POLITICO NIGHTLY: How NYC messed up its mayoral election

BY RYAN HEATH Presented by With help from Renuka Rayasam RANKED CHOICE VOTING: IT’S AUSTRALIAN FOR ELECTIONS — Ranked choice voting isn’t complicated — but you’d never know it from New York City’s mayoral race. When Nightly contacted each of the top candidates, not one of them had a plan for telling their voters how to rank the rest of the candidates on their ballots. Sure, Andrew Yang has been saying for months that he would rank Kathryn Garcia second, and he urged his supporters to do so at a weekend rally — but he failed to even update his website with the instruction. A list of ranked-choice recommendations is not posted on any candidate’s site, or printed on their mailers. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez gave a more detailed RCV guide for downballot races than any of the mayoral candidates did for their own race. That’s Election 101 stuff in Australia, my home country and the global capital of ranked choice voting , where the system is used in all elections from college campuses to federal elections. In New York, where I live now, voting may be about to end at 9 p.m. ET, but the crapshoot among five leading candidates is only just starting. Ever since New Yorkers voted by a 74-26 margin to introduce ranked choice voting in 2019 — joining the state of Maine and cities including San Francisco and Minneapolis — the system has been under attack, including from Eric Adams, the leading candidate in today’s mayoral race . In a decision that may fuel suspicions, the city’s notorious election board won’t commit to timely publication of ongoing vote totals. But the real problem has been the failure of the candidates to adapt their campaign strategies to the new system. In a ranked choice system, self-interest dictates that a candidate should make deals with rivals and communicate those deals with voters. But admitting you need voters who think you’re only second-best is the antithesis of New York toughness. The lowest-ranked candidates could have formed a coalition to take on the big shots, while the more left-wing candidates such as Maya Wiley, Scott Stringer and Dianne Morales could have worked together to blunt the moderates at the top of opinion polls. Instead it was moderate Kathryn Garcia who did most to explore preference deals, and even that was half-hearted. She failed to return the favor when Yang recommended her as his second choice. Australia’s experience with ranked choice voting shows that deals among candidates can affect the results. Australian candidates have won ranked choice elections with as little as 0.2 percent of first choice votes . Senator Ricky Muir won a Senate seat in 2013 after starting with 0.5 percent of the vote: He vacuumed up another half million or so votes from voters who ranked him second or lower, closing a 400,000 vote gap. (Muir is an exception, though. The main outcome the system has led to in the Australian Senate, where eight parties are represented, is diversity without gridlock.) More common are “Anyone But X” campaigns. In San Francisco, mayoral candidates Jane Kim and Mark Leno formed a tactical alliance against Mayor London Breed, getting within 2,500 votes of unseating her in 2018. In New York, Adams — a former Republican — is a vulnerable frontrunner sitting at the top of opinion polls with just 24 percent support. An “Anyone by Adams” campaign could have worked, but his rivals missed that tactical opportunity, leaving it up to individual anti-Adams voters to coordinate to defeat him. Polls alone should have told the leading candidates the usual tactics wouldn’t cut it. Five candidates have regularly polled in double digits — Adams, Andrew Yang, Kathryn Garcia, Maya Wiley and Scott Stringer — but none is polling above 25 percent. That means each of them needs to double or triple their vote totals to win by collecting second, third, fourth and fifth preference votes as their lower-ranked rivals are eliminated and their votes are redistributed. In the absence of coordinated rivals, Adams used his frontrunner status to slam ranked choice voting as a form of voter suppression: “Everyone knows that every layer you put in place in the process, you lose Black and brown voters and participation,” he told POLITICO. He railed Monday against Yang and Garcia for finally daring to campaign together. By Adams’ logic, the same people who voted for ranked choice voting are going to be disenfranchised by it. But voters say they’re happy with the system, and Adams is in pole position. In 96 percent of American ranked choice elections since 2004, the candidate with the most first-preference votes ended up winning. It’s not even New York’s first time at this rodeo: A version of ranked choice voting was in place from 1936 to 1947, allowing the first women and black candidates to be elected to the City Council. The local Democratic machine disliked the reduced control that ranked choice voting forced on them, and worked for years to abolish the system. As the leading candidate, Adams cannot coast to victory under ranked choice. Instead, he must listen to