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GOOD MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS.
LESSER'S EAST-WEST ROAD TRIP — State Sen. Eric Lesser got up at around 4 a.m. today and went to a McDonald's in Ludlow to join a group of Western Mass commuters who carpool to Boston each day. The goal is to highlight the challenge they face just to get to their jobs.
"We have a lot of people in our state that are really struggling and all they're trying to do is get to work," Lesser told me yesterday. "We have no rail so they have resorted to sharing a ride in a van." The road trip is Lesser's latest push for East-West passenger rail service, which would span from Boston to Springfield to Pittsfield.
The commuters had worked in Springfield, but had to adapt when their jobs were relocated to Boston. Buying homes near Boston wasn't financially feasible, and they could not find alternative employment because of a more shallow job market in Western Mass, Lesser said.
The group meets at the McDonald's parking lot at 5:30 a.m. near exit 7 on the Mass Pike and make the two-hour drive into Boston. They split the cost of the van and parking at the Haymarket Garage, which equals out to $338 per month per person. For comparison, a monthly commuter rail pass from Worcester to Boston costs around $350.
The number of commuters in the van varies day to day, and can range from three to 10 people. The state lawmaker and two members of his staff hopped in the van this morning to highlight people often "invisible to decision makers in state government," Lesser said. He took the show on the road, and streamed live video while the sun came up.
In Lesser's view, the carpool group illustrates the unequal economies on either side of the state, and the need for East-West rail that would connect Western Mass to job- and population-dense Boston. A feasibility study for that rail service is being conducted by the state Department of Transportation, and findings will likely be available next year. Lesser said the lengthy commute also makes the case for his bill that would offer incentives for remote workers to move to Western Mass. A similar program in Vermont has attracted more than a dozen workers.
PLAYBOOK POOL WINNERS: UVA won the national championship, much to the delight of a few Playbookers. Dave Whisenant of Tallahassee, Fla., is the winner of the Playbook Pool and will receive an iPhone XR. No. 2: Scott Guenther of Bozeman, Mont., wins a Series 3 Apple Watch. No. 3: Liz Steckel of Chicago wins AirPods. No. 4: Kevin Lahner, city administrator of Waukesha, Wis., wins an Amazon Echo. No. 5: Greg Staley, senior VP of communication for the U.S. Travel Association wins an Amazon Echo Dot. None of our VIPs finished in the top five, but Brian Bartlett, a partner at Rational 360 finished atop the leaderboard, followed by Rep. Frank Pallone (D-N.J.), New York Playbook author Laura Nahmias, NBC's Alex Moe, Jonathan Martin (JMART) of The New York Times, outgoing DHS Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen and POLITICO CEO Patrick Steel. Thanks to the more than 4,500 participants!
Have a tip, story, suggestion, birthday, anniversary, new job, or any other nugget for the Playbook? Get in touch: smurray@politico.com.
TODAY — Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito attends the American Heart Association's STEM Goes Red Event and chairs a meeting of the Governor's Council. Polito and Secretary of Education James Peyser attend a meeting of the STEM Advisory Council Committee. Rep. Katherine Clark hosts the House Democrats' Issues Conference in Leesburg, Virginia. Presidential candidate Andrew Yang visits Boston. Boston Mayor Marty Walsh presents his fiscal 2020 budget to the city council.
Boston City Councilor Michelle Wu files a resolution supporting the Green New Deal. Attorney General Maura Healey speaks to the New England Council. The House Ways and Means Committee votes on its 2020 budget bill. The House plans to override a Gov. Charlie Baker veto. Polito attends the Mass Insight Education & Research Partners in Excellence Awards Ceremony.
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 | DATELINE BEACON HILL |
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- "A fix for the state's broken foster care system? Lawmakers pledge action," by Kay Lazar, Boston Globe: "One lawmaker immediately called the state's Child Advocate. Another may refile legislation requiring an independent review any time a child is bounced around in foster care. Still another said she will push for more money to keep troubled families intact, so fewer kids might end up in the state's broken foster care system. The action follows a Globe story Sunday that revealed an overwhelmed state child protection system in which youngsters are regularly pushed, night after night, from one temporary emergency foster home to another because there aren't enough safe havens for all of them."
