navigate change. Discover how a Pro subscription empowers you. Learn more today. | | | | | | | THE LOCAL ANGLE | | — “Worcester police unions blast bombshell DOJ report on department as ‘inaccurate’,” by Adam Bass, MassLive: “Two Worcester Police unions released statements on Tuesday calling the Department of Justice’s recently released report of the Worcester Police Department (WPD) ‘inaccurate,’ contradicting statements from the city manager, mayor and several city councilors, all of whom took the report very seriously." ANOTHER ONE — “Wilmington Town Meeting rejects MBTA Communities zoning,” by Peter Currier, The Lowell Sun: “Voters at the Dec. 7 special Town Meeting voted to reject the proposed MBTA Communities districts with just a few weeks to go before the state’s Dec. 31 deadline. After a lengthy discussion with many speaking in favor of both sides of the issue, the main article concerning MBTA Communities failed with 154 in favor and 288 in opposition. If it had passed, the article would have created four zoning subdistricts in town for multifamily housing, aimed at addressing the housing crisis.” — “Councilor Robinson’s criminal case dismissed due to no-show by key witness,” by Melanie Gilbert, The Lowell Sun: “After more than a year of motions, filings and at least 12 court hearings, the criminal case of Commonwealth v. Corey Robinson was dismissed due to a no-show witness. … Last November, Robinson was charged with two counts of domestic assault and battery and was alleged to have hit, strangled and pulled out the hair of the victim, who was described as his on-again/off-again girlfriend, at her home in Dracut. The Centralville councilor denied the charges.” — “Worcester City Council votes for higher residential tax rate to ease burden on businesses,” by Marco Cartolano, Telegram & Gazette: “The City Council Tuesday set the tax rate for 2025, choosing a residential rate of $13.19 per $1,000 of valuation for residential properties, compared with $28.61 per $1,000 for commercial and industrial properties. ... Most councilors were in agreement over the set rates, faced with the lowest possible residential rates of $13.16 to $28.74 commercial and industrial.” — “Council backs 3-year deal for City Manager Eric Batista; pay to reach $314K,” by Marco Cartolano, Telegram & Gazette.
| | HEARD ‘ROUND THE BUBBLAH | | TRANSITIONS — Dallas Ducar is the new executive vice president for donor engagement and external relations at Fenway Health. HAPPY BIRTHDAY — to Jeff Goldstein, John Lippmann, former Boston City Councilor Annissa Essaibi George, Alex Reimer and Eric Maskin.
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