and appeal to voters well beyond his base. If he fails in that task, one of the lower ranked candidates will sweep up second preference votes and overtake him when the final results are tabulated sometime in the week of July 12. If Adams ends up winning, he may work to kill New York’s new voting system. His rivals would have only themselves to blame. Welcome to POLITICO Nightly. Reach out with news, tips and ideas for us at rheath@politico.com, or on Twitter at @politicoryan. A message from Amazon: “This is the first time in my life that I have dental insurance, visual insurance, [and] life insurance.” Comprehensive benefits give employees like Leonardo a sense of security. Amazon is committed to creating good jobs with a starting wage of at least $15 an hour and benefits for employees.   WHAT'D I MISS? — Senate Republicans block election reform bill: Senate Republicans blocked Democrats’ sweeping elections and ethics reform bill today , likely renewing calls from progressives to nix the legislative filibuster. In a 50-50 vote, the Senate failed to move forward on the legislation, a top priority for Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Pelosi. With the bill guaranteed to fail, the path forward is murky at best on an issue that Democrats say they need to resolve before the 2022 midterms. — Biden likely to miss July 4 vaccine target: The Biden administration is likely to miss its goal of providing at least one Covid-19 vaccine dose to 70 percent of adults by July 4, White House and federal health officials confirmed today. The setback comes after a weekslong drop in the nation’s vaccination rate and persistent difficulties in convincing younger Americans in particular to seek out the shot. Public health officials also are grappling with a spike in the more easily transmissible Delta variant of the coronavirus that now accounts for 20 percent of all cases and is expected to become the dominant strain in the U.S. — Top adviser to Dem megadonor privately blasts party’s prioritization of voting rights bill: The top political adviser to one of the Democratic Party’s biggest donors privately urged fellow Democrats last week to abandon the push around federal voting rights legislation in favor of legislative items with better chances of passage. Dmitri Mehlhorn, a key confidant to Democratic funder Reid Hoffman, the billionaire co-founder of LinkedIn, made the case to advisers to other Democratic megadonors that the attention being placed by activists and lawmakers on the For the People Act was setting the party up for failure, according to people involved in the discussions and emails obtained by POLITICO. — House Democrats urge Biden to extend eviction ban: A group of 44 House Democrats pressed Biden today to extend the CDC’s nationwide ban on evictions before it expires at the end of the month. The lawmakers — led by Reps. Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.), Jimmy Gomez (D-Calif.) and Cori Bush (D-Mo.) — said in a letter to Biden and CDC Director Rochelle Walensky that without further action “millions of renters will once again face the threat of eviction” next week.   DON'T MISS THE MILKEN INSTITUTE FUTURE OF HEALTH SUMMIT: POLITICO will feature a special edition of our Future Pulse newsletter at the 2021 Milken Institute Future of Health Summit. The newsletter takes readers inside one of the most influential gatherings of global health industry leaders and innovators who are turning lessons learned from the past year into a healthier, more resilient and more equitable future. Covid-19 threatened our health and well-being, while simultaneously leading to extraordinary coordination to improve pandemic preparedness, disease prevention, diversity in clinical trials, mental health resources, food access and more. SUBSCRIBE TODAY to receive exclusive coverage from June 22-24.     TALKING TO THE EXPERTS A view from the 64th floor as New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo speaks during a press conference at One World Trade Center on June 15, 2021 in New York City. | Getty Images THE CITY THAT NEVER COMMUTES — About one-fifth of New York City workers are going back to their offices, according to data from Kastle Systems , which has been monitoring building access activity across the country. But even as city Covid restrictions lift and major New York firms order workers back, many people remain hesitant to resume their daily commutes to Midtown. With office workers a key to New York City’s pandemic recovery, Nightly’s Renuka Rayasam asked a group of experts: What, if anything, should be done to get them to return to Manhattan? These answers have been edited. “Younger office workers don’t really want free tacos (although do keep those free tacos coming), they want respect and attention. We often say that the office is for surveillance. That’s of course true but also, for many Manhattan workers whose work takes place on computers, the office is a place where they are mostly ignored and also where they need to further isolate themselves, wrapping themselves up in office blankets and noise-canceling headphones to do