| | |  | BY STEPHANIE MURRAY | Presented by Associated Industries of Massachusetts (AIM) | GOOD MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS. Gov. Charlie Baker declared a state of emergency in Massachusetts due to the pandemic a year ago today. ST. PATRICK’S DAY BREAKFAST COULD BE MAYORAL SHOWDOWN — The growing field of candidates running for mayor of Boston better start drafting their jokes. They're expected to speak at the annual St. Patrick's Day breakfast at the end of the month. The South Boston St. Patrick's Day breakfast was one of the first high-profile events to be derailed by the coronavirus pandemic last spring. Now, state Sen. Nick Collins is bringing it back on March 21. He's hosting the event for the second time, and it will be mostly virtual. Guests include Gov. Charlie Baker and Boston Mayor Marty Walsh, who could be confirmed as Secretary of Labor any day now. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, who did not plan to attend last year's breakfast, will appear this year. So will Attorney General Maura Healey, Reps. Ayanna Pressley and Stephen Lynch, state Senate President Karen Spilka and Cardinal Sean O'Malley. The breakfast is the first time candidates running for Boston mayor will appear together at a big event. On the guest list so far are City Councilors Michelle Wu and Andrea Campbell, state Rep. Jon Santiago and Boston's former economic development chief John Barros. City Council President Kim Janey, the soon-to-be acting mayor, will also be there. The event is usually a place for politicians to rub elbows and crack jokes, but that will have to be at a distance. The breakfast comes as Walsh and other Boston officials urge residents to avoid St. Patrick’s Day parties due to the pandemic. Collins is partnering with the Massachusetts Restaurant Association and encouraging viewers to order takeout from local restaurants on the morning of the event. FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: NEWTON VOTERS APPROVE OF MAYOR'S COVID RESPONSE — Newton Mayor Ruthanne Fuller received high marks for her handling of the Covid-19 pandemic, according to a poll commissioned by her reelection campaign. Fuller is up for reelection this fall after winning a narrow victory in 2017. Fuller has a 71 percent approval rating, and that number increases among voters who identify as progressive or politically active, according to a memo from her campaign. Sixty-eight percent of Newton residents think the city is heading in the right direction. The Beacon Research poll was conducted in early February and surveyed 404 registered voters by phone. It has a 5 percent margin of error. There's another election coming up in Newton next week. The city will hold a special election on Tuesday to fill the seat vacated by Rep. Jake Auchincloss, and another held by the late Councilor Jay Ciccone, who died in November. The Boston Globe took a look at the race, which it calls a “ proxy culture war” unfolding in the city. 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 is a guest on GBH’s “Boston Public Radio.” Rep. Richard Neal manages the House floor during debate on the American Rescue Plan Act | |
| | A message from the Associated Industries of Massachusetts (AIM): The Senate enters 2021 facing the immediate challenges of moderating the pandemic and setting Massachusetts on the road to economic recovery. Senate President Karen Spilka is not only looking at long-term issues such as the effect of COVID on remote work, transportation and child care. Register here for AIM’s Executive Forum featuring the Senate President as she outlines her vision for the commonwealth. | | | | |
| | SUBSCRIBE TO “THE RECAST” TO JOIN AN IMPORTANT CONVERSATION: Power dynamics are changing. “Influence” is changing. More people are demanding a seat at the table, insisting that all politics is personal and not all policy is equitable. “The Recast” is our new twice-weekly newsletter that breaks down how race and identity are recasting politics, policy and power in America. And POLITICO is recasting how we report on this crucial intersection, bringing you fresh insights, scoops, dispatches from across the country and new voices that challenge “business as usual.” Don’t miss out on this important new newsletter, SUBSCRIBE NOW. Thank you to our sponsor, Intel. | | | | | |  | THE FIFTY |
| SIGN UP: POLITICO this week is hosting “The Fifty: America’s Governors,” a series of back-to-back, live conversations with six governors from across the U.S. The conversations will cover how these governors are confronting the multiple crises that have hit the country within the past year — from the global pandemic and ensuing economic recession, sudden shift to remote schooling, racial injustice and police brutality protests and the fallout from the tense presidential election. Thursday starting at 10 a.m. ET / 7 a.m. PT. You can register to watch live here. | | THE LATEST NUMBERS |
