POLITICO Massachusetts Playbook: The $2.5 billion question

 

BY KELLY GARRITY AND LISA KASHINSKY Presented by SPOOKY INVOICE SEASON — The state is running out of money for its emergency shelter system. Lawmakers are running late in delivering a supplemental budget to close out the last fiscal year. And hanging over it all is the $2.5 billion that Massachusetts might have to pay back to the federal government over a jobless-benefits mixup. Yes, that’s still a thing. Five months after the state disclosed that the Baker administration erroneously paid $2.5 billion in pandemic-era unemployment benefits using federal rather than state funds, it’s still unclear whether — and how much — the state will have to pay back. A Labor Department spokesperson told Playbook the Biden administration is “actively engaged with Massachusetts on this issue” but declined to elaborate on where negotiations stand. The state said much the same: “Our goal remains focused on reaching a resolution that minimizes impact to the Commonwealth, especially Massachusetts employers,” a spokesperson for Gov. Maura Healey’s labor office said. Over in the Legislature, both chambers’ Ways and Means chairs insisted to Playbook that the ominously large (potential) bill isn’t holding up the close-out supplemental budget — even as lawmakers are delaying the state comptroller from filing a key financial report and keeping state employees from getting agreed-upon raises as talks over the budget bill drag on. There’s a chance the federal government decides to forgive the state's pricey unemployment mistake. But that’s unlikely, Michele Evermore, a former policy director at DOL’s Office of Unemployment Modernization, told Playbook. “If Massachusetts gets away with not spending their [unemployment insurance] dollars on their UI program, then other states are gonna say: ‘Hey, wait a minute, that's not fair,’” Evermore said. “You have to balance as little pain to the state as possible, but also something that won't cause consternation in terms of fairness.” And if and when the bill comes due, business groups continue to say it should be up to the state, not their members, to pay it. “If indeed the feds decide that the money has to be paid back, the state needs to come to grips with a way to pay for that other than just telling employers that they have to pay for it,” Retailers Association of Massachusetts President Jon Hurst told Playbook. GOOD TUESDAY MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS . As if a $2.5 billion bill isn’t spooky enough, happy Halloween! Think you have the best costume this year? Send us your pics for a chance to be featured in tomorrow's newsletter: kgarrity@politico.com and lkashinsky@politico.com . TODAY — Healey is on WBUR’s “Radio Boston” at 11 a.m. Senate President Karen Spilka tours Sanofi in Framingham at 10 a.m. Boston Mayor Michelle Wu attends a pep rally at New Mission High School at 1 p.m. Rep. Jim McGovern makes local stops in Worcester and hands out candy to trick-or-treaters at Hill-O-Ween at 5 p.m.   A message from Conservation Law Foundation: Conservation Law Foundation is separating fact from fiction when it comes to the role of bioenergy in cutting climate-damaging pollution and transforming our economy to one built on clean energy. The economic, environmental, and public health of our communities and businesses demand that we invest in energy efficiency and clean energy sources while moving with caution and care on bioenergy resources.   MIGRANT MOVES COUNTDOWN TO CAPACITY — Uncertainty abounds about what will happen to families who apply for the state’s emergency shelter program after it hits the Healey administration’s self-imposed 7,500-family limit, as the Legislature sits on the governor’s request for more financial aid and a Superior Court judge prepares to hear a legal challenge to the cap this afternoon. The contours of the state’s new triage system are taking shape, with officials saying that families will now go through medical and safety risk screenings to determine their priority level for shelter. The Boston Globe reports that families with infants under 9 months old and pregnant women in their third trimester will be among those prioritized for placement. But service providers and advocates still can’t say where families who are put on the waitlist — which takes effect when the shelter system, which was housing 7,332 families on Monday, reaches 7,500 — will go if the state can no longer offer them shelter on the spot. The Healey administration continues to press the federal government for help standing up an overflow site where families can stay until a shelter unit becomes available, but that has yet to come to fruition. State officials are also giving rental vouchers to some 1,200 families that have been in the system for