work. They can stay home for that! Respecting workers’ in-office time with scheduled group attendance, meetings clustered in the course of a single day instead of over a week, public calendars across the hierarchy, at-will office hours with management and bosses and more transparency about larger group projects will bring people to work — at least a couple days a week. Less management chaos and secrecy makes the office more worth attending. Also, obviously, ban cars in Manhattan and make the buses and subways free to all.” — Choire Sicha , incoming editor-at-large, New York magazine “For starters, people could lean on Albany to fix the MTA. Those of us who don’t have cars have enjoyed not having unreliable overly long subway commutes for distances of less than 10 miles during the pandemic and were pretty happy to get two hours of our day back. New York City can’t have a world-class economy without a world-class, accessible public transportation system. It’s vital infrastructure.” — Elizabeth Spiers, founder of political consulting firm The Insurrection and former New York Observer editor in chief “People are going to return to the office. Just not as many. If 20 to 25 percent of people work remote, that’s a big hit to the economies of NY’s central business districts. But it’s not the office building, it’s not the elevators that are holding people; it’s the commute. The big factor here is people’s fear of trains in transit, and their general dislike of long commutes. We have a once in a lifetime opportunity to remake these 9 to 5 mainly work neighborhoods into much better complete communities where people live as well as work. Time to start is now.” — Richard Florida, professor at University of Toronto's School of Cities and Rotman School of Management, and distinguished fellow at NYU's Schack School of Real Estate “Nothing! Midtown Manhattan is one of the most expensive office markets in the world, so if there’s a structural fall in demand for office space those buildings will eventually fill up one way or another as companies who want in-person work suddenly find they don’t need to resort to Hoboken or White Plains to make it affordable. It’s every other city’s central business district that should worry.” — Matthew Yglesias, writer and editor, Slow Boring       “Workers will come back to Midtown Manhattan with or without any intervention by policymakers. If policymakers do decide to take active steps to help workers return then they will just benefit Midtown landlords leading to higher rents and building values. Physical proximity still has a lot to offer and almost no working location is more desirable than Midtown Manhattan. “Even if the pandemic led to a large realignment in how we work, the result would not be persistently empty buildings in Manhattan but lower rents and property values — with rents falling until they reach the point that they are sufficiently low to attract companies back from the suburbs they were previously fleeing to. If New York City takes steps to make it more attractive for employees to return to Midtown Manhattan that would mean that landlords would not need to lower rents as much to attract them back.” — Jason Furman, Harvard professor of practice of economic policy; chair of former President Barack Obama’s Council of Economic Advisers “The idea of luring people back to a particular place, particularly one so saturated, it’s just not clear to me that it needs to be at the top of anyone’s priorities.” — Betsey Stevenson, a labor economist at the University of Michigan and former member of President Barack Obama’s Council of Economic Advisers “The main thing I’m skeptical of is that WFH will stay indefinitely. A year ago I would’ve said, it’s definitely temporary, having talked to a bunch of American white-collar workers about it in a variety of professions. Right now I’m uncertain, due to long-term changes in behavior among workers, many of whom prefer WFH, but companies are trying to get the workers back to the office. Singapore was almost entirely back until it had another outbreak, and Frankfurt is mostly back. New York and San Francisco are taking longer because people there have a once-bitten-twice-shy attitude, the same way they keep masking even outdoors, even if vaccinated, but they’re slowly getting back.” — Alon Levy, NYU Marron Institute fellow “To bring employees back to the office in a more balanced way, policies should address several key areas. First, power of place. Employers must focus their return plans on the formal and informal activities that benefit from co-location. Sometimes those benefits will be external to the individual employee, with the gains from a mentor or team leader’s presence accruing to others. “Second, health and well-being. Examples of policies in this area include staggered start and end times and workdays, mitigating perceived risks from congestion in public transportation and supportive of child and elder care responsibilities. Technology-enhanced building investments, such as pooled waste testing, will also have a role. “Third, competitive places. New York City works because the tremendous