- "Bills banning handheld cellphone use by drivers start moving," by Andy Metzger, CommonWealth Magazine: "THE LEGISLATURE TOOK another step Tuesday towards advancing a bill that would crack down on handheld cellphone use by drivers. In a poll set to end Wednesday afternoon, members of the Transportation Committee have been asked to weigh in on two similar proposals filed by members of the House and Senate that would basically bar motorists from using their phones to talk or peruse social media while behind the wheel. In prior sessions, proposals to tighten the rules around the dangerous and distracting behavior have passed the Senate and received initial approval in the House, but none have reached the governor's desk. It is one of the early high-profile pieces of legislation this session, and Gov. Charlie Baker has sought similar changes through his broader road safety bill."
- "DA Rachael Rollins Versus Governor Charlie Baker: Why It Matters," by Adam Reilly, WGBH News: "Race, gender, class, crime: a host of hot-button issues are at play in the simmering dispute between Rachael Rollins, the new, reform-minded Suffolk County District Attorney, and Republican Governor Charlie Baker. Adam Reilly and Peter Kadzis unpack the subtexts with Yawu Miller, senior editor of the Bay State Banner, and some extra help from activist Monica Cannon-Grant."
- "Despite Suffolk DA's Agenda, Boston Police Chief Gross Says He'll Decide For Himself On Arrests," by Isaiah Thompson, WGBH News: "During a week in which Suffolk District Attorney Rachael Rollins exchanged harsh words with state public safety officials over a backlash to her plan to stop prosecuting low-level non-violent crimes, Boston Police Commissioner William Gross added his own two cents Tuesday. Speaking with reporters outside of a Boston City Council hearing, Gross voiced support for Rollins overall goals — but made clear that he intends to enforce his own priorities when it comes to arrests."
- "Bill would raise school choice fee," by Christian M. Wade, The Salem News: "Thousands of students in Massachusetts move between public school districts every year, taking millions of dollars in state education funding with them. Critics say the system is flawed, and they are pushing to change how the money is allocated. Under inter-district school choice, parents have the option of enrolling their children in a community other than their hometown. While public school districts can decide whether to accept out-of-district students — about 40 percent don't participate — they cannot hold back students who want to move elsewhere."
- "CONVERSION THERAPY LAW WILL FACE LEGAL CHALLENGE," by Katie Lannan, State House News Service:"Opponents of a law Gov. Charlie Baker signed Monday banning the use of conversion therapy on minors are planning a legal challenge, arguing the legislation violates the First Amendment. The new law, based on legislation that passed the House and Senate overwhelmingly in March, bans health care providers in Massachusetts from engaging in efforts to change the gender identity or sexual orientation of a patient younger than 18."
- "REPORT TOUTS METROWEST AS OPTION FOR RESIDENTS, BIZ," by Chris Lisinski, State House News Service: "Communities west of Boston and near Interstate 495 continue to enjoy commercial rents and home prices well below averages in the metropolitan area despite steady population growth, according to a new report. The 495/MetroWest Partnership's Economic and Commercial Real Estate Report, released Tuesday at the State House, found an increasing gap in affordability between properties in Boston and those in the partnership's region. Lower costs, coupled with availability of real estate and below-average unemployment, indicate a strong economic climate in the MetroWest area, the report concluded."
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| FROM THE HUB |
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- "This company wants to buy a nuclear plant in Mass. And it's facing questions," by David Abel, Boston Globe: "With only a few weeks left before Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station shuts down, members of the citizens advisory panel overseeing the plant's decommissioning had questions last month about a New Jersey company's plan to buy Pilgrim and secure its nuclear waste. But they weren't getting answers.Where would Holtec International get the money to move spent fuel to a long-term storage site?"
- "Inside John Kerry's shadow diplomacy on climate change," by Amy Harder, Axios: "Former Secretary of State John Kerry is speaking publicly for the first time about a new chapter in his half-century history with Vietnam: an initiative aiming to get the country off coal-fired power. In an exclusive interview with Axios last week, Kerry laid out the broad parameters of a proposal he says would enable the nation to get off coal by financing renewables — and become a model for the rest of Asia, which is heavily dependent on coal. He's been working on this since he left government, and he has enlisted the help of former Vice President Al Gore, who made a trip to Vietnam last summer. Kerry is meeting Vietnamese government officials this week in Boston to negotiate details."