more than 18 months to help free up space. “Everybody is committed to not having families on the street , no one wants that,” one service provider, who requested anonymity to speak freely, told Playbook. But “everybody’s truly scrambling right now.” As for that $250 million Gov. Maura Healey wants to prop up the shelter system? The House “continues to evaluate the need for additional funding,” Speaker Ron Mariano said in a statement. More than 100 organizations, including housing advocates and service providers for the homeless, wrote a letter to Mariano and Senate President Karen Spilka urging them to pump more money into the shelter program to buy state officials more time to “consider policy solutions to the surge in demand.”   GO INSIDE THE CAPITOL DOME: From the outset, POLITICO has been your eyes and ears on Capitol Hill, providing the most thorough Congress coverage — from political characters and emerging leaders to leadership squabbles and policy nuggets during committee markups and hearings. We're stepping up our game to ensure you’re fully informed on every key detail inside the Capitol Dome, all day, every day. Start your day with Playbook AM, refuel at midday with our Playbook PM halftime report and enrich your evening discussions with Huddle. Plus, stay updated with real-time buzz all day through our brand new Inside Congress Live feature. Learn more and subscribe here.     FROM THE HUB — “‘They’re throwing us out’: Boston begins clearing encampment at Mass. and Cass,” by Tori Bedford, GBH News: “Boston city workers began to clear tents Monday morning near the troubled intersection of Melnea Cass Boulevard and Massachusetts Avenue as part of an effort to enforce a new encampment ban across the city. Monday marked the beginning of a three-day clearing. Outreach workers, police officers and city employees are working to take down the more than 75 tents, place personal items in storage and move some 90 people in the area into shelters.” — “‘Slap in the face:’ Boston veterans still fuming at City Council over budget cut,” by Gayla Cawley, Boston Herald: “Two city councilors are trying to repair the damage caused by their colleagues’ vote to cut nearly $1 million from the veterans’ services budget, a move that was vetoed by the mayor but still has Boston veterans fuming months later. Council President Ed Flynn and Councilor-at-Large Erin Murphy filed a resolution ahead of the body’s Wednesday meeting, to commemorate Veterans Day. The measure 'honoring all those who served our country' is aimed at helping to mend a relationship that remains strained by last June’s budget vote." MEANWHILE IN MAINE LOOKING FOR ANSWERS IN LEWISTON — Maine officials are facing intensifying scrutiny as more details emerge about Robert Card , the man accused of killing 18 people and injuring 13 others in a shooting rampage last week. Gov. Janet Mills abruptly ended a press conference yesterday after reporters pressed her about reports that Maine officials had been alerted to Card's mental state months before the deadly shooting. A timeline released by the Sagadahoc County sheriff later revealed that Card’s family first went to police with concerns about his mental health in May. Meanwhile, friends and family of the victims are continuing to mourn the lives lost. And in Congress, Rep. Jake Auchincloss praised fellow New Englander Rep. Jared Golden, who reversed his stance on assault rifles in the wake of the tragedy.   A message from Conservation Law Foundation:     THE RACE FOR CITY HALL — “Mayoral candidate Peter Marchetti named in lawsuit by former colleague alleging 'hostile work environment' at Pittsfield Cooperative Bank,” by Meg Britton-Mehlisch, Berkshire Eagle: “A former Pittsfield Cooperative Bank executive has filed a federal lawsuit alleging that male executives at the bank, including Pittsfield mayoral candidate Peter Marchetti, created a 'hostile work environment' — among other claims. ... Marchetti said that while he 'disputes many of the allegations,' he’s been advised not to comment by the bank because 'it’s a pending legal matter.'” FROM THE OPINION PAGES — The Daily News of Newburyport says Amesbury Mayor Kassandra Gove deserves another term . She faces former City Councilor Richard Marggraf next Tuesday. FROM THE DELEGATION DATELINE, UKRAINE — Rep. Stephen Lynch met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Monday as Congress debates additional aid for the country that continues to battle Russia. Lynch joined Rep. Mike Quigley (D-Ill.) and Rep. French Hill (R-Ark.) on the bipartisan trip, during which the leaders discussed “frontline developments” and Ukraine’s “key defensive needs,” according to Zelenskyy’s post on X . — Mia McCarthy IT'S NOT EASY BEING GREEN — “Quebec-New England transmission line gets Biden backing,” by Bruce Mohl, CommonWealth Magazine: “The Biden administration on Monday pledged financial support for a two-way transmission line capable of carrying hydroelectricity from Quebec into New England and eventually offshore wind and solar power from New England to Quebec.”   