value of locating here exceeds the very high costs. Private firms should engage actively with government to ensure the balance remains favorable, so we remain competitive in attracting innovative businesses and a talented workforce. The pressure on state and local public finance, and the prospect of higher taxes on our most mobile economic agents, threatens to undermine that competitiveness.” — Sam Chandan, Larry & Klara Silverstein chair and academic dean of the NYU SPS Schack Institute; founder and non-executive chair of Chandan Economics AROUND THE WORLD ALLIES VS. RANSOMWARE — The United States and European governments will coordinate in fighting against ransomware attacks , which have surged in number in recent years, the U.S.’ top security official said today. “We have now a new ransomware working group to address the scourge of ransomware that has hurt the U.S. so much, and so many other countries. We understand that the vulnerabilities of one, that we all share those vulnerabilities,” Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas said after meeting with European ministers for justice and home affairs in Lisbon, Portugal. “This is something we share, that increase of ransomware attacks during the pandemic, and that is an area where for sure we can do more together,” said Ylva Johansson, the EU’s home affairs commissioner. NIGHTLY NUMBER About 20 percent The percentage of the 20 million Covid-19 vaccine doses the Biden administration pledged to donate directly to other countries by the end of June that has been distributed, according to two U.S. officials with direct knowledge of the matter. The slow pace means the White House may not meet its original late-June target for those doses, the sources said. The shipments so far include 1 million doses sent to South Korea on June 4.   “THE WOMEN REOPENING AMERICA” – A THURSDAY CONVERSATION: With more than 100 million people vaccinated against Covid-19, a strengthening economy and relaxed Covid restrictions on businesses and public gatherings, America is on a path to fully reopening. What policies and systemic changes can help women recover from the disproportionate impact of the pandemic? Join Thursday for a “Women Rule” conversation with leading women who are playing a pivotal role in determining what normal will look like for business, politics, schools and the workplace. REGISTER HERE.     PARTING WORDS As much of liberal America anxiously awaits a series of Supreme Court rulings that could unwind the progressive legal achievements of recent decades, the conservative embrace of John Marshall Harlan, the progressive 19th-century justice best known as the sole member of the Supreme Court to stand up for Black rights and economic protections, is a reason for reconsideration. It’s a reminder that the Trump Court wasn’t really constructed by Trump, who expected (wrongly, it turned out) “his” justices to do his bidding after the election. Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett aren’t the judicial equivalents of Jeannine Pirro and Michael Cohen. — PETER CANELLOS, IN "WHY THE ‘TRUMP COURT’ WON’T BE LIKE TRUMP," COMING WEDNESDAY IN POLITICO MAGAZINE A message from Amazon: “Going from nine dollars an hour to now earning 15 an hour at Amazon, I can help my family... and save money for college… if I hadn’t taken this job, I don’t know where I would be right now. It was life-changing for me.” Amazon has seen the impact that $15 and benefits can make . Learn more about how it helps employees and their communities at aboutamazon.com/15.   Did someone forward this email to you? Sign up here.   Follow us on Twitter Renuka Rayasam @renurayasam Chris Suellentrop @suellentrop Tyler Weyant @tweyant Myah Ward @myahward   FOLLOW US

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POLITICO Massachusetts Playbook: State House EXIT SIGNS — Pandemic policies EXTENDED — Growing calls for INDEPENDENT INVESTIGATION into Mikayla Miller’s death

BY LISA KASHINSKY Presented by Save Boston's Waterfront EXIT SIGNS — A growing number of lawmakers seem to be eyeing exits from the State House. Four-term state Rep. James Kelcourse added his name to the list yesterday, when the Republican pulled papers to run for mayor of Amesbury. “It’s a big decision and it’s something I’m really happy about,” Kelcourse told me. “As a state representative you can bring the money home, but as a mayor you can really have an impact in the local decisions that are made.” Two of his Democratic colleagues are already running for other offices — state Rep. Jon Santiago for mayor of Boston, and Acton state Rep. Tami Gouveia for lieutenant governor. State Rep. Claire Cronin (D-Easton), the House majority leader, has been rumored as a contender for U.S. ambassador to Ireland. The potential upheaval could be greater in the Senate. State Sen. Diana DiZoglio (D-Methuen) has already announced a bid for state auditor and state Sen. Marc Pacheco (D-Taunton) may be exploring a run as well. State Sen. Sonia Chang-Díaz (D-Boston) is considering a run for governor. State Sen. Adam Hinds (D-Pittsfield) recently told me he’s looking at lieutenant