Middleboro Review 2: POLITICO Massachusetts Playbook: Charlie Baker's cameo

Friday, March 29, 2024

POLITICO Massachusetts Playbook: Charlie Baker's cameo

HE’S BACK — Charlie Baker still wears the bracelet bearing Sgt. Michael Chesna’s name. He still rests his head on his hand when he listens to other people speak. And he insists that calling him Charlie “is fine.”

Baker was back before local reporters on Thursday for one of the first times since the former governor took his lone walk out of the State House 14 months ago. And if the paper placard bearing his new title — NCAA president — wasn’t clue enough that his circumstances have changed, the towering, fern-ringed dais upon which he sat was a dead giveaway.

Everyone stumbled over what to call him. Reporters alternated between “president” and “governor” and “Charlie.” Attorney General Andrea Campbell, who had called the press conference to unveil a new coalition aimed at addressing the harms of youth sports betting, tried both honorifics: “I’m not calling you Charlie,” she said.

But Baker was classic Charlie. He backed up his calls to curb youth sports wagering and prohibit prop betting on college athletes with stats and anecdotes from personal conversations with athletes. He answered a question about the investigation into unusual gambling activity at Temple University by trotting out a well-worn line from his time as governor: “I'm not going to speak to the particulars or specifics of any investigation.” He even said “that's actually an old line from my former job.”

And he defended his role in legalizing sports betting in Massachusetts, even as he now tries through multiple avenues to rein in the industry he helped expand as governor. The sports betting legislation he filed “didn't include betting on college sports,” Baker said. The bill the Legislature sent back to him took “a nuanced approach to dealing with college sports, but did not permit prop betting ... so I think we did the right thing.”

Attorney General Andrea Campbell and NCAA President Charlie Baker announce a partnership to increase education surrounding sports gambling among youth. | Lisa Kashinsky/POLITICO

Baker is now leveraging his former role to prod current state lawmakers beyond Massachusetts to craft legislation to keep prop betting out of college sports. Once one of the nation’s most popular governors, Baker was warmly received when he held court with roughly 40 of his one-time peers at a National Governors Association meeting last month in Washington, D.C. More than half, he said, stuck around after the lunch to talk more specifically about what was happening with sports betting in their states. North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum spoke glowingly of Baker to reporters afterward.

“If you've sat in people's chairs — and they know you have — I think it changes the nature of the dialogue,” Baker said.

But as intriguing as Baker’s reemergence was, the biggest play of the day came from Campbell. Sitting alongside Baker, Massachusetts Gaming Commissioner Brad Hill and Marlene Warner of the Massachusetts Council on Gaming and Health, Campbell announced the creation of the Youth Sports Betting Safety Coalition — a new public-private partnership between the attorney general’s office, the gaming regulators, the NCAA and every major sports team in the Boston area — to develop a sports betting education, training and safety curriculum for people ages 12 to 20 (the minimum betting age in the state is 21).

“Our goal is to equip young people with information about the laws … and the public health harms associated with sports betting, as it increasingly permeates our sports culture,” Campbell said. “The need is significant and it is urgent.”

GOOD FRIDAY MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS . Dive deeper into Campbell’s new coalition with CommonWealth Beacon and WBUR .

TODAY — Gov. Maura Healey tours the Lynn Community Health Center at 10 a.m., speaks at a Black and Latino Legislative Caucus event at 11:30 a.m. and swears in Leo Fama as an associate District Court justice at 12:30 p.m. at the State House. Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll joins a fireside chat on public service leadership at 4 p.m. at UMass Amherst. Rep. Jim McGovern attends the groundbreaking for the Worcester Regional Food Hub at 11 a.m. at Union Station.

THIS WEEKEND — Healey is on WBZ’s “Keller @ Large” at 8:30 a.m. Sunday. Newburyport Mayor Sean Reardon is on WCVB’s “On the Record” at 11 a.m. Sunday.

Tips? Scoops? Email us: lkashinsky@politico.com and kgarrity@politico.