PLAYBOOK IS GOING GLOBAL! We’re excited to introduce Global Playbook, POLITICO’s premier newsletter that brings you inside the most important conversations at the most influential events in the world. From the buzzy echoes emanating from the snowy peaks at the WEF in Davos to the discussions and personalities at Milken Global in Beverly Hills, to the heart of diplomacy at UNGA in New York City – author Suzanne Lynch brings it all to your fingertips. Experience the elite. Witness the influential. And never miss a global beat. BE PART OF THE CONVERSATION. SUBSCRIBE NOW .     THE LOCAL ANGLE — “Right-leaning groups opposed to diversity efforts find unlikely allies in Newton parents,” by Meg Woolhouse and Phillip Martin, GBH News: “A small but vocal group of parents are spreading the idea that declines in standardized test scores in Newton are the result of diversity, equity and inclusion, or DEI, programming in the schools. And they are drawing from the rhetoric of national far-right groups that have sprung up in the past few years to push an ‘anti-woke’ agenda that’s being highlighted in the Republican 2024 presidential campaigns now taking flight.” — “In court filing, police officer describes chaotic scene after Worcester State shootings,” by Craig S. Semon, Telegram & Gazette: “In a court filing, a police officer described a chaotic scene on the Worcester State University campus early Saturday morning, with a large crowd of 150 people screaming and yelling after a shooting that left a Southbridge teenager dead. A second person was also shot, but is expected to survive.” MEANWHILE IN NEW HAMPSHIRE WRITTEN IN INK — Key Democrats have launched a write-in campaign for Joe Biden after the president passed on putting his name on the state’s primary ballot amid a standoff over the party’s 2024 nominating calendar. The website . Meanwhile, Bill Shaheen, the husband of Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), appeared in Dover on Monday with Rep. Dean Phillips (D-Minn.), who launched a primary challenge to the president last week and is staking his campaign in no small part on the Granite State. Video via NHPR’s Josh Rogers . Biden’s attempt to demote New Hampshire in the primary lineup also isn’t stopping big-name Democrats from politicking in the state. The state Democratic Party said yesterday that House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) will headline the Eleanor Roosevelt dinner on Dec. 1. Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro and Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) have also headlined events for the state party amid the primary squabble. MEANWHILE IN RHODE ISLAND — “McKee fires City Council member from governor’s office over Israel comments,” by Ted Nesi, WPRI: “Gov. Dan McKee has fired one of his State House staffers following days of controversy over the ex-employee’s public statements about the Israel-Hamas war. … Like McKee, [Miguel] Sanchez is a Democrat, but unlike the governor, he is a member of the party’s progressive wing. He has accused Israel of committing ‘genocide’ against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip by its military actions since Hamas terrorists massacred Israelis on Oct. 7.”   A message from Conservation Law Foundation: Conservation Law Foundation is working to fight climate change and secure a livable and healthy future for all New Englanders. We know New England needs to end its reliance on fossil fuels, and that presents a pressing question: What role will bioenergy play in the region’s energy system as we move toward 2050? The fossil fuel industry is leaning hard on selling biofuels such as renewable natural gas as viable options to meet state mandates for cutting climate-damaging emissions. On the face of it, alternative fuels sound good. But what’s beneath the surface is more of the same climate-damaging fuels. We don’t have time or resources to waste on costly and ineffective solutions. Conservation Law Foundation is sorting fact from fiction. Bioenergy’s role in New England’s clean energy future is a limited and targeted one.   HEARD ‘ROUND THE BUBBLAH WEDDING BELLS — Faith Simon , executive coordinator at Dana-Farber, and Tim Cronin , a hospital clean-energy lobbyist, were married Oct. 13 on a covered bridge in Shirley. Assistant director of Norfolk County Bill Buckley officiated. Guests at the small ceremony included Weymouth Councilor Greg Shanahan , Marshfield School Committee Chair Sean Costello and State House aide Joe Russo . HAPPY BIRTHDAY — to Samantha Ormsby , POLITICO’s Michael Kruse, Alexandra Pigeon and Boston Globe columnist Yvonne Abraham . Happy belated to state Rep. Ryan Hamilton , who celebrated Monday. 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 .   Follow us on Twitter Lisa Kashinsky @lisakashinsky Kelly Garrity @KellyGarrity3   Subscribe to the POLITICO Playbook family Playbook  |  Playbook PM  |  California Playbook  |  Florida Playbook  |  Illinois Playbook  |  Massachusetts Playbook  |  New Jersey Playbook  |  New York Playbook  |  Ottawa Playbook  |  Brussels Playbook  |  London Playbook View all our politics and policy newsletters FOLLOW US

