SpaceX rockets and ocelots

 

Today, many of us will look up as a total solar eclipse bathes swaths of Earth in darkness for a few short minutes. At the same time endangered ocelots, which have thrived in the darkness for thousands of years, are slipping away. Today, trapped in tiny patches of habitat near the Mexico border, they fight to survive as their home is relentlessly carved up into smaller and smaller bits by destructive human development including by SpaceX. We cannot let these iconic wild cats disappear forever. Donate today and your gift will be TRIPLED to take on the threats facing ocelots and other imperiled species. 3X MY GIFT TO SAVE WILDLIFE Rampant industrial development – including natural gas facilities and SpaceX – has resulted in destructive new infrastructure like roads and buildings and even the deafening noise of the rockets themselves. Ocelots have nowhere to hide. And we’ve not only pushed these fragile animals out of their homes – we’ve directed them right into oncoming traffic. As more traffic cuts through their already small territory, these endangered ocelots are still in grave danger. While thousands of ocelots once prowled the Southwest, today only a few hundred remain in south Texas – we cannot afford to lose a single one. Will you make a gift today to fight back against extinction and save imperiled species? In honor of Earth Day, your gift will be TRIPLED for three times the impact. Today’s eclipse lasts only a few minutes, but garners weeks of attention, hundreds of hours of coverage and millions of onlookers. What if we paid as much attention to our own planet and the rapidly disappearing species that call it home? Make a gift today and have it TRIPLED in honor of Earth Day. Sincerely, Defenders of Wildlife

Defenders of Wildlife 1130 17th Street NW • Washington, DC 20036 defenders.org  Photo credit: Ocelot © Martinus Scriblerus (CC BY 2.0)

POLITICO Massachusetts Playbook: Who WASN'T in the BOSTON MAYORAL POLL — DAS ARRESTED by FEDS — The LATE STATE BUDGET tradition

 

BY LISA KASHINSKY Presented by SimpliSafe PICKING APART THE MAYORAL POLL — The 500 likely voters who were surveyed in the Suffolk University/Boston Globe poll of the Boston mayoral race provided a long-awaited barometer for where the field currently stands. But the 593 people who were screened out of the poll could potentially serve as a bellwether for where the race is heading. Out of the nearly 1,100 voters called up by the pollsters, 54 percent could not identify the month of the preliminary election that will whittle the mayoral field down from six major candidates to two — and were therefore screened out of the poll, according to data shared exclusively with POLITICO. Suffolk has long used that as a way to filter out people who are unlikely to vote; for reference, the preliminary contest is Sept. 14, and the general municipal election is Nov. 2. Here's why that matters: Those 593 people are indicative of a larger pool of still-untapped voters that candidates — particularly those further back in the pack — could engage with to change the trajectory of the race, but are rapidly running out of time to reach. “No one’s exactly broadening the voter base right now,” Suffolk University Political Research Center Director David Paleologos told me. But doing so could be particularly helpful to middle-tier candidates like City Councilors Annissa Essaibi George and Andrea Campbell, who are trying to close the gap with polling leaders City Councilor Michelle Wu and acting Mayor Kim Janey. It could also give a needed boost to state Rep. Jon Santiago and former city economic development chief John Barros as they try to climb out of the single digits. Campaigns have plenty of tools — door-knocking, phone-banking, digital ads, television spots — to reach more voters. But only one, Santiago, has actually gone up on the air so far, though he’s now being followed by a super PAC backing Campbell. The field was sitting on a combined nearly $4 million in the bank at the beginning of June, including more than $1 million each for Wu and Campbell — money that could, and strategists say should, be going toward ads with just 76 days left to reach voters. The candidates also keep burning daylight at largely virtual forums that tend to draw the activist crowd instead of the average voter. “That doesn’t leave a lot of time to go out and beat the drums to get people more educated about when the preliminary is or to make them decide,” Paleologos said. Here are some other takeaways: — The historically diverse mayoral field may yield historic results. The four women of color in the race have held onto the four top polling spots through the spring, setting Boston on a real path toward electing a mayor who’s not a white man for the first time in the nearly two centuries since the job was created — not only smashing the post’s patriarchal past, but taking another step in combating the city’s history of racism. — Marty Walsh may not be in as much hot water as it seems, at least with Boston voters. President Joe Biden's labor secretary had a higher favorability rating, 68 percent, than any of the candidates vying to