POLITICO Massachusetts Playbook: How much will the House tighten the belt?

BY LISA KASHINSKY AND KELLY GARRITY Presented by  DOLLAR SIGNS — It may finally feel like spring, but we’re about to find out whether the state’s still in fiscal "winter." House Democratic leaders who’ve been preaching fiscal prudence for months amid slumping tax revenues will unveil their fiscal year 2025 budget proposal today — a spending plan that will serve as a gut check on the state of the state’s finances. Gov. Maura Healey kept things tight in her $58 billion budget plan, pairing $2 million in new spending with $450 million in cuts to various line items and roughly $500 million in pared-back spending in other areas. In the two-plus months since she filed her blueprint, the fiscal outlook has largely worsened. Even with revenues coming in above the benchmark in March for the first time in months, Healey still moved ahead with pausing executive-branch hiring through June. And it’s become even clearer that the state is alone in paying for its exceedingly costly emergency shelter system. House Democrats are still plowing ahead with a record investment in the MBTA. But there have been hints that the rest of the budget might not be so rosy. House Ways and Means Chair Aaron Michlewitz spoke at a budget hearing in early February of the need to keep funding key programs like universal free school meals and the Student Opportunity Act. But he also warned that his chamber would “proceed with caution” given the “challenge of declining revenue while facing stiff spending pressures.” And after that hearing, Michlewitz told Playbook that if revenues kept falling short of benchmarks, the House would consider putting forward a spending plan that’s lower than the one Healey put on the table. With that in mind, here are three things we’re watching for in the House’s take on the biggest spending plan of the year: THE BOTTOM LINE — Healey’s second budget calls for a 3.7 percent spending increase over her first (or 2.9 percent, if you take out the $1.3 billion in spending on education and transportation being paid for by “millionaires tax” revenues). Look to see if the House has a lower bottom line. SURTAX SPLIT — The House, through its transportation proposal, already appears to be diverging from how Healey wants to spend the $1.3 billion in surtax dollars. That’s no surprise — each of the budget plans put forward last year included different spending priorities for what was then a $1 billion pot. REACHING FOR REVENUE — Healey is proposing using one-time revenues and redirecting others to fund the budget — calling to drain accounts lawmakers set aside to fund K-12 and early education, redirect $100 million in casino gambling revenue and authorize online lottery sales for an estimated $75 million. She also wants to divert $375 million in excess capital gains tax revenue from flowing into the state’s “rainy-day” fund. It would be surprising if the House didn't follow Healey on the lottery piece after the lower chamber pushed unsuccessfully for it last year. But legislative leaders in both chambers have sounded skeptical about relying too much on one-time funds. GOOD WEDNESDAY MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS . We’ll have a budget breakdown Thursday. TODAY — Healey and Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll have no public events. Boston Mayor Michelle Wu holds her annual budget breakfast at 9 a.m. at City Hall Plaza and joins former Patriot Rob Gronkowski for a ribbon-cutting ceremony at New Mission High School at 11 a.m. Rep. Jake Auchincloss co-hosts a press conference on lowering the price of inhalers at 10 a.m. at the U.S. Capitol. Sen. Elizabeth Warren chairs a Senate banking subcommittee hearing at 2:30 p.m. Auditor Diana DiZoglio attends the Revere State of the City address at 6:30 p.m. Tips? Scoops? Budget breakdowns? Email us: lkashinsky@politico.com and kgarrity@politico.com .   A message from NextEra Energy: With a presence in 49 states, NextEra Energy is one of the nation’s largest capital investors in infrastructure, creating thousands of jobs and generating millions of dollars in new tax revenue for communities across the U.S. We generate more electricity from the wind and sun than anyone in the world as we work toward securing America’s energy independence and security with clean and emission-free low-cost energy.   