| | |  | BY KELLY GARRITY AND LISA KASHINSKY | THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT RUNNING — Gen Z has entered the Massachusetts political chat. The youngest voting-eligible generation has been making its mark on the state’s politics for some time now, most notably helping to propel Sen. Ed Markey to another term after the Green New Deal author faced a tough primary challenge from then-Rep. Joe Kennedy III. But now, Gen Z-ers are off to the races themselves. In Woburn, 19-year-old Omar Mohuddin is looking to become the state’s youngest mayor ever. Trey Fuccillo, a 20-year-old Emerson College student, is running for a city council seat in Marlborough. And 19-year-old Angus Abercrombie launched a successful bid earlier this year to join Belmont Town Meeting, the community’s governing body. Their campaigns look just like any others — knocking on doors, posting fliers and talking to voters about the issues. But there are some small differences. All three have balanced campaigning with college classes. And none of them are old enough to grab a beer with you — yet. “There are always people who will say ‘Oh, you seem too young … why would you do this at such a young age?” Fuccillo told Playbook. “But really, what I want to be judged on is my qualifications,” which include interning at Marlborough City Hall throughout college and working on Maura Healey’s gubernatorial bid. Youth can be an asset on the campaign trail . “If I call up a ton of my friends, they have the availability, the energy and the time to come out,” Mohuddin told Playbook. It can also, the candidates say, bring a different perspective to debates on municipal issues — particularly education. When Belmont considers one of its biggest budget items — school funding — that’s “tens of millions of dollars” at stake, Abercrombie told Playbook. “And deciding how that gets spent without anyone who's been in a classroom within the last couple of years [having a say] is a dangerous way of governing.” As younger candidates emerge, younger voters could, too. Lawmakers are again mulling legislation that would give municipalities the power to decide whether to let 16 and 17 year olds to vote in local elections. In the meantime, cities and towns continue to petition the state to lower the voting age in their communities. Abercrombie hopes the polls will open to younger voters. “We're not the future anymore,” he said. “We are here and we're trying to fix things.” GOOD TUESDAY MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS. One thing that probably isn't helping candidates on the campaign trail: this weather whiplash . TODAY — Gov. Maura Healey and Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll attend the Boston Summer Nights kickoff with Mayor Michelle Wu at 10 a.m. and visit a swimming pool at 11 a.m. to thank lifeguards, both in Hyde Park. Healey and Driscoll visit the Hale Education summer camp at 12:30 p.m. in Westwood and attend Gloucester’s 400th anniversary celebration at 6:30 p.m. Wu speaks at Boston’s C40 Cities “transport summit” at 9 a.m. at the Boston Public Library, is on GBH’s “Boston Public Radio” at noon and hosts a press conference for cultural investment grants at 1:30 p.m. in Dorchester. Tips? Scoops? Are you a fellow Gen Z-er running for office? Email us: kgarrity@politico.com and lkashinsky@politico.com .
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| — MARK YOUR CALENDARS: The House scheduled a formal session on Thursday — its first in more than two months, per the State House News Service — stirring hopes that the state budget will emerge. But mum was the word from House Ways and Means Chair Aaron Michlewitz yesterday, when SHNS’ Sam Drysdale put the question to him at an event with the governor. "I’m here for the T-shirt,” Michlewitz said, brandishing the bright-orange RMV shirt in his hand. Meanwhile, the House and Senate continue to be at odds over gun-safety legislation filed by state Rep. Michael Day. The House wants the bill before the Judiciary Committee that Day co-chairs. The Senate on Monday voted to refer it to the joint Public Safety Committee instead. The House can either agree to the change or hold its ground and send the bill back to the Senate. More from SHNS . — Related: “New Mass. gun bill receives push back from gun owners group,” by Jason Law, Boston 25 News. — DEFENSE RECORD: Gov. Maura Healey is defending her office’s decision to withhold some records about the state's effort to stockpile the abortion pill mifepristone in response to a records request from SHNS . “We produced records," Healey told reporters yesterday. “There were certain records that we could not produce because they’re attorney-client privileged.” Healey’s office issues redacted versions of her calendar for each month upon request. But her team has claimed exemptions on several other inquiries that range from the governor’s call logs to the resumes for finalists for top state jobs, despite Healey saying she would not claim exemption from public records law as governor. — “During visit to Boston RMV, Healey touts success of law allowing licenses for undocumented immigrants,” by Samantha J. Gross, Boston Globe: “So far this month, Massachusetts has issued roughly 2,800 learner’s permits — more than double the permits issued in the same time span last year [though it’s unclear how many are for undocumented immigrants versus citizens].” Healey’s celebration of the new law’s implementation comes after Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said his state would stop recognizing driver’s licenses issued to undocumented immigrants by five other states. Massachusetts isn’t on the list yet, Gross reports. But Healey told reporters that licenses granted to undocumented people here are “Massachusetts driver’s licenses” and “should be honored by other states.” — "The state has long collected federal benefits meant for children in its care. Some lawmakers want to change that," by Elizabeth Koh and Samantha J. Gross, Boston Globe: "That money — meant for children with disabilities or those who’ve suffered the death of a parent — has totaled more than $15 million over the last three calendar years, according to state accounting documents reviewed by the Globe."