| – “COVID hospitalizations show slight uptick as number of Massachusetts residents fully vaccinated reaches 758,250 Tuesday,” by Tanner Stening, MassLive.com: “State health officials confirmed another 1,006 new COVID-19 cases on Tuesday, which is based on 59,078 new molecular tests, according to the Department of Public Health. Officials also announced another 20 COVID-related fatalities, bringing the death toll from the pandemic to 16,123.” | | DATELINE BEACON HILL |
| – “Massachusetts lawmakers challenge Charlie Baker’s pandemic emergency powers through new bills,” by Lisa Kashinsky, Boston Herald: “Legislators frustrated by Gov. Charlie Baker’s ‘top-down, authoritative’ response to the coronavirus pandemic are taking aim at his sweeping executive authority through bills seeking to limit his powers under a prolonged state of emergency.” – “With new federal stimulus money expected, Massachusetts leaders look to economic recovery,” by Emma Platoff, Boston Globe: “With a major new injection of federal stimulus on the horizon, Massachusetts officials are slowly emerging from crisis mode and looking ahead to the state’s economic recovery. The $1.9 trillion stimulus bill, on track to become law this week, is expected to deliver Massachusetts roughly $8 billion in funds over which state and local leaders will have wide discretion, as well as billions more earmarked for specific priorities, including reopening schools, extending jobless benefits, and bolstering public transit.” – “Charlie Baker’s administration is ordering K-8 public schools to reopen next month. Here’s what you need to know about the plan.” by Nik DeCosta-Klipa, Boston.com: “Gov. Charlie Baker’s administration is moving ahead with its plan to order all K-8 public schools in Massachusetts in hybrid or remote learning models due to the COVID-19 pandemic to resume in-person classes five days a week next month.” – “Baker Looks To Changing Workplaces And Housing Demands For Post-Pandemic Recovery,” by Mike Deehan, GBH News: “With vaccinations for most residents on the horizon, the Baker administration and Democratic lawmakers are looking at how the state can recover from a long year of pandemic-inflicted economic loss and prepare for the uncertain future of the workplace.” – “Lawmaking by press release,” by Bruce Mohl, CommonWealth Magazine: “Sometimes it’s the little things – a phrasing of a sentence or the timing of an announcement — that reveal a lot about the way the Legislature operates.” – “Massachusetts extending free COVID testing through ‘Stop the Spread’ program until June 30; See where you can get tested,” by Tanner Stening, MassLive.com: “The Baker administration announced an extension of the “Stop the Spread” COVID-19 testing program on Tuesday, which was set to expire on March 31. Gov. Charlie Baker will be extending the program through June 30, 2021. That means that free state-sponsored testing will remain available to all Massachusetts residents at more than 35 locations.” – “Massachusetts millionaires tax would be ‘blank check’ for increased government spending: report,” by Erin Tiernan, Boston Herald: “Proponents of a proposed millionaires tax on the fast-track to next year’s ballot say the measure could bolster education and transportation funding by $2 billion, but a new watchdog report warns it could wind up being a “blank check” for fattening up state government.” | | VAX-ACHUSETTS |
| – “How America’s Vaccine System Makes People With Health Problems Fight for a Place in Line,” by Amy Harmon and Danielle Ivory, The Washington Post: “As states have begun vaccinating Americans with medical conditions that may raise their risk for a severe case of Covid-19, they are setting widely varying rules about which conditions to prioritize for shots amid a dearth of definitive scientific evidence. The confusing morass of eligibility rules has set off a free-for-all among people with underlying health problems like cancer or Type 2 diabetes to persuade state health and political officials to add particular health conditions to an ever-evolving vaccine priority list.” – “CIC Health, Curative and LabCorp have cost Massachusetts more than $10 million to run COVID vaccination sites since January,” by Steph Solis, MassLive.com: “Massachusetts has relied on three private vendors to administer the bulk of the state’s COVID-19 vaccines since January, and the launch of large-scale vaccination sites with their help has cost the state an estimated $10.4 million, records show.” – “Unions back proposal for firefighters to vaccinate teachers,” The Associated Press: “Unions representing teachers and firefighters in Massachusetts have proposed having firefighters administer coronavirus vaccines to educators, who become eligible to sign up for their shots later this week.” – “‘Enough is enough’: Boston school bus drivers picket, calling for COVID-19 vaccines and testing at bus yards,” by Felicia Gans and James Vaznis, Boston Globe: “Boston school bus drivers, mechanics, and other labor allies picketed Tuesday, demanding robust coronavirus-related safety measures on buses, vaccinations and testing at the bus yards, and the restoration of full pay and benefits that have been cut during the pandemic.” – “Lawmakers join push to get grocery workers vaccinated in Massachusetts,” by Lisa Kashinsky and Sean Philip Cotter, Boston Herald: “Nearly three dozen state lawmakers are joining unions’ calls for Gov. Charlie Baker to prioritize grocery workers for coronavirus vaccines, saying the vast group has ‘not been treated equitably’ in the state’s rollout.” | | FROM THE HUB |