WARREN REPORT CONFLICT ZONE — The U.S. secretary of defense disputed the idea that Israel’s actions in Gaza amount to genocide, days after Sen. Elizabeth Warren said the International Court of Justice has “ample evidence” to rule otherwise. “We don’t have any evidence of genocide being [committed]” by Israel in Gaza, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin told the Senate Armed Services Committee , on which Warren sits, during a budget hearing Tuesday. Warren pushed the Pentagon chief and the Defense Department to take further steps to protect civilians in the besieged region during the hearing . “There are serious concerns that Israel is not complying with international humanitarian law,” Warren said, urging officials to “push our closest allies” to apply high standards to prevent civilian harm — and “to cut off U.S. support if they refuse to do so.” It is clear that the FLASH IN THE PAN UNKNOWN Ian Cain, who couldn't decide what Party he belonged  to, is UINFORMED, ignores the actions of other nations, as well as the rulings in the International Court.  What should be of greater concern is that IAN CAIN is ignoring GENOCIDE! Now, likely GOP U.S. Senate candidate Ian Cain is trying to turn Warren’s stance on the conflict into a campaign cudgel. “It is clear Elizabeth Warren is more concerned with placating the far left anti-Israel base of her party than standing for Israel’s right to defend itself,” Cain wrote on X on Tuesday, calling Warren’s initial comments “concerning.” But new polling shows Massachusetts residents may be souring on Israel’s aggressive campaign in the region. Forty percent of the 1,002 people surveyed in a recent GBH News/CommonWealth Beacon/MassINC Polling Group survey said they opposed Israel’s military action, while 34 percent said they supported it and another 26 percent didn’t know or didn’t answer. And 47 percent said the U.S. should encourage Israel to end the war immediately. More on that from GBH News.  CASH DASH — Warren raised more than $1.1 million for her reelection bid in the first quarter of the year and has just over $4.4 million in cash on hand, her campaign said. She also continues to help raise money for colleagues in key races, President Joe Biden ’s reelection campaign and a Florida abortion-rights effort. TAX RETURNS! Warren is also calling on her opponents to release their tax returns as a “basic standard of transparency, which ought to be the law,” according to a statement provided by her campaign and first reported by The Boston Globe . Cain told The Globe he’d release his tax returns when he’s on the ballot. Ya mean IF you're on the ballot! Republican John Deaton ’s campaign told The Globe it would release his returns in the “near future.” Warren and her husband reported $893,534 in total income last year , a decrease from the $1.14 million they reported for 2022 . They paid $244,312 in taxes and donated $38,285 to charity.   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 .     DATELINE BEACON HILL — “Long-sought hearing to decide embattled cannabis commission chief’s fate delayed — again,” by Matt Stout, The Boston Globe: “The long-running saga surrounding Shannon O’Brien will apparently run even longer. Aides to state Treasurer Deborah Goldberg said Tuesday that she agreed to a request from O’Brien’s attorneys to postpone a two-day administrative hearing just hours before the two sides were slated to meet in the closed-door sessions.” — “New ‘Blue Envelope’ program aims to protect people with autism during police stops,” by Ryan Mancini, MassLive: "This voluntary program will offer people on the autism spectrum a specially designed blue envelope to carry their driver’s license in case of traffic stops, Massachusetts State Police said in a statement about the program’s launch on Tuesday." — “Programs that could help keep Massachusetts children out of foster care are struggling for money,” by Jason Laughlin, The Boston Globe. PAYING IT FORWARD — The Healey administration is repaying nearly $10 million in student loans for 221 direct-care staffers under the Department of Mental Health in the latest batch of awards under the MA Repay Program. FROM THE HUB TAX TALKS — Boston Mayor Michelle Wu ’s administration has started some “early conversations” with Beacon Hill lawmakers on her proposed tax hike on commercial real estate, she said on GBH’s “Boston Public Radio.” At least one, state Sen. Nick Collins , is already sounding notes of caution . — “Boston Mayor Michelle Wu fires back on North End restaurateurs over outdoor dining,” by Lance Reynolds, Boston Herald: “The city is looking to toss a lawsuit filed by North End restaurateurs, arguing the businesses have no basis for claiming the mayor has targeted their establishments by imposing heavy restrictions on outdoor dining due to anti-Italian bias.” — “Boston Mayor Wu working to formalize rat czar position, administration official says,” by Gayla Cawley, Boston Herald.   