governor among possible options for statewide office. State Sen. Eric Lesser (D-Longmeadow) is also being floated for lieutenant governor or attorney general. State Sen Jamie Eldridge (D-Acton) told me he’d consider running for secretary of state if William Galvin chooses not to seek reelection. State Sen. Rebecca Rausch (D-Needham) is also a prospect for that race, though she’d only tell me “I am closely examining how and in which capacity I can do the very best for the greatest number of people.” That’s seven of the 40 state senators potentially eyeing moves just seven months after they were last elected, and four of the 160 state representatives. For context, there were 13 open legislative seats in Massachusetts in 2016, 19 in 2018 and 15 in 2020, according to Ballotpedia tallies. Not all of these possible moves may come to fruition. And there could be others who emerge or retire, especially with redistricting and burnout from a turbulent year that’s led politicians across various levels of government to rethink their options or call it quits. “It’s been a very tumultuous year and a half,” one legislator told me. “So it’s not surprising to see or suspect that people are carefully considering their options.” And as lawmakers leave, years and sometimes decades of institutional knowledge goes with them, as do jobs for their staffers, a cyclical cause for concern that could be amplified if departures ramp up. GOOD MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS. PROGRAMMING NOTE: Massachusetts Playbook will not publish on Friday, June 18. I’ll be back in your inbox on Monday, June 21. Have a tip, story, suggestion, birthday, anniversary, new job, or any other nugget for the Playbook? Get in touch: lkashinsky@politico.com. TODAY — Boston mayoral candidate state Rep. Jon Santiago holds a 10 a.m. press conference to call for a fully elected school committee and audit of the Boston Public Schools’ budget. Boston mayoral candidate City Councilor Michelle Wu joins tenants at Georgetown Homes to call for improved living conditions and eviction protections at 10:50 a.m. Rep. Ayanna Pressley and colleagues unveil the Counseling Not Criminalization in Schools Act in a virtual 1 p.m. press conference. Pressley delivers the keynote at the Arlington Democratic Town Committee’s final “Strengthening Our Democracy” forum, which runs from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. Acting Boston Mayor Kim Janey gives remarks at an IBEW Local 103 apprenticeship ceremony at 6 p.m. Acting Lawrence Mayor Kendrys Vasquez formally kicks off his campaign for a full term at 6 p.m. at El Pez Dorado. Gubernatorial candidate Ben Downing virtually joins the North Adams Democratic caucus at 6 p.m. and the Belmont Democratic Town Committee’s monthly meeting at 7 p.m. COMING UP — State Sen. Eric Lesser hosts Janine Fondon of Bay Path University and UnityFirst.com for a Lunchtime Livestream about Juneteenth at noon Friday. Todd McGhee formally launches his campaign for mayor of Attleboro at 2 p.m. Saturday.   A message from Save Boston's Waterfront: Boston deserves a waterfront shaped by its residents and that upholds the public right to access, enjoy, and engage with the water as protected by the Massachusetts Public Waterfront Act (Chapter 91). Stand up for an equitable, climate resilient, and accessible #DowntownWaterfrontForAll worthy of our world-class city: https://savebostonswaterfront.com/take-action/.     DON'T MISS THE MILKEN INSTITUTE FUTURE OF HEALTH SUMMIT: POLITICO will feature a special edition of our Future Pulse newsletter at the 2021 Milken Institute Future of Health Summit. The newsletter takes readers inside one of the most influential gatherings of global health industry leaders and innovators who are turning lessons learned from the past year into a healthier, more resilient and more equitable future. Covid-19 threatened our health and well-being, while simultaneously leading to extraordinary coordination to improve pandemic preparedness, disease prevention, diversity in clinical trials, mental health resources, food access and more. SUBSCRIBE TODAY to receive exclusive coverage from June 22-24.     THE LATEST NUMBERS – "Massachusetts again reports a record low for coronavirus hospitalizations," by Rick Sobey, Boston Herald: "The 115 patients is down nine patients from the previous record low of 124 patients on Tuesday. ... Bay State health officials on Wednesday also reported four more COVID deaths and 56 new virus cases." DATELINE BEACON HILL – “Baker signs bill extending pandemic-era policies, including to-go cocktails, expanded outdoor dining,” by Matt Stout, Boston Globe: “The 14-page law allows restaurants to sell to-go beer, wine, and cocktails through May 1, 2022, and requires they be sold at the same prices as those consumed on-site. It provides another boost for restaurants by extending the time towns and cities could allow for expanded outdoor dining at restaurants — which had been slated to end in mid-August — until April 1, 2022. It also allows town councils, state boards, and other bodies to continue to hold remote public meetings, which