succeed him as mayor. That’s despite the Boston police commissioner scandal that continues to dog him. It’s validating for Walsh’s allies and a positive sign for the former Boston mayor’s political future in the Bay State. But it doesn’t mean he’d be immune to the Dennis White controversy — and the others that happened under his watch here — should he look to run for office in Massachusetts again. Walsh also had the highest unfavorable rating, 22 percent, of the group. GOOD MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS. It's the last day of the fiscal year. Keep your eyes on the budget battle in Boston. But don't look away from the State House just because an interim budget's already been passed — there's a fight brewing over the Holyoke Soldiers' Home construction labor agreement. TODAY — Acting Boston Mayor Kim Janey, Housing and Economic Development Sec. Michael Kennealy and more speak at the Hearth at Four Corners ribbon-cutting at 10:30 a.m; Janey speaks at a groundbreaking ceremony for new land at Eastie Farm at 6 p.m. At 11 a.m., Secretary of State Bill Galvin details his office's plans to welcome tourists for exterior tours of the State House starting July 1. Sen. Ed Markey tours the YMCA of Greater Boston Springfield Child Care Center at 11:45 a.m. and Holyoke’s Lyman Terrace at 1 p.m. State Health and Human Services Sec. Marylou Sudders delivers remarks at the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts Foundation’s 20th anniversary virtual event at 2 p.m. WinnCompanies CEO Gilbert Winn participates in a virtual White House Summit on Eviction Prevention at 1:20 p.m. Rep. Jake Auchincloss speaks at The Hill Live’s "ESG + Corporate Responsibility in America" at 2:50 p.m. Auchincloss and Rep. Seth Moulton are guests on GBH News’ Greater Boston at 7 p.m. Moulton is also a guest on WBUR’s Radio Boston. State Sen. Adam Hinds, state Rep. Liz Miranda, NFL players Devin and Jason McCourty and more speak virtually at “Democracy Denied: A Town Hall Discussion on Incarceration & Political Power in Massachusetts” at 6 p.m. Have a tip, story, suggestion, birthday, anniversary, new job, or any other nugget for the Playbook? Get in touch: lkashinsky@politico.com. THE LATEST NUMBERS — "Active COVID infections in Massachusetts fall to 1,361 as hospitalizations tick back above 100 on Tuesday," by Tanner Stening, MassLive.com: "The number of active COVID-19 infections in Massachusetts continued to decrease on Tuesday, now down to 1,361 from the 1,422 reported the day before. Massachusetts health officials reported 63 new COVID-19 cases on Tuesday. Officials also reported another single COVID-related death, bringing the death toll from the pandemic up to 17,629." DATELINE BEACON HILL — UPDATE: A source close to state Rep. Maria Robinson confirmed to me that the Framingham Democrat has been vetted by the White House as a potential Federal Energy Regulatory Commissioner. Robinson previously led the Advanced Energy Economy’s program on wholesale markets, including engagement at FERC, and focused on regulatory issues surrounding air and energy. The news comes less than a week after state House Majority Leader Claire Cronin was nominated as U.S. ambassador to Ireland. — “Massachusetts gig economy comes under scrutiny as lawmakers, labor leaders examine future of work,” by Steph Solis, MassLive.com: “Lawmakers, union leaders and labor analysts in Massachusetts face the gargantuan task of analyzing what the post-COVID economy and workforce look like ... experts speaking before the Future of Work Commission Monday honed in on one area that is quickly becoming a heated debate in the Bay State: the gig economy and the rights and benefits for its workers, particularly at app-based companies.” — “Continuing an annual tradition: The late state budget,” by Shira Schoenberg, CommonWealth Magazine: “It may be an unusual year, but one annual Beacon Hill tradition is continuing: getting the state budget done late. July 1 marks the start of the 2022 fiscal year, but a final budget bill is nowhere in sight." — “Lawmakers plea for safety-net hospitals,” by Christian M. Wade, CNHI/Eagle-Tribune: “Lawmakers are urging support for the state's safety-net hospitals that are struggling to stay afloat following the pandemic. During a livestreamed hearing Tuesday, the Legislature's Joint Committee on Healthcare Financing heard the pleas of lawmakers from the Merrimack Valley and other regions where hospitals that served large numbers of COVID-19 patients are buckling financially.” — “Department of Correction moves to end solitary confinement,” by Shira Schoenberg, CommonWealth Magazine: “The Massachusetts Department of Correction on Tuesday announced its intention to end solitary confinement as currently constituted within three years, based on the recommendations of an independent consultant. … But the department did not lay out details about what specific steps it would take and when, leading some advocates to question what exactly the announcement means.”   A message from SimpliSafe: Most security companies send a technician to your home. SimpliSafe doesn’t. Order online. Set it up in 30 minutes. After that, you’re protected 24/7. Learn more.   