A message from NextEra Energy:     YAHD SIGNS AND BUMPAH STICKAHS — “Peabody’s Anne Manning-Martin announces campaign for Governor’s Council,” by ItemLive staff: “Peabody City Councilor-at-Large Anne Manning-Martin announced Tuesday she is running for the Governor’s Council 5th District to represent 36 cities and towns across the Commonwealth’s North Shore and Merrimack Valley. Councilor Manning-Martin is vying to replace outgoing Councilor Eileen Duff.” FROM THE 413 — “Smith College students end sit-in over divestment, but vow to expand their protest movement,” by James Pentland, Daily Hampshire Gazette: “The shift in focus brings an end to the longest sit-in in Smith College history, the group said. It began March 27 in response to the board of trustees’ rejection of the justice group’s petition for divestment from weapons manufacturers supplying arms for Israel’s assault on Gaza.” — “Smith College library workers unanimously vote to unionize,” by Juliet Schulman-Hall, MassLive. THE LOCAL ANGLE — “Violence 'really bad' after COVID, Brockton superintendent says. What he saw, what helped,” by Christopher Butler, The Brockton Enterprise: “Although the safety and security concerns that schools in Brockton are experiencing have existed since before the pandemic, Brockton Public Schools saw a huge increase in violence once it returned to in-person learning, said BPS Superintendent Mike Thomas.” — “Cape Cod Hospital has first day with zero positive COVID-19 tests since start of pandemic,” by Zane Razzaq, Cape Cod Times. — “Uxbridge school pauses MCAS testing after 11-year-old student suffers burns from district laptop,” by John Monahan and Maria Papadopoulos, Boston 25 News.   SUBSCRIBE TO GLOBAL PLAYBOOK: Don’t miss out on POLITICO’s Global Playbook, the newsletter taking you inside pivotal discussions at the most influential gatherings in the world, including WEF in Davos, Milken Global in Beverly Hills, to UNGA in NYC and many more. Suzanne Lynch delivers the world's elite and influential moments directly to you. Stay in the global loop. SUBSCRIBE NOW .     MEANWHILE IN NEW HAMPSHIRE ENDORSEMENT CORNER — Democratic Rep. Annie Kuster has endorsed Colin Van Ostern , her 2010 campaign manager and “good friend,” to succeed her in the U.S. House. The former New Hampshire executive councilor and businessman also has the backing of former Democratic Gov. John Lynch . MEDIA MATTERS IN MEMORIAM — “Larger than life Patriot Ledger reporter dies suddenly at 67. He worked there for 42 years,” by The Patriot Ledger staff: “Patriot Ledger reporter Fred Hanson died Monday, April 8, 2024, after collapsing outside of Braintree Town Hall. He was there to cover a school committee meeting. Hanson, 67, worked for The Patriot Ledger for nearly 43 years.”   A message from NextEra Energy: Leading America with safe, reliable and affordable clean energy The need for reliable, low-cost clean energy in America has never been greater – and NextEra Energy is ready to deliver it. Millions of Americans depend on us to power their lives in good weather and bad. By investing in resilient, storm-tested infrastructure and harnessing innovative technology, we’re keeping reliability high and bills low. We are also working toward securing America’s energy independence and security with clean and emission-free low-cost energy. We’ve virtually eliminated foreign oil from our power plants and, today, generate more electricity from the wind and sun than anyone in the world – while continuing lead in battery storage technology.   HEARD ‘ROUND THE BUBBLAH HELLO, FELLOWS — MassINC’s inaugural group of Greg Torres Senior Fellows includes retired trial court judge Dina Fein ; former state Rep. Charlotte Golar Richie ; Pema Latshang, Mary Wambui and Leverett Wing . TRANSITIONS — MassBay Community College alum Alfonso Hidalgo has been appointed to the MassBay Board of Trustees. — John Alvarez is now Eversource’s manager of government affairs for Massachusetts. He's a Baker administration, Global Partners and New Balance alum. HAPPY BIRTHDAY — to past Boston mayor, former Labor secretary and NHLPA Executive Director Marty Walsh, Max Clermont and Elaina Nigro. 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:

 

