POLITICO Massachusetts Playbook: Chief Justice GANTS dies at 65 — WU officially running for MAYOR — How MALDEN is helping MALDEN

BY STEPHANIE MURRAY

GOOD MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS. MICHELLE WU IS RUNNING FOR MAYOR — Boston City Councilor Michelle Wu is officially running for mayor. Wu is announcing her campaign in a video this morning. The at-large councilor known for her transit advocacy is pitching herself as a mother and the daughter of immigrants who has "lived my whole life knowing what it's like to feel unseen and unheard." "For too many, during this pandemic and well before, it's been impossible to dream when you're fighting to hold on. Fighting to afford to stay, fighting for our kids, fighting a system that wasn't built for us, doesn't speak our languages, doesn't hear our voices," Wu says in the video. "I'm running for mayor to make Boston a city for everyone," Wu continues. She recorded the video in English, Spanish , and Mandarin. Wu lists priorities including affordable housing, public education, increased access to transportation, public health funding and a "city Green New Deal." Wu's entrance into the 2021 mayoral race tees up the next big Democratic contest in Boston. She was the top vote-getter in the city’s last municipal election in 2019. It's likely that Wu will face incumbent Mayor Marty Walsh, though he has not announced whether he'll run for a third term. Pressed for an answer on his future plans last week, Walsh told GBH's "Boston Public Radio" he has more to do in Boston. "I don't have a plan to give up on a city where I have a lot more to do," Walsh said, but cautioned that he won't reveal his plans for some time. It's also unclear whether more candidates may jump into the race, and some political watchers speculate Walsh could score an administration role if Democratic nominee Joe Biden is elected in November. "The mayor's race is a year away," Walsh said on Friday. "I'm not gonna start playing politics in September of 2020 when I have much more important things to focus on." Some accused Walsh of playing politics earlier this month when he confirmed to the Boston Globe that Wu had called him and shared her plans to run for mayor. Walsh pushes back on that assessment, saying the Globe had other sources and that it would have been unfair of him to withhold information from the press. Wu will hold a series of campaign launch events throughout the week. She'll begin by greeting MBTA riders at Nubian Station this evening and then visit supporters in Allston-Brighton. Wu begins the race with $346,000 in the bank, according to her latest campaign finance report. If he decides to run, Walsh has $5.5 million in his war chest. FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: BALLOT QUESTIONS READY FOR PRIME TIME — There are two questions facing Massachusetts voters in November: Whether the state should update a 2013 auto repair law, and whether it should implement ranked-choice voting in future elections. Groups linked to both questions are hitting the airwaves this week. The Yes on 2 Campaign, which supports ranked-choice voting, is spending half a million dollars on its first ad blitz. The ranked-choice voting proposal would allow voters to rank all candidates on the ballot, rather than choose just one. The group will spend $495,700 in the Boston media market over the next seven days, along with $54,500 on streaming services. The campaign will also spend $95,000 on digital ads. A recently-formed group that opposes ranked-choice voting has not bought space on the airwaves. And the group opposing Question 1, the auto repair question, is out with a new ad this morning. The ballot question puts repair shops and automakers at odds, and has already drawn $35 million in contributions on either side of the issue. The question asks voters whether the state should update an existing law that would make it easier for independent auto repair shops to access vehicle data, though opponents of the question argue it would put consumer data at risk. The new 30-second spot from the Coalition for Safe and Secure Data features Ron Santos, owner of Santos Auto Body in Millis. He pushes back on the pro-Question 1 argument that updating the law would benefit independent repair shops. "Question 1 is really about big repair chains getting access to your data, that can be sold to advertisers," he says in the ad. Top funders opposing Question 1 include General Motors, Ford and Toyota. Top-spending supporters of the ballot initiative include O'Reilly Auto Parts, Advance Auto Parts and AutoZone. Have a tip, story, suggestion, birthday, anniversary, new job, or any other nugget for the Playbook? Get in touch: smurray@politico.com. TODAY — Rep. Katherine Clark and New York Rep. Hakeem Jeffries hold a press conference following a House Caucus meeting. Boston City Councilor Michelle Wu holds mayoral campaign events at Nubian Station and in Allston-Brighton.