VAX-ACHUSETTS — “Massachusetts VaxMillions registration opens Thursday for fully vaxxed residents to win $1 million,” by Erin Tiernan, Boston Herald: “Fully vaccinated Massachusetts residents can register to win cash prizes or college scholarships in the state’s VaxMillions Giveaway starting on Thursday, the Baker administration announced." FROM THE HUB — “Kim Janey, Boston councilors haggle with stimulus funds to try to get city budget passed,” by Sean Philip Cotter, Boston Herald: “Acting Mayor Kim Janey’s administration and City Council budgetary leadership continue to horse trade over just how much federal stimulus money Janey will have to throw to the assorted councilors’ priorities in order to get them to drop their opposition to her budget." — “Task force calls for exam school admission changes, but gives in on exception for high-ranking students,” by James Vaznis, Boston Globe: “A task force recommended that Boston make sweeping changes to the admission criteria for the city’s exam schools to give priority to disadvantaged students, but in a bow to political pressure included a last-minute change to appease middle-class families. The changes finalized at a public meeting Tuesday night would place much more emphasis on a student’s grades than test results, and would separate applicants into eight groups based on their socioeconomic status, so that a low-income child would not be competing with a wealthier student for the same seat.” — “Street violence is up throughout US, but not in Boston,” by Danny McDonald, Boston Globe: “Major American cities have convulsed with increases in street violence during the first half of the year, but Boston appears to be an exception. Through June 27, the city had experienced 19 homicides, versus 21 slayings for the same time period last year. This year’s number of killings was also less than Boston’s five-year average of 28 during the time period, according to the Boston Police Department.” — “Longtime director of Boston rape crisis center leaves amid a broiling controversy over racial equity,” by Katie Johnston, Boston Globe: “When the Boston Area Rape Crisis Center announced on its website in early June that longtime executive director Gina Scaramella was retiring at the end of the month, the board of directors lauded the innovative ways she had helped survivors of sexual assault in her 26 years at the agency and highlighted glowing praise from supporters, including Representative Ayanna Pressley. What wasn’t mentioned were the circumstances surrounding Scaramella’s sudden departure: a broiling controversy over racial equity that resulted in 32 people — more than half the nonprofit’s staff — sending the board a letter of no-confidence detailing what they said was her failure to ‘rise to the current challenge of addressing white supremacy.’” THE RACE FOR CITY HALL — “Boston Black Men's Committee Launches, Vows To Register Thousands Of New Voters,” by Adam Reilly, GBH News: “At a midafternoon event on a scorching-hot City Hall Plaza Tuesday, former city councilor and mayoral candidate Tito Jackson announced the formation of the Boston Black Men’s Committee, saying the group would push for more civic engagement, increased economic and educational opportunities, assistance for previously incarcerated individuals and greater attentiveness to mental-health concerns in the run-up to the 2021 city elections.” — “For Boston's Next Mayor, Boston Police Will Be A Tough Fix,” by Ally Jarmanning, WBUR: “One of the biggest issues facing the next mayor of Boston is how to fix the problems at the police department. Boston's police department is in disarray. The police commissioner was fired over domestic violence allegations. More than a dozen police officers have been charged with overtime fraud. The former head of the police union is accused of molesting children. And the department has long faced criticism over whether it does enough to solve shootings in the poorer parts of the city.” — “What do Bostonians think of police? About half of those polled had a generally positive perception of the force,” by Danny McDonald, Boston Globe: “Following months of sustained calls for structural changes at the scandal-battered Boston Police Department, a new poll shows that city voters have a complicated and nuanced view of the city’s force, with just over half of respondents agreeing that its officers generally do a good job. The poll of 500 Boston voters by Suffolk University and the Globe indicates many likely voters appear to harbor more moderate views on issues of policing than some local progressive political candidates and advocates who are calling for a continued overhaul of the department.” — “This American city has a long history of racism. Now, all top mayoral candidates are women of color,” by Janet Hook, Los Angeles Times: “The voters of Boston, a city with a notorious history of racism, face a once-unimaginable political tableau in the mayor’s race this year. For the first time, the four top candidates are all women of color. Boston is an unlikely pioneer in a change that is inching into electoral politics across the nation: A growing number of women of color are running for the highest offices.” — FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: 314 Action Fund, which works to elect scientists, doctors and STEM professionals, is endorsing Santiago in the Boston mayoral race. “Dr. Santiago’s backgrounds in medicine and policy make him uniquely qualified to lead Boston as the city continues to recover from the pandemic and into a more just and more equitable future. We’re proud to support him and are eager to help make sure Bostonians know his story,” 314 Action President Shaughnessy Naughton said in a statement.   