DATELINE BEACON HILL

— “Budget cuts on the table amid runaway migrant costs, Speaker says,” by Chris Van Buskirk, Boston Herald: “House Speaker Ron Mariano suggested Thursday that broad budget cuts could be on the table when lawmakers sit down next year to draft the fiscal year 2026 budget, painting a grim financial picture for Massachusetts fueled by the historically high cost of running state-run shelters. … ‘Every program that we fund is susceptible to being tapped to fund the shelter program. Not in this budget but in the next because there will be no help coming. There’s no help coming. The federal government can’t get its act together,’ he told reporters.”

— “Senate bill would keep money in pockets,” by Christian M. Wade, The Eagle-Tribune: “Massachusetts residents who owe outstanding debts would be able to shield more of their income from collection under a proposal designed to beef up the state's consumer protection laws. The so-called Debt Collection Fairness Act, which cleared the state Senate by a vote of 39-0 on Thursday, calls for increasing the amount of wages that are exempt from garnishment, reducing the statute of limitation for debt by a year, and cutting interest rates on court-ordered collections, among other changes.”

— “Mass. officials have limited authority over sale of Steward physician group,” by Deborah Becker, WBUR: “The state Attorney General's Office and the state Department of Health told WBUR they lack the ability to approve or veto any deal, adding to questions about whether funds from a sale would be directed to help the financially troubled Steward's Massachusetts hospitals.”

YAHD SIGNS AND BUMPAH STICKAHS

NEW REP RACE FORMING — State Rep. Erika Uyterhoeven is getting a challenger. Former State House staffer Kathleen Hornby is launching her campaign for the 27th Middlesex House seat held by Uyterhoeven since 2021 and based entirely in Somerville. Hornby served as chief of staff to state Rep. Marjorie Decker and the late Rep. Alice Wolf .

“Our district is facing a wide range of challenges that need to be met at the state level, including access to housing, childcare, fair wages and benefits, and substance use treatment. If elected, I plan to build on my record of effective, responsive work on Beacon Hill,” Hornby said in a statement shared first with Playbook.

Keep an eye on this clash between two leftist candidates in one of the state’s most liberal cities. Hornby describes herself as a “staunch” progressive Democrat and a “queer radical feminist who’s been working on progressive causes for decades.” Uyterhoeven is a democratic socialist.

Access New York bill updates and Congressional activity in areas that matter to you, and use our exclusive insights to see what’s on the Albany agenda. Learn more .

FROM THE HUB

— “Boston Mayor Wu rolls out ’emergency’ plan to increase commercial tax rates,” by Gayla Cawley, Boston Herald: “[Boston Mayor Michelle Wu’s] home rule petition, if approved by the City Council and state lawmakers, would provide a statewide option allowing municipalities to shift more of the tax burden from residents to businesses, exceeding the state cap of 175% up to 200% in the next fiscal year that begins July 1. The new tax rates would be based on property valuations from Jan. 1, 2024, assessments of which are not expected to be completed by the city until the fall with the impact first felt in tax bills that would go out in January 2025.”

— “Boston Mayor Michelle Wu a no-show to North End meeting on outdoor dining,” by Lance Reynolds, Boston Herald: “Hundreds of community members — restaurant owners, employees and residents — from the neighborhood packed Saint Joseph’s Hall, hoping Mayor Michelle Wu and other elected officials would turn out, but they did not.”

PLANES, TRAINS AND AUTOMOBILES

— “MBTA approves low-income fare program,” by Bob Seay, GBH News: “The MBTA board on Thursday unanimously approved a low-income fare program, which is expected to roll out later this year. The board's vote came after years of study and public hearings, and was buoyed by $5 million from the state budget to get off the ground. T officials say it will take another two to six months to set up the program, which would include an online application form.”

— “MBTA hits ‘reset’ on deal with subway car manufacturer,” by Bruce Mohl, CommonWealth Beacon: “After more than a year of review and negotiations, the MBTA and the Chinese company building new Red and Orange line cars for the transit authority have revised their contract in a bid to get all of the vehicles delivered by the end of 2027, four years later than the original deadline. The MBTA board voted on Thursday to waive $90.6 million in penalties and possibly nearly $40 million more if the cars are delivered on the new timetable. The T also agreed to pay CRRC, the world’s largest rail car manufacturer, $148 million to cover unexpected cost increases brought about by the pandemic and hefty tariffs on the cars imposed by the US government.”