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THE LATEST NUMBERS

– “Massachusetts reports 235 new COVID cases, 9 more coronavirus deaths on Monday,” by Benjamin Kail, MassLive.com: “Massachusetts public health officials on Monday confirmed 235 new COVID-19 cases, with 9 more people dying form illness linked to the virus. As of Monday, at least 123,139 in the commonwealth have tested positive since the pandemic began.”

DATELINE BEACON HILL

– “SJC Chief Justice Ralph D. Gants, a fearless advocate for racial justice, dies at 65,” by Bryan Marquard, Boston Globe: “Supreme Judicial Court Chief Justice Ralph D. Gants, whose determination to provide equal justice to all led him to commission a recent study of racial disparities in the court system, has died, the court announced Monday. Justice Gants, the first Jewish chief justice in the court’s 328-year history, was 65 and had been hospitalized Sept. 4 following a heart attack.” – “State Police uncovered more trooper payroll issues last year. This time, they kept it in-house,” by Matt Rocheleau, Boston Globe: “Sergeant Mark Lynch took over as head of the State Police union in 2018, when the law enforcement agency was in the midst of crisis. A federal investigation into widespread payroll fraud had implicated dozens of troopers, and the previous union boss was under scrutiny for an alleged kickback scheme. What was not publicly known then was that Lynch himself was facing an internal investigation that ultimately found he had manipulated or skipped portions of about 30 shifts over a four-month period.” – “Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey closes COVID-19 violations form as Baker administration’s reporting line ramps up,” by Steph Solis, MassLive.com: “Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey’s COVID-19 workplace complaint form shut down with no public notification as the Baker administration’s reporting line ramped up, processing hundreds of complaints over the past two months. Healey’s Fair Labor Division set up the reporting form in May for essential workers concerned their workplaces were failing to prevent the spread of COVID-19.” – “Report: Mass. school funding formula gives wealthy districts more aid than they need, widening equity gaps,” by Dialynn Dwyer, Boston.com: “The formula for distributing state funding to schools in Massachusetts gives wealthier districts more money than they need, creating a widening equity gap at the expense of students in low-income communities, according to a report released Monday from the Massachusetts Business Alliance for Education and the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce.”