many have continued to do as millions of people have become vaccinated, until April 1, 2022. Town meetings can be held remotely until Dec. 15, 2021.” – “'We're Just Asking For Some Compassion': Tenants Urge State Intervention As Evictions Ban Expires,” by Tori Bedford, GBH News: “Despite protections put in place to prevent evictions during the pandemic, thousands of Massachusetts residents are already finding themselves forced out of their homes, with federal eviction moratorium set to expire at the end of June. … Since Massachusetts' own eviction moratorium expired last October, landlords have filed about 17,000 evictions and nearly 2,500 have been executed, according to housing court data." – “Gov. Charlie Baker, Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito announce $30M in small business aid at new White Lion Brewing in Springfield’s Tower Square,” by Jim Kinney, Springfield Republican: “Gov. Charlie Baker and Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito toured the new beermaking room at White Lion Brewing in Springfield’s Tower Square Wednesday before announcing $30 million in grant and loan programs aimed at small businesses as they recover from the coronavirus pandemic.” – “Survey shows up to 72% of Massachusetts residents support sports betting ahead of Thursday hearing,” by Amy Sokolow, Boston Herald: “A poll commissioned by Encore Boston Harbor and the Plainridge Park Casino Commission found that 61% of Massachusetts voters would support sports betting in the state. That number jumps to 72% if the funds were used to support K-12 education or other welfare programs.” – "Activists Refute Galvin Claim About Protecting Incumbents," by Matt Murphy, State House News Service (paywall): "With Secretary of State William Galvin pressing to thwart a legislative effort to alter the traditional redistricting process, voting rights advocates said Wednesday they disagree with the Democrat when he suggests the reform is intended to give House incumbents an easier path to reelection." – “Galvin: Juneteenth events celebrate the end of slavery while highlighting the racism that remains,” by Marie Szaniszlo, Boston Herald: “Secretary of State William Galvin on Wednesday opened the Commonwealth Museum’s celebration of the 156th anniversary of Juneteenth, the oldest nationally celebrated commemoration of the ending of slavery in the United States.” VAX-ACHUSETTS – “Massachusetts VaxMillions lottery explained: Am I eligible if I got vaccinated in March? What if I was vaccinated in Vermont? Who’s footing the bill?” by Benjamin Kail, MassLive.com: “The Massachusetts Lottery will conduct weekly drawings between July 26 and Aug. 27, with five $1 million payouts to fully vaccinated residents over 18 years old, as well as five $300,000 college scholarships to fully vaccinated children between 12 and 17. Exact draw dates and entry deadlines will be announced before July 1.” – “Nearly 4,000 fully vaccinated people in Massachusetts have tested positive for coronavirus,” by Rick Sobey, Boston Herald: “There have been 3,791 COVID cases out of more than 3.7 million fully vaccinated people as of June 12. That breaks down to 0.1% of vaccinated individuals testing positive for coronavirus in Massachusetts.” – “LGH needs $25M in COVID relief,” by Allison Corneau, Eagle-Tribune: “Lawrence General Hospital President and CEO Deborah Wilson issued a dire plea to city councilors Tuesday night, letting them know the hospital is on life support and risks closure of vital services if Gov. Charlie Baker does not supply $25 million in COVID relief aid.” FROM THE HUB – “Youth on Board staffer was repeatedly told to ‘tone down’ Boston students’ rhetoric, email records show,” by Alexi Cohan, Boston Herald: “A staff member with nonprofit organization Youth On Board, from which Boston Public Schools has recently cut ties, said he was repeatedly told by senior district staff to ‘tone down’ student voices, a concern BPS denies." – “Boston School Committee gives superintendent high marks on job review and elects Jeri Robinson as new chair following texting controversy,” by James Vaznis, Boston Globe: “The Boston School Committee Wednesday night gave Superintendent Brenda Cassellius high marks on her second annual job review, while members elected Jeri Robinson as their new chair following a texting scandal that prompted the former chair and another member to resign.” – “Boston opening up school committee applications,” by Sean Philip Cotter, Boston Herald: “Acting Mayor Kim Janey is opening up the applications for the two suddenly empty Boston School Committee seats — as she makes a rare acknowledgement of the limits of her power as acting mayor.” THE RACE FOR CITY HALL – “Another poll shows Janey, Wu in the lead,” by Gintautas Dumcius, Dorchester Reporter: "[The mid-May poll] found Acting Boston Mayor Kim Janey with 22 percent and City Councillor At-Large Michelle Wu with 21 percent. City Councillor Annissa [Essaibi] George received 10 percent, while District 4 Councillor Andrea Campbell picked up 6 percent. John Barros, Boston Mayor Marty Walsh’s former economic development chief, and