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POLITICO Massachusetts Playbook: Council controversies eclipse Boston races

 

BY LISA KASHINSKY AND KELLY GARRITY HEAR US OUT — Michael Flaherty's decision to end his reelection bid blew open the at-large race for Boston City Council. But you'd hardly know there was an eight-way contest taking place with the current councilors’ drama drowning out the competition. Ricardo Arroyo’s ethics fine, Kendra Lara’s car crash and the council’s ongoing infighting are looming over the five challengers vying for four citywide seats — one of whom is now guaranteed a spot on the governing body with Flaherty’s exit. And it doesn’t help that when this year’s council contests do get attention, it’s usually for the crowded race to replace outgoing Councilor Frank Baker in District 3. The council’s dysfunction drove some of these candidates into the race. “That's one of the reasons really why I’m running,” at-large candidate Henry Santana told Playbook. “I want to be able to be a candidate that brings pride back to the City Council.” But it’s also making it tougher for the non-incumbents to break through — and keep the conversation focused on issues like gun violence (a 12-year-old was killed in Mattapan yesterday ) and affordable housing in an increasingly unaffordable city. “The community will continue getting the short end of the stick if the councilors keep fighting each other or are only concerned with what they’re doing next politically,” at-large candidate Clifton Braithwaite told Playbook. “Veterans, education, elders, violence — there are so many things we can get together and fix. And I think we have an opportunity with new leadership.” On Thursday, the remaining incumbents and three of their challengers clashed not with each other but over policy in a forum hosted by the Boston Wards 4, 5 and 10 Democratic committees , establishing clear divides over their housing, transportation and education priorities. Councilor Erin Murphy and Bridget Nee-Walsh, a South Boston ironworker making her second council run, stood against the rest of the field that supports rent stabilization and legalizing safe injection sites. Nee-Walsh also gave a thumbs-down to approving more money for fare-free transit when the mayor’s free bus pilot program runs out of federal funding; Murphy questioned whether the city could afford it. As the challengers try to battle their way onto the council , Flaherty’s exit brings another upside: There’s no need for a preliminary election with only eight people left in the at-large field, meaning the candidates will have until November, rather than mid-September, to make their case. GOOD FRIDAY MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS. Are you running for Boston City Council? We want to hear from you: lkashinsky@politico.com and kgarrity@politico.com . TODAY — Gov. Maura Healey departs New Jersey for Michigan to meet with the Michigan Women’s Commission and “fellow governors” including Gretchen Whitmer. Acting Gov. Kim Driscoll participates in the Salem United Negro Election Day Parade & Celebration at noon in Salem. Sen. Elizabeth Warren is on WBUR’s “Radio Boston” at 11 a.m. THIS WEEKEND — House Speaker Ron Mariano is on WBZ’s “Keller @ Large” at 8:30 a.m. Sunday. UMass President Marty Meehan is on WCVB’s “On the Record” at 11 a.m. Sunday.   SUBSCRIBE TO POWER SWITCH: The energy landscape is profoundly transforming. Power Switch is a daily newsletter that unlocks the most important stories driving the energy sector and the political forces shaping critical decisions about your energy future, from production to storage, distribution to consumption. Don’t miss out on Power Switch, your guide to the politics of energy transformation in America and around the world. SUBSCRIBE TODAY .     