FROM THE HUB

– “'We Were Lied To': Students Criticize Boston College Over Lack Of Transparency Around COVID-19,” by Tori Bedford, GBH News: “Amid an outbreak of COVID-19 cases on the Boston College campus, students, teachers and local elected officials are calling for more transparency from the university. Boston College is reporting that 67 undergraduates tested positive for COVID-19 last week, bringing the total number of positive cases to 104 since students returned to campus in August.” – “Former admissions director at Meadow Green Nursing Home in Waltham stole $230K from resident to pay for family vacations, other expenses, authorities say,” by Jackson Cote, MassLive.com: “The former admission director of a Massachusetts nursing home was accused this week of stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars from an elderly resident and using the money to pay for family vacations, home repairs and other expenses, authorities said.” – “Teachers at high risk for coronavirus still don’t know whether they’ll be allowed to work remotely,” by Naomi Martin, Boston Globe: “While most districts have given teachers an answer, scores of educators across the state are still in limbo, waiting to hear whether their own, or loved ones', preexisting health conditions qualify them to work remotely, adding mightily to the confusion of the most tumultuous back-to-school season in modern history.” – “‘It was kind of a smack in the face': Millennials find search for starter homes even more competitive in the COVID era,” by Hayley Kaufman, Boston Globe: “They’d lived in Malden for eight years, renting a two-bedroom apartment close to the T. But with a toddler, zero outdoor space, and a pandemic turning things upside down, Dan Burger, 33, and his wife, Randi, didn’t want to wait any longer. They wanted to buy a house. The search, and the prices they encountered, staggered the young couple.” – “Boston Sports Clubs' parent company files for bankruptcy amid uproar from gym members,” by John R. Ellement and Andrea Estes, Boston Globe: “Beset by losses from months of closure and facing a growing rebellion from members, the company that operates Boston Sports Clubs filed for bankruptcy protection on Monday. Town Sports International, which operates 185 gyms across the country and 30 in Massachusetts, said it owes more than $23 million to its top 30 creditors alone, mostly in the form of unpaid rent.” ON THE STUMP – FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: “NARAL Pro-Choice Massachusetts PAC Endorses Slate of Reproductive Freedom Candidates in Competitive District Races,” from NARAL Pro-Choice: “The NARAL Pro-Choice Massachusetts PAC, the political arm of the Commonwealth’s leading grassroots, pro-choice advocacy organization, announced the endorsement of three candidates running for state office: Christina Eckert for State Representative of the 2nd Essex District, Meg Kilcoyne for State Representative of the 12th Worcester District, and Meg Wheeler for State Senate, Plymouth and Norfolk District.” – “O’Connor To Markey: Let’s Have Seven Debates, Not Just One,” by Adam Reilly, GBH News: “With just a month and a half left until the general election, Republican Senate candidate Kevin O'Connor is calling for seven debates with Democratic incumbent Ed Markey — one more than Markey had with Joe Kennedy III during their hard-fought Democratic primary fight.” – “Less Than 20% Of Congress Has Served In The Military. Jake Auchincloss Looks To Add To Its Ranks,” by Hannah Uebele, GBH News: “Newton City Councilor Jake Auchincloss won the Democratic primary for Massachusetts' Fourth Congressional District earlier this month. Auchincloss won by just over 2,000 votes against candidate Jesse Mermell in the crowded Democratic primary and will now face Republican Julie Hall, an Air Force veteran, in the November election.” PLANES, TRAINS AND AUTOMOBILES – “T gears up for rich-poor divide in service cuts,” by Bruce Mohl, CommonWealth Magazine: “The MBTA oversight board on Monday began formulating principles to follow as it prepares to cut the transit authority’s operating budget by $300 million to $600 million, with T officials recommending the preservation or enhancement of services that cater to minority and low-income customers without cars and a reduction in low-ridership services such as commuter rail and ferry that tend to serve wealthier people who can more easily find alternative ways to move about.” DAY IN COURT – “Judge's Ruling Linked To Disgraced Chemist May Pave Way To Reopen Thousands Of Mass. Cases,” by Deborah Becker, WBUR: “A superior court judge has ordered a new trial for a man convicted of heroin possession in 2006. That ruling — based on the judge's assertion that Massachusetts did not adequately investigate one of its highest-profile drug lab scandals — could potentially pave the way for appeals in thousands of other cases in the state.” ABOVE THE FOLD — Herald: “SOUL OF THE C'S," "WU TRAIN FIRES UP,” — Globe: “Chief justice championed equality," "Wu makes it official: She's running for Boston mayor," AFTER 5 MONTHS, FINALLY A FINISH.” FROM THE 413 – “Halloween trick-or-treating ban a ’no-brainer’ amid COVID-19 pandemic, Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno says,” by Peter Goonan, Springfield Republican: “The decision to ban door-to-door trick-or-treating on Halloween this year is a ‘no-brainer’ despite continued low numbers of COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations, Mayor Domenic