- "Should Boston be worried about the effects of automation? Andrew Yang thinks so." by Nik DeCosta-Klipa, Boston.com:"Andrew Yang says Boston may be a winner of what's been dubbed the "fourth industrial revolution" — but only relatively. The 44-year-old acclaimed entrepreneur is running a unique campaign in the crowded field of Democratic presidential candidates on a platform to address the effects of "the biggest economic and technological transformation in the history of our country," which he blames for the current 'political and social disfunction.'"
- "THE MUM FUND: TOUGH QUESTIONS FOLLOWING AN AUDIT OF A CHARITY MEANT TO HELP BOSTONIANS IN NEED," by Dan Atkinson, DigBoston: "For decades, Boston residents have been able to go to a small room on the second floor of City Hall and get assistance. Need a few hundred bucks to get out of a jam, like paying your heating bill? The Trustees of Charitable Donations for Inhabitants of Boston may have you covered. But as a recent audit of TOCD suggests, the charity intended to help those in need has seemingly been enriching its coordinator and doing little else."
- "Boston Trust Act to be reviewed after city police informed ICE of immigrants' whereabouts," by Milton J. Valencia, Boston Globe: "City councilors said Tuesday that they will reexamine the Boston Trust Act, which is meant to keep local police from working with federal immigration on deportations, amid the Trump administration's crackdown and concerns that Boston police were used in that effort. In a testy City Council hearing, Police Commissioner William Gross defended the department's role in a recent incident involving federal immigration authorities, and said police would also work with councilors on a policy that provides public safety to all Bostonians."
- BIG BROTHER: "State Police Are Tracking The Licence Plates Of All Cars That Pass Through Cape Cod — Have They Gone Too Far?" by Callum Borchers and Eve Zuckoff, WBUR: "The Massachusetts State Police have been tracking the license plates of every vehicle that enters and leaves Cape Cod every day for the last three years. That means more than 100 million trips have been recorded and stored in a growing—if opaque—database. While authorities say they use the technology to find and monitor suspects involved in drug trafficking, kidnapping, and other violent crimes, privacy advocates are concerned about how, when, and why the information is stored and used."
- "Cambridge passes 'first-of-its-kind' law to add protected bike lanes when reconstructing roads," by Steve Annear, Boston Globe: "The Cambridge City Council on Monday night passed an ordinance to help expand the network of bicycle infrastructure across the city, a move that bike advocates and city officials called a "first-of-its-kind" law and one they hope will inspire surrounding communities to adopt similar measures. The Cycling Safety Ordinance requires the city to add permanent separated bike lanes when doing reconstruction on any roads that have been previously identified in the Cambridge Bicycle Plan — a proposed network of 20 miles of protected lanes — and its five-year sidewalk and street reconstruction plan."
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| DAY IN COURT |
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- "Wynn Resorts launches defense of CEO as Mass. regulators weigh license," by Gintautas Dumcius, Boston Business Journal:"In a regulatory filing Tuesday, Wynn Resorts argued that the Massachusetts Gaming Commission doesn't have the evidence or the authority to question CEO Matt Maddox's suitability as part of a decision on whether the company keeps its casino license for the Everett resort. Members of the Gaming Commission last week spent three days questioning company executives. Maddox, a protege of the company's founder, Steve Wynn, was on the hot seat, facing questions about his leadership and how he handled the sexual misconduct allegations leveled against his former boss."
- "Lori Loughlin and 15 Others Face New Charges in College Admissions Scheme," by Spencer Buell, Boston Magazine: "A new set of indictments has been handed down to 16 parents related to the unfolding college admissions scandal, including actress Lori Loughlin. A federal grand jury added new charges related to the way parents allegedly funneled money to William "Rick" Singer in an effort to get their children admitted to elite universities with bribes for phony test results and bogus recommendations from coaches. Singer has pleaded guilty to federal counts for conspiracy to commit racketeering, conspiracy to commit money laundering, conspiracy to defraud the United States, and obstruction of justice."