DATELINE BEACON HILL House Ways and Means Chair Aaron Michlewitz and House Speaker Ron Mariano outside the Massachusetts House chamber on July 13, 2023. | Lisa Kashinsky/POLITICO — WELL THIS JUST GOT INTERESTING: Gov. Maura Healey may get more funding for the Housing Development Incentive Program after all. Healey pitched raising the $10-million-per-year cap for the market-rate housing program to $50 million in the first year and $30 million thereafter as part of her tax-relief plan. The Senate included the increase in its tax package — and even upped the Year One bump to $57 million. The House hadn’t touched HDIP — until now. The big amendment representatives added to the nearly $700 million supplemental budget they passed yesterday : expanding HDIP to $57 million in the first year and $30 million thereafter. (As a reminder, both the House and Senate wanted to increase HDIP funding as part of the economic development bill that fell apart at the end of last session.) By popping HDIP out of tax-relief negotiations, House Speaker Ron Mariano told reporters that his chamber is attempting to "jump-start" the larger debate around how best to tackle the state's housing shortage. But he cautioned against “reading into” the move as a sign that a tax deal is far off. And yet, the chamber’s chief budget negotiator, House Ways and Means Chair Aaron Michlewitz , wouldn’t commit to a timeline for delivering either a budget or a tax agreement. “It could be tomorrow, it could be next week,” he said. Now it’s up to the Senate to choose how to proceed on HDIP. Senate President Karen Spilka ’s office said she's "pleased the House has agreed this is an important problem" and that senators "will need to review the House proposal before deciding on a course of action." The House is also upping its pressure on the Senate to get moving on gun legislation as the chambers clash over which committee will steer the sweeping firearms bill state Rep. Michael Day filed late last month. Mariano wants his chamber to pass the gun regulations before the traditional August recess — an incredibly tight timeline for a typically lethargic Legislature. Mariano’s office has now scheduled a pair of closed-door meetings for representatives next week to help “clarify misconceptions” about the bill, State House News Service’s Chris Lisinski and Alison Kuznitz report. — GIVING IT ANOTHER GO: Advocacy efforts are picking up again around legislation that would criminalize so-called revenge porn, after former Gov. Charlie Baker ’s attempts to do so failed to make it over the finish line during his tenure, Boston 25’s Kerry Kavanaugh and Marina Villeneuve report . — “Rally at Mass. Statehouse calls for action on child care costs,” by Kinga Borondy, Telegram & Gazette. — "Lt. Gov. Driscoll went knocking on doors in Worcester to underscore MassHealth changes," by Tréa Lavery, MassLive. FROM THE HUB — “Despite her revoked license, City Councilor Kendra Lara ‘regularly’ drove to City Hall,” by Emma Platoff, Boston Globe: “City Councilor Kendra Lara ‘regularly’ drove to work at Boston City Hall, a city spokesperson said Thursday, even though she has not had a valid driver’s license for a decade. City officials, who reviewed video footage in response to a public records request from the Globe, said Lara routinely drove to and parked in City Hall’s executive garage, including just days before she swerved into a Jamaica Plain home late last month, in an accident that has raised glaring questions about her driving history.” — “Residency challenge filed against embattled Boston city councilor Kendra Lara,” by Gayla Cawley, Boston Herald: “The challenge could trigger a review from the Boston Election Commission. Lara is seeking a second term and faces two challengers in the Sept. 12 preliminary election. Lara denied the allegation, telling the Herald that she lives in the district she represents, at the address listed on her campaign filing.” — “Vice President Kamala Harris to offer keynote speech at NAACP Convention in Boston,” by Chris Van Buskirk, Boston Herald. THE RACE FOR CITY HALL — “Zondervan won’t run for a fourth council term, ensuring at least three new Cambridge leaders,” by Marc Levy, Cambridge Day: “[T]here will be a guaranteed three new faces on the council come January, the most since 2017. … Vice mayor Alanna Mallon and councillor Dennis Carlone have also decided not to run again; fellow councillors Patty Nolan and E. Denise Simmons haven’t made their intentions clear.” — “Former councilor joins race for Amesbury mayor,” by Matt Petry, Newburyport Daily News: “Former City Councilor Richard Marggraf and Joshua Sorgini both pulled nomination papers for the position of mayor this week, joining incumbent Mayor Kassandra Gove, John Proctor and Ted Semesnyei.”   UNLEASH THE FUTURE OF HEALTHCARE WITH POLITICO, A 7/20 INTERACTIVE EVENT: Imagine a future where rare genetic diseases are not only treatable, but potentially curable. Where our approach to chronic illness takes a monumental leap forward. That future is already taking shape in the form of next-generation health care treatments such as gene therapy. Join POLITICO on Thursday , July 20 and delve into the burgeoning field of gene therapies, which hold the power to redefine our health care landscape. Are you ready to explore this new frontier in health care? Don't miss this chance to be part of the conversation. REGISTER NOW .     