South End state Rep. Jon Santiago, each picked up 5 percent.” – “Out of Town Cash Adds Fuel To Boston’s Mayoral Race,” by Saraya Wintersmith, GBH News: “More than half of the money raised by Boston mayoral candidates so far comes from outside of the city, according to a GBH News review of data from the state campaign and political finance office from September 2020 to June 14, 2021.” – Boston City Councilor At-Large Michael Flaherty has been endorsed by the Boston Teachers Union, Boston Firefighters Local 718, Teamsters Local 25, SEIU NAGE, North Atlantic States Regional Council of Carpenters, Boston Carmen’s Union Local 589, Boston Plasterers and Cement Masons Local 534, and Boston Ironworkers Local 7 in his reelection bid, per his campaign. – Somerville Ward 7 City Council candidate Judy Pineda Neufeld has been endorsed by state Rep. Christine Barber, per the campaign.       FEELING '22 – “Gubernatorial Candidate Danielle Allen Walks Back Biden-COVID Response Claim,” by Adam Reilly, GBH News: “In response to inquiries from GBH News, Democratic gubernatorial candidate Danielle Allen is clarifying the scope of her contribution to the Biden Administration’s COVID-19 response, after campaign press releases sent earlier this week incorrectly described her role.” PLANES, TRAINS AND AUTOMOBILES – “COVID’s impact on transportation ridership uneven,” by Bruce Mohl, CommonWealth Magazine: “On the MBTA, ridership remains way down on the bus, subway, and commuter rail systems, but some routes and lines have done better than others. … Overall, the number of Uber and Lyft trips was down 62 percent statewide in 2020 compared to 2019, but usage varied quite dramatically depending on the community.” – “Could the Boston area’s Uber nightmare be coming to an end?” by Nik DeCosta-Klipa, Boston.com: “The return of surge pricing might entice more drivers to return to the streets, but that alone won't alleviate the shortage of rides and sky-high prices.” DATELINE D.C. – “Ocasio-Cortez, Gillibrand and Moulton call for more high-speed rail funding in infrastructure package,” by Karl Evers-Hillstrom, The Hill: “The lawmakers launched a high-speed rail coalition that includes the International Brotherhood of Teamsters and the U.S. High Speed Rail Association. They say an electrically powered high-speed rail network would create millions of new jobs and drastically reduce the nation’s carbon footprint.” – “House approves bill to make Juneteenth a federal holiday,” by Nolan D. McCaskill and Sarah Ferris, POLITICO: “Both chambers of Congress have cleared legislation recognizing Juneteenth as a legal public holiday in time for Saturday’s celebration, capping a years-long campaign by many Black activists, including lawmakers, to do so. … Sponsored by [Sen. Ed Markey] and cosponsored by a bipartisan group of 60 senators, the legislation passed the Senate on Tuesday by unanimous consent.” BIDEN TIME – There’s always a Massachusetts connection: “Joe Biden gave Russian President Vladimir Putin a pair of custom, Massachusetts-made aviator sunglasses,” by Nik DeCosta-Klipa, Boston.com: “President Joe Biden gave Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin a pair of custom aviator sunglasses that hail from the outskirts of Boston. According to a White House official, Biden gifted Putin a pricey pair of custom Aviators made by the Randolph-based eyeglass manufacturer Randolph Engineering. The company was surprised but excited by the news, a Randolph employee told Boston.com over the phone Wednesday afternoon.” IT'S NOT EASY BEING GREEN – “Boston City Councilor Wants Big Buildings To Become Carbon Neutral,” by Simón Rios, WBUR: “A Boston City Councilor hopes to force the owners of the city's largest buildings to reach carbon neutrality over the next three decades, arguing the measure is needed to enable Massachusetts to reach its goals to reduce greenhouse gases." FROM THE 413 – “'Outpouring of love': Donors raise more than $330K to benefit children of Capitol Police Officer William 'Billy' Evans,” by Jimmy Nesbitt, Berkshire Eagle: “The money will be put into a trust in the name of Evans’ two children, Logan and Abigail, according to the GoFundMe campaign. ... Evans, 41, who grew up in North Adams and Clarksburg and graduated from Drury High School, was struck and killed by a man who rammed his vehicle into two officers at a barricade outside the U.S. Capitol in Washington on April 2.” THE LOCAL ANGLE – “Ayanna Pressley, other elected officials of color push for independent investigation into death of Mikayla Miller,” by Emma Platoff, Boston Globe: “Two months after a Black teenager was found dead in the woods near her Hopkinton home, Representative Ayanna Pressley and some of Massachusetts’s most prominent elected officials of color are pressing for a ‘thorough, transparent, and independent’ investigation into her death.” – “City Council backs full pension for Manny Familia's wife; pushes for flotation devices at lakes, ponds,” by Steven H. Foskett Jr., Worcester Telegram & Gazette: “...the City Council Tuesday passed the fiscal 2022 city budget and moved forward several measures