J. Sarno said Monday. ‘We are dealing with a pandemic here,’ Sarno said. ‘Why in the hell would you want to put your child and yourself in harm’s way? It makes no sense whatsoever.’” – “Child care centers faced with myriad of challenges as school districts start remote learning,” by Danny Jin, The Berkshire Eagle: “The remote reopening of several school districts this week is presenting a slew of new challenges for child care centers, which have already made significant changes in response to the coronavirus pandemic. ‘The majority of our parents are not able to work from home, so they need to have their children at the center there during the day,’ said Kelly Marion, CEO of the Gladys Allen Brigham Community Center in Pittsfield.” THE LOCAL ANGLE – “Financial outlook unclear for cities, towns,” by Meg McIntyre, The Lowell Sun: “As cities and towns continue to grapple with an uncertain financial future, they’re faced with the decision of whether to furlough or lay off workers in an effort to close their budget shortfalls. It’s a decision officials are making without a roadmap, sometimes resulting in starkly different approaches from community to community.” – “Nantucket public health officials seek to ‘surgically respond’ to COVID-19 spike linked to tradespeople,” by Jackson Cote, MassLive.com: “For nearly all of August and early September, Nantucket was reporting one or two new coronavirus patients daily. Those low numbers ended last week, when, within two days, the Massachusetts island identified 14 COVID cases, the highest number of new patients the town has seen in such a short period of time since the viral outbreak ramped up across the United States in March.” – “Worcester schools: Remote attendance taking questioned,” by Scott O’Connell, Telegram & Gazette: “On the eve of the first day of school, School Committee members disagreed over and expressed confusion about how attendance should be taken during the remote learning phase of the new year. Currently, the district plans to log students’ attendance for every class Monday through Thursday, when they will be working synchronously with a teacher. On Friday – Worcester’s designated asynchronous work day – a teacher will take students’ attendance between 8 and 9 a.m.” – “Dover-Sherborn Regional High School will start year remotely after party with more than 100 students excessively drinking ‘put us all at risk’ of coronavirus, superintendent says,” by Michael Bonner, MassLive.com: “In a scathing letter to parents of students at Dover-Sherborn Regional High School, the superintendent announced the academic year will begin remotely after a party of more than 100 students occurred last Friday. Dover-Sherborn Regional Schools Superintendent Andrew W. Keough said that up to 150 students attended a party from multiple communities from both public and private schools.” – “Framingham will begin issuing $500 fines for gatherings that violate the state’s COVID-19 size restrictions,” MetroWest Daily News: “The Framingham Public Health Department, with support from the police department, has begun to levy fines for those violating the state limit on gatherings in order to help curb the spread of COVID-19. Since Friday, Sept. 11, 33 Framingham residents have tested positive for COVID-19.” – “City of Malden assisting namesake town in Washington after it was destroyed by wildfire,” by Steve Annear, Boston Globe: “They are communities on two separate coasts, some 2,700 miles apart. But they are connected by name. And now, by good deeds in a time of tragedy. After the town of Malden, Wash., was all but destroyed this month by extreme wildfires ravaging parts of the West Coast, officials in Malden, Mass., are reaching out to help those in the small community who were impacted by the blaze.” TRANSITIONS – Asher Smith joins Serve America PAC and Rep. Seth Moulton’s reelect as national finance director and Anna Fletcher joins as deputy national finance director. Smith previously managed Hillary Mueri’s congressional campaign, and Fletcher previously was finance director for Jake Auchincloss’ congressional campaign. HAPPY BIRTHDAY – to Anthony Barsamian, co-chair of the Armenian Assembly of America; and Diane Levin. NEW EPISODE: THE HORSE RACE OF THE APOCALYPSE – On this week’s Horse Race podcast, hosts Jennifer Smith, Steve Koczela and Stephanie Murray break down what could be in store for Boston’s 2021 mayoral race, and talk about the MassGOP candidates running for congress. Subscribe and listen on iTunes and Sound Cloud. 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.   CAN HEALTH APPS IMPACT THE ELECTION ? Amid persistent concerns about how the pandemic could impact voter turnout, many are overlooking one scenario – digital manipulation via health apps. Some security researchers warn that in the wrong hands, these apps could keep voters home on Election Day. How significant of a threat is this? Get insight into this and the politics, policies, and technologies driving significant change on voters' most personal issues: their health. SUBSCRIBE TO FUTURE PULSE NOW.       Follow us on Twitter Stephanie Murray @StephMurr_Jour   Subscribe to the POLITICO Playbook family Playbook  |  Playbook PM  |  California Playbook  |  Florida Playbook  |  Illinois Playbook  |  Massachusetts Playbook  |  New Jersey Playbook  |  New York Playbook  |  Brussels Playbook  |  London Playbook View all our politics and policy newsletters FOLLOW US  POLITICO, LLC 1000 Wilson Blvd. Arlington, VA, 22209, USA