Monday, October 21, 2024

POLITICO Massachusetts Playbook: Here, there, everywhere

GET OUT OF TOWN — With just 16 days until Election Day, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz spent his Sunday evening in the not-so-battleground Bay State to help pad the Harris campaign’s coffers in the final push to Nov. 5.

But the stop in Boston was about more than just collecting checks, the Democratic VP nominee insisted to the donors who shelled out thousands to see him speak at the Wang Theatre yesterday.

“We know you're going to elect Democrats. We don't stop in here to treat you like an ATM. What we understand is that the folks here can help,” Walz told the room of around 100 who gathered on the spacious stage.

For Democratic electeds in Massachusetts, that’s meant more than just money. Statewide officials, local legislators and members of the Massachusetts congressional delegation criss-crossed the country in recent days to lend a hand in competitive races up and down the ballot.

And yesterday, Gov. Maura Healey encouraged the room of Democratic donors to hit the trail, too.

“Those of you who are able: Get out of Massachusetts,” Healey could be overheard saying from where reporters waited outside the theater. The governor was just back from a “Blue Wall” bus tour in Michigan with fellow Democratic governors Gretchen Whitmer, Josh Shapiro, Tony Evers, Kathy Hochul and Wes Moore.

.A sign of the running around Democrats here are doing: Healey crossed paths with Sen. Elizabeth Warren in the Detroit airport late last week as Warren headed to Michigan to campaign for Harris and Healey headed back home. Healey was boarding the same plane Warren had just departed, according to Warren’s campaign.

Warren is back in Wisconsin to campaign today – her 10th swing state stop, her campaign said. Warren and other congressional Democrats have their own elections back home, too. But with big leads in the polls (or in most cases, no opponent at all), they’re racking up the frequent flier miles — plus the good will and connections — where it could make a difference.

GOOD MONDAY MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS. Walz isn’t the only one making last-minute money moves here. Former Manchester Mayor Joyce Craig is in Western Mass. today for a fundraiser Healey is set to headline, according to the invitation. State Sen. Jo Comerford and Easthampton Mayor Nicole LaChapelle are also on the host committee.

TODAY — Gov. Maura Healey and Boston Mayor Michelle Wu speak at the Bill Russell Bridge renaming celebration at 9:15 a.m. in Boston. Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll is in Toronto for the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce’s City to City Discovery Trip. Rep. Stephen Lynch and local officials celebrate federal funding for a new fire station in Quincy at 10 a.m. in Quincy.

Have a tip, story, suggestion, birthday, anniversary, new job, or any other nugget for the Playbook? Drop me a line: kgarrity@politico.com.

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FROM THE HUB

DEAL OR NO DEAL — As the back and forth over Boston’s efforts to shift its property tax burden wages on, Democrats set aside their differences for a moment yesterday to greet their party’s vice presidential nominee on the tarmac.

Boston electeds, including Mayor Michelle Wu, state Sens. Lydia Edwards and Sal DiDomenico and state Reps. Aaron Michlewitz and Brandy Fluker Oakley, as well Senate President Karen Spilka and state Treasurer Deb Goldberg, gathered at Logan to await Walz’s arrival Sunday evening.

While the public frostiness that bubbled up between them hasn't reemerged, spokespeople for Spilka and Wu wouldn't say whether the two got a chance to talk during the (albeit somewhat short and frenetic) minutes spent waiting for Walz’s arrival (and Goldberg was conveniently lined up between them in the receiving line and as they stood waiting for the campaign plane to touch down.)

Wu’s property tax shift home rule petition seemed to move closer to the finish line over the weekend. City Hall began circulating a draft of a new home rule petition, first reported by CommonWealth Beacon, Friday afternoon. The proposal calls for a 182 percent commercial property tax rate — down from the city’s previous proposal and just 0.5 percent off from the 181.5 shift business groups pitched in a letter to state legislative leaders. And the city would not have to reduce spending or tap into its reserves.

“We are glad to see these groups express support for stabilizing taxes and protecting the residents they rely on as their workforce, customer base, and community. We continue to engage with legislators about next steps to ensure the right balance for stability over the next three years,” Wu said in a statement.

But it’s still far from a done deal.

“It is the Senate President’s understanding that a compromise has been offered by Boston’s business leaders and economic experts,” a spokesperson for Spilka said in a statement. “She is encouraged by this and hopes productive conversations continue to reach consensus, as it will be difficult to get a final bill through the Senate without the full support of the business community.”

As of Saturday, it doesn’t seem like the business community is on board.

“The City needs to accept yes for an answer and stop negotiating,” Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce CEO Jim Rooney wrote in an email to members of Boston’s House delegation obtained by Playbook. “I would ask that you encourage the Mayor to take the deal and stop negotiating,” he said in the email, sent Saturday afternoon — a day after the city sent out its new draft proposal.

“It’s hard to understand why the City would put this deal at risk resulting in the need to implement a 28% increase in the January residential tax bills of your constituents by continuing to negotiate,” Rooney added in a follow up.

What does the 0.5 percent actually mean for Boston residents? Opting for 181.5 percent would mean $21 more on tax bills for residential property owners, according to the city.