View in browser   BY LISA KASHINSKY Presented by PROGRAMMING NOTE: Massachusetts Playbook will not publish on Thursday and Friday for Thanksgiving. I’ll be back in your inbox on Monday, Nov. 28. Have a great holiday and keep in touch:  lkashinsky@politico.com . TAKING HER TIME — Maura Healey is lagging behind her predecessors in naming key members of her gubernatorial team. At this point after their elections, Charlie Baker and Deval Patrick had not only named their transition team leaders (which Healey has) but also their chiefs of staff (which Healey has not). Within his first two weeks as governor-elect, Baker also named two Cabinet members . Baker, a Republican, also met with Democratic legislative leaders within a week of his 2014 election. Aides to Healey, House Speaker Ron Mariano and Senate President Karen Spilka would not confirm Tuesday whether the three have met — or whether Healey has spoken to either of the two individually — since her election two weeks ago. Healey also hasn't formally met with Boston Mayor Michelle Wu, despite appearing publicly with her post-election. Wu summited Beacon Hill to meet with Baker on her first full day as mayor, which, because of her truncated transition, was just 15 days after she was elected. Healey has, however, announced key roles on her transition team, which is being led by Lt. Gov.-elect Kim Driscoll, the Salem mayor, and directed by Danielle Cerny, previously a deputy chief of staff to former Rhode Island Gov. Gina Raimondo. Healey's campaign said Tuesday that more than 750 people have applied to work in her administration. The governor-elect is allowed to take her time. Mitt Romney back in 2002 waited until early December to announce his first Cabinet picks and key advisers. And Healey is working on two transitions — the attorney general met with her successor, Andrea Campbell, on Monday as she prepares to hand off her current job. Things will likely pick up after Thanksgiving. But for now, her slow rollout has some Beacon Hill insiders wondering if things are a bit too quiet given that Healey’s election seemed all but certain weeks before her official coronation. GOOD WEDNESDAY MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS. President Joe Biden and his family landed on Nantucket last night to continue their tradition of celebrating Thanksgiving on the island. And they might revive another — a family discussion on whether their patriarch should run for president. Biden has said he intends to seek a second term and that he'll announce a decision early next year. The Bidens arrive on Nantucket for Thanksgiving. | AP THE REST OF THIS WEEK — Suffolk University polling director David Paleologos is on WBZ’s “Keller @ Large” at 8:30 a.m. Sunday. Sen. Ed Markey is on WCVB’s “On the Record” at 11 a.m. Sunday.   A message from Delta Dental of Massachusetts: Did you know the key to good health is right under your nose? Delta Dental of Massachusetts is helping communities across the state improve their oral health and understand that a healthy smile is a powerful thing. Your mouth is the window to better overall health and happiness – open wide and let your dentist help protect you from health conditions like depression and cardiovascular disease. Discover the connection between oral and overall health at ExpressYourHealthMA.org.   DATELINE BEACON HILL — “Mass. launching emergency intake center for migrants, homeless people,” by Alison Kuznitz, MassLive: “A temporary emergency shelter and intake center will open in Devens next month as the Baker administration responds to an influx of migrants to Massachusetts, exacerbating strain on already limited housing options and other existing resources. Up to 60 families or 125 individuals can be housed for several days at the Bob Eisengrein Community Center, which will be run by the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency and a shelter provider. People receiving help will then be directed to emergency assistance sites or ‘more permanent housing’ solutions, the Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development said Tuesday.” — “Candidates Seeking Recounts In Two Rep Races,” by Chris Lisinski, State House News Service (paywall): “Kristin Kassner of Hamilton, who challenged [state Rep. Lenny Mirra], and Andrew Shepherd of Townsend, who bid for an open Nashoba Valley seat, submitted petitions asking for district-wide recounts in their contests, according to a spokesperson for Secretary of State William Galvin.” ADDED: Andrew Shepherd seeks recount in 1st Middlesex District 1 of 2 House races decided by only 10 votes Candidates in two Massachusetts House races, each apparently decided by only 10 votes, want elections officials to take another look at the thousands of ballots cast. Andrew Shepherd of Townsend, who bid for an open Nashoba Valley seat, and Kristin Kassner of Hamilton, who challenged a sitting North Shore incumbent, submitted petitions asking for districtwide recounts in their contests, according to a spokesperson for Secretary of State William Galvin. The recounts — and, as a result, a final decision in both districts — might not wrap up for several weeks. Galvin spokesperson Deb O’Malley said the secretary cannot order the recounts until after the Governor’s Council, which is scheduled to meet next on Nov. 30, certifies election results. In both cases, the candidate seeking a recount appears to have fallen less than a dozen votes short. With nearly 20,000 votes counted in the 1st Middlesex District and more than 23,000 in the 2nd Essex District, the microscopic margins would both be well below the threshold — one half of one percentage point of all votes — required for a recount.  