PLANES, TRAINS AND AUTOMOBILES — “MBTA adds commercial driver’s permit program to bus operator training amid shortage,” by Chris Van Buskirk, Boston Herald: “A bus driver shortage at the MBTA led the agency to incorporate a commercial driver’s license permit program into new hire onboarding, a move the authority’s top hiring official said helped boost recruitment efforts and bring in more candidates.” — “Another bad day for riders on the MBTA, as train fire erupts and water pipe breaks,” by John R. Element, Laura Crimaldi, Taylor Dolven and Daniel Kool, Boston Globe. FROM THE DELEGATION — PRESSLEY PUSHES TO END EXECUTIONS: Rep. Ayanna Pressley has refiled her bill to end the use of the federal death penalty and re-sentence those on death row, POLITICO first reported . She secured a significant, though temporary, win on the matter when Attorney General Merrick Garland imposed a moratorium on federal executions in 2021. Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey and Rep. Jim McGovern are among the bill's co-sponsors. — “Calls for help pour into '988' suicide hotline,” by Christian M. Wade, Eagle-Tribune: “U.S. Rep. Seth Moulton, a Salem Democrat and co-sponsor of the bipartisan bill that established the hotline, said the easy-to-remember three-digit number is a breakthrough in helping people in crisis who may otherwise try to harm themselves.” DATELINE D.C. — “US climate envoy John Kerry spars in heated exchanges with House Republicans ahead of Beijing trip,” by Ellen Knickmeyer, Associated Press: “U.S. climate envoy John Kerry defended his negotiations with China — and angrily rebuffed what he called a ‘stupid’ lie that he routinely travels by private jet — during a grilling by House Republicans on Thursday before he sets out on his next climate mission to Beijing.” MARIJUANA IN MASSACHUSETTS — “The Boston Weed Party? MariMed stages cannabis tax protest,” by Cassie McGrath, Boston Business Journal: “MariMed executives threw boxes labeled ‘weed’ into Boston Harbor to protest a federal tax code they say places unfair burdens on the cannabis industry.” THE LOCAL ANGLE — “Forced to resign: West Bridgewater selectman accused of lying about where he lives,” by Ryan Kath, NBC10 Boston: “NBC10 Investigators started looking into the chair of the West Bridgewater Select Board, and whether he actually lives in the community. When NBC10 questioned Anthony Kinahan about his residency, he submitted his resignation on Wednesday.” MEANWHILE IN NEW HAMPSHIRE — ‘WE WILL NOT CEDE NEW HAMPSHIRE’: Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ presidential campaign is doubling down on his commitment to campaigning in the Granite State after early stumbles . DeSantis faces a tougher sell for his culture-war conservatism in New Hampshire than in the other early nominating states. But the governor’s campaign said it “will not cede New Hampshire” in a memo obtained by NBC News and it “will not dedicate resources to Super Tuesday that slow our momentum in New Hampshire.” The memo also said DeSantis is “thriving” in town hall settings, after he was initially criticized for not doing the Q&A-style events in New Hampshire. — “Primary Payback: Some New Hampshire Democrats Hope ‘Wacko’ Kennedy Embarrasses Biden,” by Stephanie Murray and Nicole Gaudiano, The Messenger. HEARD ‘ROUND THE BUBBLAH HAPPY BIRTHDAY — to Rick Jakious of Rep. Seth Moulton’s office, former state Attorney General Martha Coakley , former Rep. Patrick Kennedy, Erin Olivieri of state Sen. Barry Finegold’s office, Zach Crowley of Sen. Jason Lewis’ office, Laurily Epstein, Nate Bermel and David Emil Reich . HAPPY BIRTHWEEKEND — to Ariel Zirulnick, David Lippman (h/t son Daniel), Jon Hurst, Stefanie Coxe and Allison Godburn who celebrate Saturday; and to Sunday birthday-ers Maddie Conway and Daily Hampshire Gazette alum Sarah Crosby . NEW HORSE RACE ALERT:  BALLOTS FIRED!!! — State House News Service’s Chris Lisinski joins hosts Jennifer Smith and Lisa Kashinsky  to break down some potential ballot questions for 2024, including legalizing psychedelics. Plus, Maura Healey wades into the gubernatorial troll wars. 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 .   Follow us on Twitter Lisa Kashinsky @lisakashinsky   Subscribe to the POLITICO Playbook family Playbook  |  Playbook PM  |  California Playbook  |  Florida Playbook  |  Illinois Playbook  |  Massachusetts Playbook  |  New Jersey Playbook  |  New York Playbook  |  Ottawa Playbook  |  Brussels Playbook  |  London Playbook View all our politics and policy newsletters FOLLOW US

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