related to the June 4 drowning of Officer Enmanuel ‘Manny’ Familia. … [including] supporting home rule legislation to add language to the state law governing pensions for surviving spouses of police officers.” – “Duxbury parents say officials downplayed misconduct claims against now-fired hockey coach,” by Elizabeth Koh, Boston Globe: “In firing longtime hockey coach John Blake this spring, Duxbury school officials acknowledged that administrators had received a series of complaints about the teacher, but said they never had enough evidence to take action. For several local parents, the claim rang hollow, and they are now pointing to a number of sexual misconduct accusations through the years that they say should’ve sparked more scrutiny by the school.” – “Organizers Say First Mass. Juneteenth Holiday Will Be Both Celebration And Recommitment,” by Lex Weaver and Taylor Blackley, The Scope: Boston: “This year, with a new state holiday, some Boston activists said the events will be both a celebration and a recommitment to the cause of social justice.” More on planned Juneteenth celebrations from NBC 10 Boston. THE LOCAL ELECTIONS ROUNDUP – “Kelcourse takes out papers to run for Amesbury mayor,” by Jim Sullivan, Newburyport Daily News: “State Rep. Jim Kelcourse took out nomination papers Wednesday morning to run for mayor of Amesbury. … Incumbent Mayor Kassandra Gove won her seat in her first electoral campaign in 2019. Gove has already taken out nominations papers to run for a second term and former Selectmen James Thieverge has also pulled papers.” – “Former Newton city councilor Amy Mah Sangiolo declares campaign for mayor,” by John Hilliard, Boston Globe: “Amy Mah Sangiolo, a longtime veteran of Newton government who served for 20 years as an alderwoman and city councilor, will challenge Mayor Ruthanne Fuller in the fall election..." CONGRATS – to state Rep. Andy Vargas on his appointments to the Council of State Governments Healthy States National Task Force and the National Conference of State Legislatures Early Childhood Fellows program. SPOTTED – Film crews were in the State House this week trailing state Rep. Maria Robinson for a Voice of America and Voyage Pictures series on Asian American and Pacific Islanders in public service. Pic. TRANSITIONS – Tufts Health Plan and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care’s combined organization will be known as Point32Health. Simmons University has named former U.S. ambassador to Burkina Faso Thomas Dougherty as the new Joan M. Warburg Chair of International Relations. HAPPY BIRTHDAY – to CBS News reporter Nicole Sganga, Aaron Saunders of Loophole Brewing Services and Maxwell Nunes. NEW PODCAST ALERT(S) – Mayors across America are calling it quits after an exhausting year navigating the front lines of an unprecedented confluence of crises. I talk to POLITICO’s Jeremy Siegel about it on today’s Dispatch. MASS REBOOT – What happens when you reboot a whole state? The team behind “The Horse Race” will explore the answer in its new summer podcast “Mass Reboot" that launches June 23. Steve Koczela, Jennifer Smith and longtime Horse Race producer Libby Gormley will share hosting duties for the 10-episode series. Each week, they’ll explore a new topic, from housing and government to sports and food. 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 Save Boston's Waterfront: Resiliency, accessibility, and equity should be the priorities for the Downtown Waterfront. With a shift in Mayoral leadership and a growing recognition that Boston’s waterfront must be both accessible and equitable, now is the time to rethink the vision for the Downtown Waterfront. Addressing climate change and sea level rise also offers the opportunity to remedy longstanding inequalities and advance environmental justice. Investments in climate resilience should be district-wide and maximize public accessibility and community benefits. The recent Superior Court ruling on the Downtown Waterfront Municipal Harbor Plan found fatal flaws in the process that authorized massive development at the expense of the public interest and offers a rare second chance to get it right along this special civic space that abuts Boston Harbor and The Greenway. Let’s not miss the mark: state regulators need to hear from you that we must advance a welcoming, vibrant, and resilient #DowntownWaterfrontForAll: https://savebostonswaterfront.com/take-action/.     TUNE IN TO DISPATCH+ ON APPLE PODCASTS : POLITICO Dispatch, our daily podcast that cuts through the news clutter and keeps you up to speed on the most important developments of the moment, is expanding. In collaboration with the new Apple Podcasts Subscription platform, Dispatch+ launches this week! This new podcast gives premium Dispatch+ subscribers exclusive bonus weekly reporting and analysis from POLITICO's newsroom. Don't miss out, subscribe and listen to Dispatch+ on Apple Podcasts.       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  |  Brussels Playbook  |  London Playbook View all our politics and policy newsletters FOLLOW US

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