| | BALLOT BATTLES |
| — “Backers of legalizing psilocybin weigh referendum,” by Christian M. Wade, Eagle-Tribune: “A national drug policy group that helped legalize hallucinogenic psilocybin in Oregon and Colorado is now eyeing the Massachusetts ballot with a proposal that would ask voters to authorize the so-called ‘magic mushrooms’ for mental health therapies. The group Massachusetts for Mental Health Options, which is backed by the Washington, D.C.-based New Approach political action committee, has filed paperwork with state campaign regulators to raise money and support for a possible referendum.” — “Teachers union looks into ballot question nixing MCAS graduation requirement,” by Grace Zokovitch, Boston Herald: “‘We are exploring two questions — one eliminating the graduation requirement on MCAS and replacing it with a much better assessment system,’ MTA President Max Page told the Herald Sunday.”
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| — “Wu administration will offer tax breaks to turn office buildings into housing,” by Catherine Carlock, Boston Globe: “In a bid to revitalize a still-too-quiet downtown, and possibly create hundreds of new homes, the city of Boston plans to launch a short-term pilot program this fall to convert office buildings into housing, offering steep property tax breaks to developers who ‘immediately’ convert their ‘underutilized’ downtown offices to residential use.”
| | PLANES, TRAINS AND AUTOMOBILES |
| — “Healey, state transit officials warn traffic around Sumner Tunnel closure will worsen this week,” by Andrea Perdomo-Hernandez, WBUR. — “MBTA offering reading material on the Blue Line,” by Bruce Mohl, CommonWealth Magazine: “The MBTA is offering another enticement to drivers to get out of their cars during the Sumner Tunnel closure — free access to digital newspapers, magazines, audiobooks, and e-books at more than 50 subway, bus, ferry, and commuter rail locations.”
| | WARREN REPORT |
| — "Warren raises $1.2 million for reelection, while helping abortion rights groups in red states," by Samantha J. Gross, Boston Globe: "With no viable challenger yet at home and a national profile, [Elizabeth] Warren, who is running for a third Senate term, brought in about $1.2 million to her own coffers between April and June while also using her online fund-raising list to raise money for both abortion causes and several Democrats running in competitive Senate races."
| | MARIJUANA IN MASSACHUSETTS |
| — “‘Topless’ cannabis sales plan could go up in smoke,” by Jim Kinney, Springfield Republican: “The shuttered Club Castaway in Whately could reopen in August, its owners say. Getting the strip club back open is their focus now, partner Nicholas Spagnola says. [Meanwhile], a proposal to open what might have been the country’s first ‘topless’ cannabis retail outlet is ‘no longer a priority,’ Spagnola told The Republican and MassLive.”
| | FROM THE 413 |
| — “Labor Board backs unionized Hadley Trader Joe’s workers in discipline dispute,” by Jim Kinney, Springfield Republican: “Trader Joe’s may be forced to post signs in the break rooms at all 570 of its stores nationwide affirming an employee’s right to unionize, after federal officials upheld complaints from employees in Hadley.” — “Chicopee Mayor John Vieau announces reelection bid,” by Jeanette DeForge, Springfield Republican: “Vieau is being challenged by City Councilor Delmarina López, who turned in her nomination papers last week to be on November’s ballot.”
| | THE LOCAL ANGLE |
| — “‘Full-scale humanitarian crisis’: Chelsea receives a growing number of migrant families,” by Sarah Betancourt, GBH News: “Local officials from Chelsea say they were taken by surprise last week by a late-night drop-off of some 30 migrants, including children. Alex Train, director of Housing and Community Development for the city of Chelsea, said Monday that the group was dropped off about 10 p.m. on Wednesday after the state was overwhelmed by a number of migrants arriving that day to its newly opened Welcome Center in Allston.” — “‘Barely making it’ in New Bedford,” by Grace Ferguson, New Bedford Light: “Local nonprofit leaders say rising rents are putting extra pressure on New Bedford’s low-income tenants. Incomes in the city have not kept up with rent increases over the past few years, a New Bedford Light data analysis found.”
| | MEDIA MATTERS |
| — “In sweeping deal, national nonprofit to acquire most of Maine’s newspapers,” by Dana Gerber, Boston Globe.
| | HEARD ‘ROUND THE BUBBLAH |
| TRANSITIONS — Dave Christie is now chief of staff to Sen. Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.). — Alex Bok is now senior adviser at the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E). He was most recently chair of the Environmental League of Massachusetts Action Fund. HAPPY BIRTHDAY — to Sen. Ed Markey , WBUR alum Jack Lepiarz, Maximos Nikitas, Angus Abercrombie and Chris Maloney , partner at the Black Rock Group and a Mitt Romney alum. 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 . | |
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