DAY IN COURT

— “Milton fires back on state lawsuit over MBTA housing law,” by Andrew Brinker, The Boston Globe: “The Town of Milton this week fired back against the state and Attorney General Andrea Campbell over their attempt to push the town to comply with a state zoning law through the courts. Town officials had already made clear they were not simply going to give in when Campbell sued Milton last month for being out of compliance with the state’s MBTA Communities law after voters there overturned a zoning plan in February. And they dug their heels in even deeper on Wednesday, filing a response to Campbell’s lawsuit that challenges the validity of the controversial housing law itself and the attorney general’s ability to enforce it.”

IT'S NOT EASY BEING GREEN

— “Massachusetts toughens rules on air pollution sources in communities of color,” by Erin Douglas, The Boston Globe.

FROM THE 413

— “Three finalists announced in Amherst superintendent search,” by Juliet Schulman-Hall, MassLive.

— “Call for Gaza cease-fire advances in Easthampton, council to take up measure April 3,” by James Pentland, Daily Hampshire Gazette: “Urged by dozens of residents for a second time this month to 'step up' and move a Gaza cease-fire resolution on to the full City Council for a vote, the council’s Rules Committee voted unanimously Wednesday to do just that.”

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THE LOCAL ANGLE

— “Coyote that found its way to Beacon Hill is captured and released,” by Ava Berger and Emily Sweeney, The Boston Globe.

— “Attleboro school board pushes lawmakers for more state funding,” by George W. Rhodes, The Sun Chronicle.

MEANWHILE IN NEW HAMPSHIRE

GRANITE STATE OF PLAY — A day after Rep. Annie Kuster said she wasn’t running for reelection, her 2010 campaign manager jumped in the race. Colin Van Ostern , a former executive councilor, 2016 Democratic gubernatorial nominee and businessman, launched his campaign pledging to protect reproductive rights and cut household costs.

While Kuster kept NH-02 blue for a decade, Van Ostern told Playbook “this is a swing district.” He declined to be ideologically pigeonholed, saying “there are probably some issues that I have more conservative or more liberal positions than any particular member of Congress or national politician.”

And he’d “love” Kuster’s endorsement. Van Ostern described his former boss as a “mentor” and friend and said the two have been texting this week.

HEARD ‘ROUND THE BUBBLAH

TRANSITIONS — Adam Roof will serve as interim executive director of the Massachusetts Democratic Party through the end of the year. He had served as chair of the Burlington Democratic Party in Vermont. Roof replaces Joe Sherlock , who is leaving MassDems to become political coordinator for the Massachusetts AFL-CIO.

— Laura Gerrard is now senior adviser for Deputy Treasury Secretary Wally Adeyemo (h/t our colleague Daniel Lippman). She most recently was deputy chief of staff for Sen. Elizabeth Warren.

— MassBioEd has added Erin Colgan, Monique S. Cooper, Marie Muniz, Kelly Pitt and Ligia Del Bianco to its board of directors.

— Conrad Crawford joins the Massachusetts Department of Fish & Game as the agency’s first environmental justice liaison.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY — to Semafor’s Peter Cherukuri, Harvard Kennedy School’s David King, Ned Gandevani and Sanjay Misra.

HAPPY BIRTHWEEKEND — to Anna Duffy, Dusty Christensen, Bill Ryan and Mark Daley, who celebrate Saturday; and to Sunday birthday-ers former Rep. Barney Frank, Rep. Stephen Lynch, former state Sen. Sonia Chang-Díaz, Mikko Zager, Maureen Williams and Ed Dombroski.

NEW HORSE RACE ALERT: VALLEY GOALS — Host Jennifer Smith talks economic development in the Pioneer Valley with MassINC's Ben Forman . Hosts Steve Koczela and Lisa Kashinsky dig into polling slants and MassGOP schisms, respectively. Subscribe and listen on iTunes and Sound Cloud .

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