EYES EMOJI — Spotted at the Harris Victory Fund fundraiser: New England Patriots Foundation President Josh Kraft.

RELATED — “Robert Kraft hasn’t talked to Donald Trump since January 6,” by Mike Florio, NBC.
excerpt:

Patriots owner Robert Kraft addressed his relationship with Trump during a recent episode of The Breakfast Club.

“Donald Trump became a social friend in the early ‘90s,” Kraft said, “when I was going to down to Florida. And then when my wife . . . died 13 years ago, he was one of four or five people who reached out to me and was really, really nice. The only donation I ever gave to him was he called me when he got elected, and I made a strong donation to his inauguration. I couldn’t believe it, it was like having someone who was a drunk fraternity brother become president of the United States.”

Things changed as Trump closed in on the conclusion of his term.

“I was very upset [with] what happened January 6,” Kraft said. “And I haven’t talked to him since then.”

— “Workers at two Boston hotels vote to back a new contract with Omni, ending strike,” by Spencer Buell, The Boston Globe: “Unionized workers at two Boston Omni hotels say they will be back to work bright and early Monday morning, following a unanimous vote Sunday to ratify a contract that will increase their wages, improve their benefits, provide better job protections and working conditions, and, they said, help them make ends meet in and around Boston.”

BALLOT BATTLES

— “‘Yes on 3’ advocates rally in Roxbury, pushing to unionize ride-hailing drivers,” by Dan Glaun, The Boston Globe.

TRAINS, PLANES AND AUTOMOBILES

— “MBTA employees placed on administrative leave; T officials won’t say why,” by Ava Berger, The Boston Globe: “The MBTA said Saturday that the transit agency had placed employees at a T facility on administrative leave pending an investigation but did not disclose any details of the probe. The MBTA declined to comment on when the employees were placed on leave, the number of employees affected, or the facility where they worked.”

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YAHD SIGNS AND BUMPAH STICKAHS

MONEY MATTERS — Ahead in the polls, Sen. Elizabeth Warren is still raking in cash. Warren will report raising $205,000 between Oct. 1 and Oct. 16, (the final reporting period before the general election), and still has a whopping $5.4 million in her war chest, according to her campaign.

— “10th Bristol candidates differ on wind power, housing,” by Colin Hogan, The New Bedford Light.

— “Cape and Islands District Senate candidates on housing, offshore wind and more,” by Ron Schloerb, Cape Cod Times.

— “Voter turnout in Springfield, Holyoke among lowest in Mass. These groups hope to change that,” by Greta Jochem and Namu Sampath, The Springfield Republican.

THE LOCAL ANGLE

— “Weichel $15M settlement hits town hard. Might legislation help in the future?,” by Hannah Morse, The Patriot Ledger: “Braintree will ask a state board to borrow millions of dollars to pay for the wrongful incarceration settlement of Fred Weichel. The town council Tuesday evening unanimously signed off on the request from Mayor Erin Joyce to seek a bond up to $11.9 million from the Municipal Finance Oversight Board. They will also ask to extend the borrowing period beyond the default of one year. As for asking Braintree's legislative delegation to help change a law to limit municipalities' liability in future erroneous conviction cases, the town council will hold off on any discussions for now.” PAYWALL

Braintree reaches $14.9 million settlement with Fred Weichel, who was wrongfully convicted in 1980

WCVB

— “Norton votes on MBTA zoning, budget requests at Monday's town meeting,” by Stephen Peterson, The Sun Chronicle.

— “Somerville must pay $28m to owners of seized property, court says,” by Spencer Buell, The Boston Globe: “Somerville will, in fact, need to pay $28 million to the prior owners of a Washington Street property it seized in 2019, according to a recent court decision, which affirmed an earlier ruling that the city drastically underpaid for the land when it took control of it against the owners’ wishes. The Wednesday decision from the Massachusetts Appeals Court came after a lower court found the four-acre parcel was worth $35.3 million, a sum substantially larger than the roughly $8.8 million the Somerville Redevelopment Authority paid for it.”

— “Developer proposes 500+ units after Westford goes big on MBTA zoning,” by Greg Ryan, Boston Business Journal: “ZOM Living is pursuing a plan to build 530 apartments on what is now an industrial site in Westford, the largest project under the MBTA Communities zoning law to date statewide. ... In so doing, Westford joined the ranks of communities like Lexington and Somerville that have embraced the mandate. Were all those homes to go up in Westford tomorrow, they’d increase the number of units by more than 50% over 2020 levels.”

— “Survey shows drop in youth drug, alcohol use in Franklin County, North Quabbin,” by Anthony Cammalleri, Greenfield Recorder: “Results from a 2024 survey show that middle and high school students in Franklin County and the North Quabbin region are smoking, vaping, and using drugs and alcohol significantly less in 2024 than they have for the last 10 years.”

HEARD ‘ROUND THE BUBBLAH

HAPPY BIRTHDAY — to Jessica Morris, chief of staff for Boston’s Environment, Energy, and Open Space Cabinet; Daniel Sheehan, Erik Bruun, Sam Hiersteiner, Brian Rosman, Megan Murray, Edith Gregson and Shaye J.D. Cohen. Happy belated to state Rep. Judith Garcia, who celebrated last Wednesday.

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