JOIN FRIDAY FOR A PLAYBOOK INTERVIEW WITH ANITA DUNN: Anita Dunn, a senior White House adviser to President Biden and one of the most influential women in Washington, will join Playbook co-author Ryan Lizza to discuss the administration’s legislative priorities, including getting the massive infrastructure plan through Congress, the latest on efforts to get 70% of U.S. adults vaccinated against Covid, and preparations for the White House’s first big public event on Independence Day. Don’t miss this Playbook Live event, REGISTER HERE.     PLANES, TRAINS AND AUTOMOBILES — “Boston drivers wasted 50 hours in traffic in 2020, despite pandemic,” by Amy Sokolow, Boston Herald: “Boston-area drivers had the second-longest average wait time in traffic out of large U.S. cities in 2020, at 50 hours per driver over the year, according to a new study released by Texas A&M University’s Transportation Institute.” DAY IN COURT — “Feds arrest former Massachusetts congressional candidate for allegedly using campaign funds to pay hotel debts,” by Nik DeCosta-Klipa, Boston.com: “In his 2018 concession speech, former Massachusetts congressional candidate Abhijit ‘Beej’ Das said that his bid to succeed former Rep. Niki Tsongas came at 'incredible cost, both personally, professionally,' and ‘for our company.’ But according to federal prosecutors, his troubled hotel company was also a significant — and illegal — drain on Das’s campaign. In a press release Tuesday, the U.S. attorney’s office for Massachusetts announced that they had arrested Das, a North Andover resident and Democratic primary candidate in the open 2018 3rd District race, for soliciting illegally excessive campaign donations from friends and family, dipping into his campaign account to pay for business debts, and covering it up with falsified campaign finance reports to the Federal Elections Commission.” — “Driver in New Hampshire crash that killed seven people takes case to state Supreme Court,” by Laura Crimaldi, Boston Globe: “The case of Volodymyr Zhukovskyy, the Massachusetts truck driver accused of killing seven motorcyclists in New Hampshire’s White Mountains two years ago, went before the New Hampshire Supreme Court on Tuesday, offering a glimpse of his possible defense at his November trial on manslaughter and negligent homicide charges. Zhukovskyy, 25, who has been imprisoned for two years without bail, wants a judge to hear his account of the fatal crash on June 21, 2019, in hopes of being freed before trial.” — “Duxbury teen who allegedly drowned his ‘possessed' dad told police he was ‘baptizing his father in order to exorcise these demons’,” by Rick Sobey, Boston Herald: “A Duxbury teenager accused of killing his father by repeatedly dunking his dad’s head in a local pond told police that his dad’s body was ‘possessed by a spirit’ — and that he was ‘baptizing his father in order to exorcise these demons.’”       THE PRESSLEY PARTY — “Reps. Ayanna Pressley, Maxine Waters and Rashida Tlaib unveil bill to empower HUD tenants, improve housing conditions,” by Benjamin Kail, MassLive.com: “The Tenant Empowerment Act of 2021 would protect tenants’ rent money and subsidy payments if they find themselves in substandard housing conditions in properties taking part in U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development programs. The bill would strengthen HUD tenants’ rights to organize and give them more power to negotiate or fight with negligent owners and management companies through court.” THE LOCAL ELECTIONS ROUNDUP — “Former councilor, Diosdado Lopez, joins Holyoke mayoral race,” by Dusty Christensen, Daily Hampshire Gazette: “Longtime former city councilor Diosdado Lopez has announced that he is running for mayor. Lopez, 56, is the eighth candidate who has pulled papers to run for mayor in Holyoke." MEANWHILE IN NEW HAMPSHIRE — “N.H.’s Sununu, the GOP’s top Senate recruit for 2022, may have just created a big political problem over abortion,” by James Pindell, Boston Globe: “In a little-noticed move on Friday, the Republican Party’s top recruit to run for the US Senate next year— and possibly flip the balance of power in the chamber ― may have committed a mistake that will likely dominate next year’s election, should he end up running.”   SUBSCRIBE TO WEST WING PLAYBOOK: Add West Wing Playbook to keep up with the power players, latest policy developments and intriguing whispers percolating inside the West Wing and across the highest levels of the Cabinet. For buzzy nuggets and details you won't find anywhere else, subscribe today.     