https://www.lowellsun.com/2022/11/23/andrew-shepherd-seeks-recount-in-1st-middlesex-district/ — “Superintendents say pandemic's educational impact goes deeper than realized,” by Katie Lannan, GBH News: “State and local education officials said Tuesday that schools face a twin challenge in getting students back on track both academically and socially, and that staffing issues further complicate those tasks. Almost three years after the arrival of COVID-19 first disrupted schooling in Massachusetts, lawmakers on the Education Committee gathered at the State House to receive a status update on efforts to mitigate the pandemic’s impact on students.” — “Bill would allow defaulted loan holders to keep licenses,” by Christian M. Wade, Eagle-Tribune: “Massachusetts residents who default on their college loans would not have their license or professional certification revoked under a bill awaiting action by Gov. Charlie Baker. The proposal, approved by the state Legislature on Monday, would block state agencies or boards of registration from denying or revoking any license or professional or occupational certificate or registration based on an individual’s default on an educational loan.” — “Police commission suspends just 9 cops while thousands more meet standards,” by Matthew Medsger, Boston Herald: “A state board reviewing police officers for certification has identified just nine out of an initial round of thousands who cannot meet a set of standards, according to a report made Tuesday. More than two hundred others still have not been certified, though their review remains ongoing. ‘There are no officers decertified at this point. The Commission discussed in Executive Session the approval of 6 Preliminary Inquiries and the approval of 9 suspensions,’ a spokesperson for the Police Officer Standards and Training Commission said Tuesday. ‘An officer who is suspended by POST cannot conduct police duties and functions.’” — “Almost $2 billion in tax refunds returned to Mass. taxpayers,” by Alison Kuznitz, MassLive: “That translates to roughly 2.4 million tax refunds issued, as the Baker administration continues to dole out nearly $3 billion in excess state revenues as required by a 1980s tax cap law known as Chapter 62F.” — REGIONAL APPROACH: New England Council President and CEO James Brett is adding to the local lobbying efforts to land the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health headquarters. Brett is already involved in the coalition working to bring ARPA-H to the Bay State . But in a solo letter to HHS Sec. Xavier Becerra, ARPA-H Director Renee Wegrzyn and DARPA Director Arati Prabhakar this week, Brett made the case for New England writ large given the region's “unparalleled resources."   POLITICO APP USERS: UPGRADE YOUR APP BY DECEMBER 19! We recently upgraded the POLITICO app with a fresh look and improved features for easier access to POLITICO's scoops and groundbreaking reporting. Starting December 19, users will no longer have access to the previous version of the app. Update your app today to stay on top of essential political news, insights, and analysis from the best journalists in the business. UPDATE iOS APP – UPDATE ANDROID APP .     PLANES, TRAINS AND AUTOMOBILES — “GLX manager Dalton gets 6-month contract extension,” by Bruce Mohl, CommonWealth Magazine: “The MBTA has extended until mid-2023 the contract of the manager overseeing the Green Line extension into Somerville and Medford. The move appears designed to keep John Dalton under contract during the upcoming change in administrations so that he can be redeployed on another project or assignment if that’s what Gov.-elect Maura Healey decides to do.” — “Orange Line delays at shortest since 2019, says train-tracking group,” by Daniel Kool, Boston Globe: “Delay times on the Orange Line have hit a new low — in a good way. A round trip on the line, which underwent a monthlong shutdown and renovation this summer, is the fastest it has been since 2019, according to data analyzed by TransitMatters, a transportation advocacy group that tracks MBTA ride data.”   