| – “Walsh, Martinez warn against weekend St. Patrick’s Day gatherings amid coronavirus pandemic,” by Travis Andersen, Boston Globe: “City officials Tuesday urged residents not to hold large St. Patrick’s Day parties this weekend, noting that just 10 percent of Boston adults are fully vaccinated against COVID-19.” – “Northeastern plans for return to ‘normal’ semester for fall 2021,” by Amanda Kaufman, Boston Globe: “A Northeastern University official said in a letter Tuesday that the college is planning for a ‘normal fall semester’ after grappling with the COVID-19 pandemic for the past year. In a letter to the school community, provost David Madigan said Northeastern is planning to return to a semester with ‘regular campus activities.’” – “How One Small College Exemplifies Higher Education’s Problems — And Potential Solutions,” by Kirk Carapezza and Jon Marcus, GBH News: “Enrollment is less than 2,000, and there’s a 13:1 ratio of students to faculty. A higher-than-average proportion of students graduate on time. But the 100-year-old Catholic liberal arts college, which was once all-women, also exemplifies the kind of institution increasingly threatened by financial, demographic, competitive and other pressures — and what such schools are doing to remain in business.” – “There’s Another ‘Secret Boston’ in Town, and the Original Isn’t Happy about It,” by Spencer Buell, Boston Magazine: “If there’s anything Boston is hungry for right now, it’s experiences. So when word got around that an ‘immersive experience’ based on the works of Vincent van Gogh was coming to town, many of us were eager (dare I say desperate?) to get tickets .” | | PLANES, TRAINS AND AUTOMOBILES |
| – “‘Hostile architecture’: A group wanted for removing armrests from MBTA benches says they’re helping the homeless,” by Arianna MacNeill, Boston.com: “The MBTA Transit Police are looking for four people who allegedly stole armrests from benches at Central Square station in Cambridge. But others, including a social media account said to represent the people who removed them, say the armrests are a form of ‘hostile architecture’ meant to deter homeless people from using the benches to rest.” | |
| | A message from the Associated Industries of Massachusetts (AIM):  
| | | | | FEELING '22 |
| – “DCCC ends controversial consultant ban,” by Ally Mutnick, POLITICO: “House Democrats’ campaign arm is officially ending its controversial ban on political consultants who work with candidates challenging sitting Democratic incumbents in primaries, clinching a major victory for progressives. Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney (D-N.Y.), the newly installed chair of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, officially reversed the policy on Tuesday morning.” | | CAPITOL FALLOUT |
| – “Pittsfield man arrested for allegedly assaulting police during Jan. 6 insurrection at US Capitol,” by Travis Andersen, Boston Globe: “The FBI on Tuesday arrested a Pittsfield man for allegedly assaulting law enforcement during the Jan. 6 insurrection at the US Capitol, a harrowing episode that left five people dead including a police officer, authorities said .” | | DAY IN COURT |
| – “Hyannis resort considered as potential courtroom site,” by Ethan Genter, Cape Cod Times: “The Cape Codder Resort and Spa has a water park, hundreds of guest rooms, a Hearth ‘n Kettle restaurant and several function rooms on its amenities list. By the end of the year, it may also be the site of a makeshift courtroom. The state trial court took a walk-through of the Hyannis resort on Monday to assess its suitability as a potential location for jury trials to resume in a safe way during the pandemic.” – “Judge dismisses claims against John Fish over $1B tower as a 'red herring,'” by Catherine Carlock, Boston Business Journal: “A Massachusetts Superior Court judge has dismissed two counterclaims from Weiner Ventures, which were filed after construction magnate John Fish's $100 million lawsuit over a scuttled $1 billion air-rights tower in Boston's Back Bay.” | | MARKEYCHUSETTS |
| – “Democrats are gearing up to fight for net neutrality,” by Makena Kelly, The Verge: “A new bill to bring back net neutrality is on its way, supported by one of the open internet’s most fervent advocates. At an advocacy event last month, Sen. Ed Markey (D-MA) announced that he would be introducing a measure in the next few ‘weeks’ that would engrave the no throttling, block, or paid fast lanes rules into law.” | | FROM THE DELEGATION |