THE NATIONAL TAKE — "Latest New York mayoral count voided after ‘test’ ballots included in tally," by Joe Anuta and David Giambusso, POLITICO: "The New York City Board of Elections accidentally included results from a mock trial of the city's new ranked-choice voting system in unofficial primary returns released Tuesday — a snafu that threw the election process into chaos."   A message from SimpliSafe: It’s finally easy to make sure your house is safe. Whatever you’re worried about—from french doors to basement windows—SimpliSafe’s got your back. Just click here to customize your system and get a FREE security camera.   MEDIA MATTERS — “WEEI’s Glenn Ordway will retire at the end of the summer,” by Chad Finn, Boston.com: “Glenn Ordway, who in a near 50-year career broadcasting career established himself as one of the most influential voices in the history of Boston sports radio, announced Tuesday afternoon that he will be retiring from his full-time role at WEEI at the end of the summer. ” HAPPY BIRTHDAY – to Plymouth County Register of Probate Matthew McDonough and Daniel Goldhagen. Happy belated to state Rep. Liz Miranda, who celebrated Tuesday. 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  |  Brussels Playbook  |  London Playbook View all our politics and policy newsletters FOLLOW US

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POLITICO Massachusetts Playbook: CHANG-DIAZ goes for GUV — Boston BUDGET BATTLE — HIT and MISS on VACCINE GOALS

 

BY LISA KASHINSKY NEW THIS MORNING: CHANG-DIAZ GOES FOR GUV — Sonia Chang-Díaz made history in 2008 when she became the first Latina elected to the state Senate. Now she’s setting her sights on becoming the first Latina elected governor of Massachusetts. The Boston Democrat is formally launching her 2022 campaign for the corner office today, nearly three months after first declaring she was “seriously considering” a run and about a month after a group of young, progressive activists started a petition to draft her into the race. “Too many leaders are more interested in keeping power than doing something with it. I’m running for governor to change that,” the 43-year-old Jamaica Plain resident says in her launch video. “Every day it gets harder for working families to live here. Health care and housing costs get higher, Black and brown kids face yawning opportunity gaps. If we don’t act now, we’ll be having the same conversation about the same problems in another 10 years.” A former public school teacher who’s the daughter of a social worker and America’s first Latino astronaut, Chang-Díaz is currently the only woman of color in the state Senate. Her push for education funding was enshrined in the landmark 2019 Student Opportunity Act. She was instrumental in last year’s policing reform law and co-chairs the Joint Committee on Racial Equity, Civil Rights and Inclusion. She was a major proponent of more equity in the state’s coronavirus vaccine rollout. And in her announcement video, she championed a so-called millionaire’s tax and called to “green our infrastructure and close the racial wealth divide.” Chang-Díaz joins her former state Senate colleague Ben Downing and Harvard professor Danielle Allen in the growing Democratic gubernatorial field. State Attorney General Maura Healey, another potential contender, has yet to announce her intentions for 2022. Neither have GOP Gov. Charlie Baker and Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito — but Chang-Díaz still took digs at Baker’s record on climate change and more in her launch video. FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: BREAKING BARRIERS — Chang-Díaz and Allen are vying to become the first elected woman governor of Massachusetts at a time when there are record numbers of women serving in public office, but the stereotypical image of a governor remains “stubbornly male,” according to new research released today by the Barbara Lee Family Foundation and shared first with POLITICO. “We’re in a moment where we’ve seen women take center stage as mayors and governors for the past year and a half around the Covid-19 crises,” BLFF Executive Director Amanda Hunter told me. Yet the foundation's "Staying Power" memo shows “there’s still an imagination barrier when it comes to seeing women in executive office, because when voters picture a governor, they still see a man in most cases.” Most likely 2022 voters nationwide surveyed for the study expressed no difference in their preferences for a male or female governor — but those who did leaned toward a man. And voters thought their friends and neighbors would prefer a male governor by a 20-point margin, showing how pervasive the gender stereotype remains. Women also have to do more to prove that they’re qualified for executive office than men — even when they’re an incumbent, the research shows. “Women realize pretty quickly in politics that if they don’t actively bring up their accomplishments and they don’t show voters — rather than tell — they’re not going to be successful,” Hunter said. The four women in the Boston mayoral race are all touting their accomplishments in office — as