A message from Delta Dental of Massachusetts:     HEALEY WATCH — “AGs seek extension of remote opioid addiction treatment,” by Christian M. Wade, Eagle-Tribune: “A federal rule in response to COVID-19 allows doctors to use remote telehealth services to prescribe buprenorphine as an opioid use disorder treatment, but the temporary regulation is set to expire once the federal COVID-19 public health emergency is rescinded. Attorney General Maura Healey has signed onto a letter from 45 states attorneys general calling on the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration to permanently extend the telehealth option.” FROM THE DELEGATION — “Supreme Court backs House effort to obtain Trump tax returns,” by Kyle Cheney, POLITICO: “The Supreme Court on Tuesday cleared the way for a House committee to obtain several years of Donald Trump’s tax returns from the IRS, a significant win for lawmakers that brought to an end a three-year court battle. With no noted dissent, the court upheld the August ruling of an appeals court panel that unanimously cleared the way for the House Ways and Means Committee to obtain the former president’s tax returns. … Some committee members called on Ways and Means Chair Richard Neal (D-Mass) to get his hands on the returns without delay. … Neal vowed that the committee ‘will now conduct the oversight that we’ve sought for the last three and a half years.’ But he didn’t give any indication of when he might get the information.” — “Biden extends pause on student loan payments amid legal limbo for debt cancellation,” by Michael Stratford, POLITICO: “President Joe Biden on Tuesday announced an extension of the pause on federal student loan payments and interest into the first half of 2023 as his plan to cancel student debt for tens of millions of Americans remains blocked in court.” Rep. Ayanna Pressley, a leader in the push to cancel student loan debt, called the extension “essential given the cruel efforts by Republican officials and far-right judges to halt this critical relief in the courts, despite President Biden’s clear legal authority and decisive action.”   GO INSIDE THE MILKEN INSTITUTE FUTURE OF HEALTH SUMMIT: POLITICO is featuring a special edition of our “Future Pulse” newsletter at the 2022 Milken Institute Future of Health Summit from Dec. 6 to 8. The newsletter takes readers inside one of the most influential gatherings of health industry leaders and innovators solving the biggest global health issues to ensure a healthier, more resilient future for all. SUBSCRIBE TODAY TO RECEIVE EXCLUSIVE COVERAGE .     MAHTY MONITOR — WATCH: WPRI’s Kim Kalunian sit down with Labor Secretary Marty Walsh and Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo to talk about inflation , job training and whether either might run for president. Raimondo said running in 2024 is an “absolute no because President [Joe] Biden intends to run” but didn’t rule it out beyond that. Walsh laughed off the idea of sharing a ticket with Raimondo down the line, saying he would “ask for a big job in the administration” instead. THE LOCAL ANGLE — “Are 'personal attacks' protected speech? ACLU and Taunton City Council seem to disagree,” by Daniel Schemer, Taunton Daily Gazette: “Debate over what is and isn’t allowed to be said during the City Council’s public input period has not let up, thanks to a letter from the ACLU's Massachusetts Chapter criticizing the format and restrictions. … The council suspended public input at its Oct. 4 meeting after an incident the week prior where a member of the public called out a councilor by name, Lawrence Quintal, over allegations of harassment through social media. The following week, at the Oct. 11 council meeting, public input was reinstated, but with new interim conditions. … Regarding publicly criticizing councilors in a meeting, the ACLU’s letter says, ‘this is not a legitimate basis for curtailing public comment…’”   A message from Delta Dental of Massachusetts: Delta Dental of Massachusetts connects with communities statewide to highlight the importance of oral health. Your oral health is a key predictor of overall health — with direct links to diabetes, heart disease, mental health, and other medical conditions. So, start the new year right, remind your loved ones – and yourself – to show your mouth some love. Get back to the dentist and remember to practice at-home preventive oral health habits like brushing and flossing regularly. Because the key to good health is right under your nose. Discover the connection between oral and overall health at ExpressYourHealthMA.org.   HEARD ‘ROUND THE BUBBLAH HAPPY BIRTHDAY — to Keith Boynton, Tory Stephens, Joel McAuliffe and Matt Stromski. HAPPY EARLY BIRTHDAY — to Sonia Ballard and Mass DPH’s Alison Cohen, who celebrate Thursday; Leah Regan and Allie Strom, who celebrate Friday; Ben Gubits and Bob Dunn, who celebrate Saturday; and to Sunday birthday-ers Catherine Carlock of the Boston Globe and Andy Hoglund. 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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