| – “Reps. Katherine Clark And Lori Trahan On American Rescue Plan, And Women's Leadership In Congress,” WBUR. Link. | | ABOVE THE FOLD |
| — Herald: “THE DAY OUR WORLD CHANGED,” — Globe: “Middle schoolers going back on April 28," "Protecting a world apart.” | | FROM THE 413 |
| – “Rep reports live on state aid to Pittsfield,” by Bruce Mohl, CommonWealth Magazine: “Rep. Patricia Farley-Bouvier of Pittsfield on Tuesday transformed a fairly dry Zoom call about a government site readiness program into a live, personalized, on-site report about how state investments can help transform a city. Farley-Bouvier’s standup came at the end of a long call with a number of political dignitaries.” – “Holyoke Police Chief Manny Febo fact-checks allegations in suspended officer’s viral video,” by Stephanie Barry, Springfield Republican: “Two days after a Holyoke Police Officer posted a viral YouTube video accusing his own department of corruption and racism, Police Chief Manny Febo has clapped back.” | | THE LOCAL ANGLE |
| – “Worcester Public Schools to seek waiver to delay full-time return for elementary school students as district starts hybrid learning, superintendent says,” by Melissa Hanson, MassLive.com: “The Worcester Public Schools is just getting ready to finally return to in-person learning with a hybrid model as the state’s education commissioner has gotten the authority to force schools to resume full-time learning for some students.” – “115 St. Vincent nurses cross the picket line,” by Cyrus Moulton, Telegram & Gazette: “More than 100 St. Vincent Hospital nurses crossed the picket line and worked at the hospital during the first 24 hours of a strike by nurses affiliated with the Massachusetts Nurses Association, according to hospital leaders.” – “Framingham superintendent: Getting all elementary students to full in-person learning by April 5 would be 'logistically...a problem,'” by Zane Razzaq, MetroWest Daily News: “Superintendent of Schools Robert Tremblay said during Monday's Board of Health meeting that returning all elementary students to full in-person learning while maintaining 6 feet of distance would be impossible.” – “Mayor touts new programs, downtown campus as saving grace for Quincy College,” by Mary Whitfill, The Patriot Ledger: “Mayor Thomas Koch announced several new programs meant to spur the success of the struggling Quincy College and named a woman to lead the building committee of a new campus planned for downtown. In his State of the City address Tuesday, Koch spoke about the importance of the city's support to the operations of the junior college and hailed the school as an opportunity for underserved populations.” – “Salem State imposes furloughs for faculty, librarians,” by Dustin Luca, The Salem News: “Salem State University faculty are expected to take furlough next week, a continuation of a months-long labor dispute with an end that remains unclear. Local members of the Massachusetts State College Association, representing more than 300 faculty and librarians at Salem State, have been told by university leaders they will furlough during the weeks of March 14-20 and May 23-29 .” TRANSITIONS – Marvin Venay joins Tech Goes Home Hires as director of advocacy. REMEMBERING ROGER MUDD … via WaPo: “Roger Mudd, a longtime CBS News political correspondent who reported on the Pentagon’s profligate spending, whose interview with Edward M. Kennedy ended the senator’s White House prospects and who briefly shared the anchor job at his onetime rival, NBC News, died March 9 at his home in McLean, Va. He was 93.” Link. NEW EPISODE: COVID 101 – On this week’s Horse Race podcast, hosts Jennifer Smith and Stephanie Murray discuss a coronavirus outbreak at UMass Amherst with Massachusetts Daily Collegian reporters Cassie McGrath and Will Katcher. 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. | |
| | A message from the Associated Industries of Massachusetts (AIM): The COVID-19 pandemic transformed workplaces around the globe. One of the consequences of this transformation in the United States has been a mass exodus of women from the workforce. Women, and particularly women in communities of color, have been hard hit from both a health and economic perspective. They have also been hampered by the move among schools to remote learning and limited access to childcare.
At Associated Industries of Massachusetts (AIM), we believe businesses must increase value for society and be a force for positive change, therefore, we are calling attention to the loss of women in the workforce with the goal of finding solutions.
We are spearheading the conversation about the “Pink Slip” phenomenon across the commonwealth. We want to bring this issue to life for the business community and deliver specific action steps that can be taken immediately to reverse this alarming trend. We know WOMEN MEAN BUSINESS. | | | | |
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