councilors and, for acting Boston Mayor Kim Janey, as the city's first female top executive. They're also leading the two men in the field in recent polling. That, Hunter said, could all help "chip away at some of those stereotypes" facing women in politics and push Massachusetts toward finally electing a woman governor. GOOD MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS . As ranked-choice voting draws out the results of the New York City mayoral race, lawmakers here will consider legislation that would pave the way for municipalities to use ranked-choice voting in local elections. The bill from state Sen. Rebecca Rausch is one of 37 slated for today’s 10 a.m. Joint Committee on Election Laws hearing, chaired by state Sen. Barry Finegold and state Rep. Daniel Ryan. Have a tip, story, suggestion, birthday, anniversary, new job, or any other nugget for the Playbook? Get in touch: lkashinsky@politico.com. TODAY — State Sen. Sonia Chang-Díaz kicks off her gubernatorial campaign by meeting with state Sen. Adam Gomez and leaders of color in Springfield at 8:30 a.m., a small business tour with state Rep. Mary Keefe in Worcester at 1 p.m., and a formal campaign launch at 4:30 p.m. at English High School in Jamaica Plain. Acting Boston Mayor Kim Janey gives remarks at the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce’s Government Affairs Forum at 10 a.m. and at the Annual Pride Luncheon for LGBT Seniors, Friends, Allies and Supporters at 3 p.m. Boston mayoral candidate state Rep. Jon Santiago hosts a virtual press conference at 10:30 a.m. to tout his endorsement by VoteVets and to release a plan to support city veterans and their families. State Sen. Diana DiZoglio attends a fundraiser for her state auditor campaign hosted by state Sen. Adam Gomez, state Reps. Jake Oliveira and Orlando Ramos, former state Rep. Sean Cahillane and other local leaders at 6 p.m. in West Springfield.   “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.     THE LATEST NUMBERS – “Massachusetts hits vaccination goal of 4.1 million fully vaccinated,” by Rick Sobey, Boston Herald: “Massachusetts health officials on Tuesday reported that more than 4.1 million people are now fully vaccinated, as the state hit its vaccination goal on the same day the Hynes Convention Center mass vax site gave its final shots. The state on Tuesday also reported one more COVID death and 33 new virus cases, which ties for the lowest single-day infection tally since the pandemic started last March.” DATELINE BEACON HILL – “House rejects Gov. Charlie Baker’s amendment on how Massachusetts will spend American Rescue Plan aid,” by Steph Solis, MassLive.com: “House lawmakers on Tuesday unanimously rejected Gov. Charlie Baker’s amendments on how Massachusetts will spend the remaining $5.1 billion in federal aid. Instead, the House approved a proposal that would transfer most of the federal funding to the Legislature, leaving $200 million for the Baker administration to spend as it sees fit." – “Mass. poised to be ‘ground zero’ for high-stakes gig economy battle as potential ballot question looms,” by Matt Stout, Boston Globe: “A fight that became the most expensive ballot measure in California’s history has arrived in full force in Massachusetts, setting the stage for a potentially costly campaign that could reshape the state’s labor law and how hundreds of thousands of workers operate under it.” More details from Boston.com’s Nik DeCosta-Klipa. – “Mail-in voting for Boston’s fall election could be at risk if Mass. lawmakers don’t act soon, Secretary of State Galvin warns,” by Emma Platoff and Sahar Fatima, Boston Globe: “Voting by mail could be at risk for several Massachusetts communities holding elections this year — including Boston — if state lawmakers can’t reach an agreement to extend provisions soon, Secretary of State William F. Galvin warned in a letter sent Tuesday to state legislative leaders.” – “State ed board approves vocational school admission changes,” by Michael Jonas, CommonWealth Magazine: “Over the objections of advocates who said the changes did not go far enough, the state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education approved new regulations Tuesday morning aimed at creating more equity in admissions to vocational high schools." – “Retailers oppose online Lottery sales,” by Christian M. Wade, CNHI/Newburyport Daily News: “Lottery officials say online sales are crucial to keeping a much-needed source of money flowing to communities, which are the Lottery’s main beneficiaries. But retailers say the changes would hurt package and convenience stores that rely on in-person Lottery sales to lure customers, adding to a list of financial pressures that have hammered their bottom lines in the past year.” CORONAVIRUS UPDATES – “Nearly all recent COVID hospitalizations at UMass Medical Center, other Massachusetts hospitals are unvaccinated, data shows,” by Tanner Stening, MassLive.com: “ The coronavirus pandemic has for months been receding in Massachusetts, but people continue to be diagnosed and treated for COVID-19 in state hospitals, even after becoming fully vaccinated, according to data shared