09/25/2017 07:02 AM EDT
By Lauren Dezenski (ldezenski@politico.com; @LaurenDezenski) and Rebecca Morin (rmorin@politico.com; @RebeccaMorin_)
GOOD MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS. Sunny with a high of 82 today.
SETTI'S AMAZON BID - Newton Mayor Setti Warren has gone where no other gubernatorial candidate has yet ventured - he's pushing for a specific city, Worcester, to be Massachusetts' pick for Amazon's second headquarters.
Setti's pitch for the City of Seven Hills to play host to Amazon's HQ2 reads less as a bid to lure another multinational company like GE to Massachusetts than a chance for the Newton mayor to talk about the benefit of high-speed rail connecting Springfield to Boston and combating economic inequality, two major components of his stump speech. And Amazon could be a private partner whose potential direct investments could make the costly rail proposal come to life. FWIW, Warren wouldn't write off tax breaks to reel in Amazon, but did say on Friday that he wants any incentives to be tied to "real outcomes for people."
One thing to watch: Warren's Worcester-HQ2 proposal roll-out this weekend was missing key shows of support from within Worcester itself. While Worcester is among the bevy of cities and towns across the state crafting a bid, Mayor Joe Petty was noticeably absent from Warren's Saturday press conference in Worcester, and Warren told reporters on Friday that he hadn't had conversations with anyone like Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce chief Tim Murray ahead of his announcement to support a Worcester bid.
Have a tip, story, suggestion, birthday, anniversary, new job, or any other nugget for the Playbook? Get in touch: ldezenski@politico.com.
TODAY - Sen. Ed Markey holds an emergency health care roundtable with officials from at least 16 health care organizations, advocacy groups, and providers at his office in Boston this morning - Gov. Charlie Baker and LG Karyn Polito participate in a Brain Aneurysm Awareness Month event at the State House - The MBTA kicks off Rail Safety Week with a press conference with Keolis andTransit Police at South Station.
** A message from PhRMA: Ever wonder who decides what you pay for your medicines? It's not who you might think. Biopharmaceutical companies set the list prices for their medicines, but it's your insurer that decides how much you pay out of pocket. More than one-third of the list price is rebated back to middlemen, but these savings aren't always shared with patients. http://onphr.ma/2xoeT5w **
DATELINE BEACON HILL -
- "GOP Gov. Baker again battles his own party on health care," by Steve LeBlanc, Associated Press: "Charlie Baker's relationship with GOP leaders in Washington just keeps getting stickier. Republican attempts to repeal former President Barack Obama's health care law have become something of a recurring nightmare for the Republican Massachusetts governor, who pushed back against earlier efforts, all of which failed."
- "Union pushing petition calling for Board of Ed chair's firing," by Michael P. Norton, State House News Service: "Teachers are keeping up their calls for Gov. Charlie Baker to dismiss state Board of Education Chairman Paul Sagan, citing his role in a dark money scandal that recently led to the largest fine in state campaign finance regulation history. In a web post Thursday, Massachusetts Teachers Association President Barbara Madeloni urged more people to sign a Massachusetts Education Justice Alliance petition urging Sagan's firing, told teachers to "be prepared for calls for more action," and said Sagan would not be attending a state Board of Education meeting on Tuesday in Malden."
- "Look closely: The data debunk the Taxachusetts myth," by Evan Horowitz, Boston Globe: "Taxes in Massachusetts aren't high. Compared with the rest of the country, they're pretty average. And among New England states, only New Hampshire has a lower overall tax rate. Says who? The Census Bureau, which regularly releases details on taxes collected by state and local governments."
- "Budget Overrides And Luring Amazon: The Week Ahead On Beacon Hill," by Carrie Healy, New England Public Radio: "Massachusetts politicians are getting involved in the sweepstakes surrounding Amazon's hunt for a second headquarters. That long-term goal comes as the state receives some good short-term news on tax collections."