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| WARREN REPORT |
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- "Elizabeth Warren is at odds with Richard Neal over a bill banning the government from offering free tax filing," by Nik DeCosta-Klipa, Boston.com: "Sen. Elizabeth Warren has repeatedly introduced legislation to give taxpayers the option of letting the government file their taxes for them free of charge, collectively saving the country millions of hours and dollars each spring. However, a new bill backed by Rep. Richard Neal, a fellow Massachusetts Democrat, would preclude that from ever happening. Last week, both Republicans and Democrats in the House Ways and Means Committee, which Neal chairs, voted to advance the Taxpayer First Act, a bill that supporters say would implement "commonsense" reforms to modernize the Internal Revenue Service ."
- "Elizabeth Warren Had Charisma, and Then She Ran for President," by Peter Beinart, The Atlantic: "Now that Warren is running for president, many journalists have decided the charisma is gone. An article last month in The Week noted that Warren "doesn't do uplift, which is what people mean when they grumble about her lack of 'charisma' and 'energy.'" In a recent story about Warren's fundraising trouble, The New York Times suggested that she was suffering because Democrats' "longstanding fascination with youthful charisma—along with its current, Trump-driven fixation on electability—can outweigh qualities like experience or policy expertise." What happened? Warren may be a victim of what scholars of women's leadership call the "double bind": For female candidates, it's difficult to come across as competent and charismatic at the same time. To be considered charismatic, leaders must be both appealing and inspiring, both likable and visionary."
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| TRUMPACHUSETTS |
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- "In Boston visits, Trump health officials ridicule 'Medicare for All' plans," by Priyanka Dayal McCluskey, Boston Globe: "Two top Trump administration officials visiting Massachusetts slammed the Affordable Care Act as a failure - even though the law has broad bipartisan support in this state and appears to be working smoothly here. US Secretary of Health and Human Services Alex M. Azar II and the administrator of Medicare and Medicaid, Seema Verma, in separate appearances Monday also ridiculed the "Medicare for All" plans that many Democrats are now promoting."
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| DATELINE D.C. |
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- "Measure to improve prescription drug price transparency passes House Ways and Means Committee," by Elise Linscott, MassLive.com: "A bipartisan bill to increase transparency of prescription drug pricing is advancing after unanimous passage Tuesday by the House Committee on Ways and Means. There has been public outcry since manufacturers of life-saving drugs like EpiPen raised prices by nearly 500 percent in just 10 years, while costs of drugs like insulin have doubled from 2012 to 2016, according to the Health Care Cost Institute."
- "Mass. U.S. Reps. Clark And Pressley Introduce Sweeping Sexual Harassment Bill," by Kimberly Atkins, WBUR: "U.S. Reps. Katherine Clark and Ayanna Pressley on Tuesday introduced a sweeping sexual harassment bill they said will add needed federal enforcement power to stop the kinds of workplace inequalities, mistreatment and violence brought to public spotlight by the #MeToo movement. Standing alongside other lawmakers, advocates and workers who told stories of harassment on Capitol Hill, Clark and Pressley unveiled the Bringing an End to Harassment by Enhancing Accountability and Rejecting Discrimination (Be HEARD) in the Workplace Act. The legislation aims to give express federal protection against sexual harassment and sexual orientation discrimination on the job."
- "State Street CEO to face Ocasio-Cortez, other banking critics," by Greg Ryan, Boston Business Journal: "State Street Corp. CEO Ron O'Hanley is set to testify Wednesday to members of Congress — including freshman Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and other critics of the banking industry — about what lessons the company has learned since the financial crisis. O'Hanley will appear before the U.S. House Financial Services Committee with the chief executives of some of the country's largest financial services companies, including Bank of America Corp.'s (NYSE: BAC) Brian Moynihan and JPMorgan Chase & Co.'s (NYSE: JPM) Jamie Dimon. It's the first time since 2009 that the leaders of the institutions will appear together before federal lawmakers."