by several Massachusetts hospitals. But the vast majority of new hospitalizations involving COVID-positive patients are among unvaccinated patients, according to the data.” – “Biden administration likely to miss July 4 vaccine target as new Covid strain surges,” by Adam Cancryn and David Lim, POLITICO: “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 Fourth, White House and federal health officials confirmed on Tuesday.” FROM THE HUB – “Boston budget faces tough slog as councilors critical,” by Sean Philip Cotter, Boston Herald: “The city’s budget faces a slog to get it over the finish line by the deadline next week, with multiple councilors expressing reservations about Acting Mayor Kim Janey’s proposal. … [Andrea Campbell] was the only one of the 12 active councilors to come out with a firm position for or against the $3.76 billion amended budget that Janey submitted this week and is due to be introduced Wednesday. But several voiced concerns about the budget, which could be in hot water given that a quarter of the council is running for mayor and thus is disincentivized from voting with Janey — and the fact that Janey hasn’t done the normal glad-handing.” – “State education head Riley says he is ‘extremely concerned’ about the Boston School Committee shakeup,” by Felicia Gans, Boston Globe: “Massachusetts Education Commissioner Jeffrey Riley said Tuesday he is ‘extremely concerned’ about the recent resignations on the Boston School Committee and is considering ‘temporarily freezing’ some federal funding the district is slated to receive.” – “Almost 40 percent of remote workers in Mass. won’t be back in the office until January, at the earliest,” by Jon Chesto, Boston Globe: “Returning to the office is taking longer than many people initially imagined, and the number of colleagues who come in every day will likely be changed for good. That’s the word from the Massachusetts Competitive Partnership’s latest survey..." THE RACE FOR CITY HALL – “Development coalition hits airwaves in Boston mayoral race,” by Sean Philip Cotter, Boston Herald: “A coalition of unions and developers is hitting the TV and radio airwaves with a half-million-dollar ad-buy to push the crop of mayoral candidates to follow their agenda. The advertisements come from the Responsible Development Coalition, a new 501(c)(4) political advocacy committee that includes the North Atlantic States Regional Council of Carpenters union and various local developers and contractors ... The ads highlight a ‘pledge’ they say all the candidates took that includes supporting unions and job-training initiatives and focusing on building more affordable housing.” – “Nearly all mayoral candidates commit to reforming Boston’s development process,” by Nik DeCosta-Klipa, Christopher Gavin, and Julia Taliesin, Boston.com: “Boston’s mayoral candidates are committed to empowering resident voices in the development process and establishing robust planning to streamline that process.” PLANES, TRAINS AND AUTOMOBILES – “Massachusetts has some of the worst traffic, most structurally deficient bridges in the nation, report says,” by Jackson Cote, MassLive.com: “According to the TRIP report, 7% percent of Massachusetts’ interstate bridges are rated in poor or structurally deficient condition, the fourth-highest state in the U.S. in the category.” FROM THE DELEGATION – First they put pressure on President Joe Biden. Now Assistant House Speaker Rep. Katherine Clark and Sen. Elizabeth Warren are calling on the top four leaders in Congress to include $700 billion in direct child care spending in the upcoming infrastructure funding package as lawmakers struggle to reach a deal. Biden’s plan called for a $225 billion investment in affordable and high-quality child care. But Clark, Warren and 130 of their colleagues want to bump that up to $700 billion over 10 years. "As the pandemic has made clear, child care is essential infrastructure that makes all other work in our country possible,” the lawmakers wrote in their letter. “We believe that this is a generational opportunity to invest in affordable, quality care for all children who need it, and we urge you not to let it go to waste.” – “Warren holds up confirmation of a Biden pick at Education Department,” by Danielle Douglas-Gabriel, Washington Post: “Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) is impeding the confirmation of James Kvaal, President Biden’s pick to head higher-education policy at the Education Department, to secure commitments on student loan reforms, according to people familiar with the matter.” PARTY POLITICS – “Amid internal battle in Massachusetts GOP, another national Republican figure will skip fund-raising event,” by Emma Platoff, Boston Globe: “Senator Cynthia Lummis, a Wyoming Republican, had been scheduled to attend a June 24 ‘chairman’s circle’ fund-raising event.” IT'S NOT EASY BEING GREEN – “Medline in Uxbridge to install the largest rooftop solar array in Massachusetts,” by Douglas Hook, MassLive.com: “Medline’s 800,000 square foot Uxbridge Distribution Center will house nearly 16,000 solar panels on its extensive roof, generating renewable energy with environmental benefits equivalent to planting 93,000 trees or powering more than 800 homes annually according to estimates provided by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.” THE LOCAL ELECTIONS ROUNDUP – “Sixth candidate, Marc Warner, joins Northampton mayoral race,” by Brian Steele, Daily Hampshire Gazette: “Marc G. Warner, a transportation analyst who has served on numerous city committees for more than a decade, has announced plans to run for mayor. Warner, 62, is the sixth candidate seeking to replace outgoing Mayor David Narkewicz in November’s election .” – “Fifth challenger enters Lawrence mayoral race,” by Allison Corneau, Eagle-Tribune: “Voters will have another choice when it comes to electing a new city leader during September’s mayoral primary now that Doris Rodriguez has entered the race. … Rodriguez last ran for office in 2014 when she faced off against Pavel Payano, currently a Lawrence city councilor, and Barbara L’Italien, in the state Senate Democratic primary.” – “Amesbury mayor returns papers to run for reelection,” by Jim Sullivan, Newburyport Daily News: “Mayor Kassandra Gove has returned her nomination papers in a bid for reelection. … State Rep. Jim Kelcourse also took out nomination papers for a run for mayor Wednesday but the Republican lawmaker has yet to return his signed forms. Former Selectman Jim Thieverge has pulled papers to run for mayor as well but has not returned them.” THE LOCAL ANGLE – “A government-sanctioned place to inject illicit drugs? It may come first to Somerville,” by Felice J. Freyer, Boston Globe: “Undeterred by the pandemic and legal uncertainties, the City of Somerville has been forging ahead with its proposal to open a center where people can consume illicit drugs with medical supervision, an audacious and possibly precedent-setting move to prevent overdose deaths. Some of those involved believe Somerville will become the first city in the country to open a ‘supervised consumption site’ — and that it could happen within a year or so — even as attempts have faltered in bigger cities like New York and Philadelphia.” – “Boston Marathon returning to Patriot’s Day next year, officials hope for ‘more traditional field size’,” by Rick Sobey, Boston Herald: “Boston Marathon runners will line up at the traditional start in Hopkinton on the third Monday in April next year, a return to normal after two straight years of races derailed and delayed by the coronavirus pandemic.” – “Investigator says no evidence mayor violated law,” by Taylor Ann Bradford, Gloucester Daily Times: “An outside investigator hired by the city to review complaints filed against the mayor in recent months found that Mayor Sefatia Romeo Theken did not violate any laws, but has violated multiple city rules and standards of conduct. … That review concluded that evidence did not support claims of legal violations by the mayor, but that she did violate the City’s Standards for Professional Communication in the Workplace by using profane language.” – “General manager: Steamship Authority did not pay ransom in cyberattack,” by Jessica Hill, Cape Cod Times: “The Woods Hole, Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket Steamship Authority did not pay the ransom requested in the June 2 cyberattack, General Manager Robert Davis said Tuesday in a statement. While the ransomware attack is still under investigation, the Authority wanted to let customers and the public know that it did not pay a ransom nor engage with the cybercriminals…” MEDIA MATTERS – “Jonathan Levine, founder of Pittsfield Gazette, dies of cancer at age 54; paper to cease publication,” by Larry Parnass, Berkshire Eagle: “...[Jonathan Levine] decided to practice his craft at home, in Pittsfield. Using a modest inheritance from a grandparent, he founded, championed and sustained the Pittsfield Gazette almost single-handedly for decades. Until he died June 11 of lymphoma, at age 54, Levine was the Pittsfield Gazette, and vice versa, producing some 1,500 weekly issues.” ENGAGED – Benjamin Case, a recent graduate of Boston College Law School, recently proposed to Sara Harris, director of partnerships at Upstream USA. He proposed on an island in the salt marshes of the North Shore on her birthday. The couple plans to marry next year, either in D.C. or Baltimore. Pic ... Another pic SPOTTED – Rep. Dan Crenshaw (R-Tex.) at a Massachusetts Fiscal Alliance event in Boston on Monday. A Massachusetts GOP fundraiser Crenshaw was slated to headline on Sunday was canceled after the congressman dropped out over recent intraparty drama. HAPPY BIRTHDAY – to Samuel O. Thier. Happy belated to state Reps. Kay Khan and Tram Nguyen, who celebrated Tuesday. 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.   SUBSCRIBE TO WEST WING PLAYBOOK: Add West Wing Playbook to keep up with the power players, latest policy developments and intriguing whispers percolating inside the West Wing and across the highest levels of the Cabinet. For buzzy nuggets and details you won't find anywhere else, subscribe today.       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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