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| MARIJUANA IN MASSACHUSETTS |
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- "Bay State lawmakers look to combat black market pot," by Rick Sobey, Boston Herald: "Two Massachusetts legislators are looking to thwart the state's booming illicit marijuana market, which continues to thrive more than four months after legal pot sales started here. Sen. Michael Moore, a Democrat from Millbury, and Rep. Hannah Kane, a Republican from Shrewsbury, filed a bill Monday titled, "An Act to enhance enforcement against unlicensed marijuana operators." The lawmakers want to create a multi-agency illicit marijuana task force that would work on combating illicit marijuana cultivation, processing, manufacturing and distribution."
- P.S. If you use medical marijuana or CBD (or if you're a health professional who has worked with it), we want to hear from you. Tell us your story and a reporter might reach out.
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| ALL ABOARD |
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- "Lawmakers call for MBTA to freeze fares, citing bridge work," by Adam Vaccaro, Boston Globe: "Nearly a month after the MBTA finalized its latest fare hike, 30 state lawmakers are still protesting it, arguing transit prices should remain at their current rate until the state finishes major construction projects involving the Tobin Bridge over the next two years. The bipartisan group of lawmakers from north of Boston wrote in a letter to the T's governing board that the 5.8 percent fare hike scheduled for July 1 will be "inconvenient, imprudent, and unfair" to motorists who begin using the transit system during construction."
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| ABOVE THE FOLD |
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— Herald: "FOR HIS BROTHERS" — Globe: "Would-be Pilgrim owner faces questions," "Wider charges in college scandal," "A RINGING CELEBRATION, BUT THE BEATING GOES ON." |
| FROM THE 413 |
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- "Channing Bete to close June 30," Domenic Poli, Greenfield Recorder: "The Channing Bete Company expects to cease operations June 30, the South Deerfield publisher announced today. The first position eliminations will come June 24, and most employees will be released between June 24 and July 3, according to the company. A handful of workers will stay on a bit longer as the company dissolves. Employees can anticipate a two-week window for their estimated end date. The company employs 105 people, who learned of their fate during a company-wide meeting today."
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| THE LOCAL ANGLE |
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- "Behind the scenes of the sex ed tussle in Worcester," by Bill Shaner, Worcester Magazine: "The debate over sex education in Worcester came to a head in February, at a meeting that saw nearly two hours of public comment. On one side, advocates pushed for the committee to adopt a sex education curriculum that teaches consent and is inclusive of LGBTQ lifestyles - one in line with educational best practices and backed up by data. On the other, people protested the frank talk about sex with city youth and cast comprehensive sex education as a cause of moral decay. But here's the thing: the latter had already won the battle months before that February meeting took place."
- "Derenoncourt enters race for mayor of Brockton," by Marc Larocque, Brockton Enterprise: "In 2017, he made history as a Haitian-American elected to the City Council. Now, he has his sights set on the corner office at City Hall. In a statement first released to The Enterprise, Councilor-at-large Jean Bradley Derenoncourt on Tuesday declared his candidacy for the mayor. Derenoncourt, a 28-year-old native of Haiti, who became a U.S. citizen in 2016, is challenging three-term incumbent Mayor Bill Carpenter, 62. If elected, Derenoncourt would be the first non-white mayor of the city of roughly 100,000 people, where racial minorities now make up majority of the population, which includes large immigrant communities from Haiti and Cape Verde."
SPOTTED: Watching the Red Sox on Opening Day at Fenway Park yesterday ... Boston Mayor Marty Walsh, UMass President Marty Meehan, Will Keyser and Eileen O'Connor of Keyser Public Strategies, Tom Kershaw, Rob Friedman, Joe Milano and Dave Balfour, Ed Cash, Matt Keswick and Brianna Dignan.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY - to Boston Mayor Marty Walsh, University of Massachusetts special assistant for business & workforce partnerships and Baker and Romney alum Scott Conway and Mass. Playbook's leading expert on all things cool Elaina Nigro.
DID THE HOME TEAM WIN? Yes and no! The Celtics beat the Wizards 116-110. The Blue Jays beat the Red Sox 7-5.
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.
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