THE WARREN REPORT -
- "Trump's Nominee for Antitrust Chief Clears Hurdle," by Brent Kendall, Wall Street Journal: "The Justice Department may soon have a Senate-confirmed official to lead its antitrust enforcement efforts, as a key senator removed a procedural hurdle Friday. President Donald Trump's nominee for the position, White House deputy counsel Makan Delrahim, had been bogged down in the Senate through the summer, in part due to objections raised by Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D., Mass.), a leading figure in the Democrats' liberal wing.
ON THE STUMP -
- "County Commissioner Ronald Beaty Explores Governor Run," by Steven Withrow, Mashpee Enterprise: "While many have said that Republican Governor Charles D. Baker Jr., who has an approval rating of about 70 percent among the Massachusetts electorate, is unbeatable in the 2018 election, Barnstable County Commissioner Ronald R. Beaty Jr. believes the sitting governor is vulnerable to defection by dissatisfied conservatives in his own party. Looking to take advantage of this potential vulnerability, Mr. Beaty, a Republican from West Barnstable, said he is exploring the possibility of a run for governor ."
- "No joke: Comedian Jimmy Tingle is interested in running for Massachusetts lieutenant governor," by Gintautas Dumcius, Masslive.com: "Comedian Jimmy Tingle, who lives in Cambridge, is apparently interested in running for statewide political office in Massachusetts. 'Not a Joke!' Tingle wrote in a Facebook post. 'I would Love to get your Help and Support.' Tingle on Friday filed paperwork with the Massachusetts Office of Campaign and Political Finance and formed a political committee to run as a Democrat for lieutenant governor in 2018."
- AD TIME -- "Joe Shortsleeve - Giving Voters a Voice," In the month-long stretch between the primary and general, Joe Shortsleeve, an independent candidate in the Bristol and Norfolk Special Senate race has released his first ad. It riffs on Shortsleeve's experience on WBZ's iTeam and what an independent could bring to the State House. (3:36)
- "Haitian community rallies in support of Walsh," by Maddie Kilgannon, Dorchester Reporter: "Mayor Martin Walsh kicked off the last weekend before Tuesday's preliminary election at a rally with the Haitian community in Mattapan. Roughly 100 people attended Saturday morning's rally on Blue Hill Avenue for Walsh's reelection, which was organized by former State Rep. Marie St. Fleur and state Sen. Linda Dorcena Forry. Suffolk County Sheriff Steve Tompkins was also in attendance, as was Attorney General Maura Healey, who endorsed Walsh in his reelection campaign."
- "Framingham Election: It's a Mad, Mad Race," by Spencer Buell, Boston Magazine: "'Scene of the crime' isn't exactly what comes to mind when you walk through the drab-yet-cheerful lobby of the Framingham Public Library. Yet it was here, on a typical Saturday morning, where the biggest political scandal of the city's mayor's race (so far) unfurled."
WOOD WAR - Herald: "POLITICAL FOOTBALL" - Globe: "Patriots display solidarity," "FLIGHT PLAN FOR FAILURE," "Arroyo denies all allegations, cites effort to hurt him," "SJC to review drug-free order," "Revisions to travel ban."
THE LOCAL ANGLE -
WHAT CITY HALL IS READING - "Arroyo calls harassment allegations an effort to damage his reputation," by Meghan E. Irons, Boston Globe: "Felix G. Arroyo, the city's former health services chief, is defiantly rejecting allegations that he sexually harassed a woman under his supervision, saying that he never created a hostile work environment and did not grab the woman by the back of her neck, as she asserted. Arroyo was fired by Mayor Martin J. Walsh's administration Aug. 24 after the woman accused him of sexual harassment."
- "Hundreds on Common join in show of peace," by Kathleen McKiernan, Boston Herald: "More than 1,600 people gathered on the Common yesterday in the hopes of setting the world record for largest human peace symbol as part of an effort to bring people together, heal social divisions and raise awareness for Children's Services of Roxbury."
- "New this election: High school students as poll workers," by Bernadette Darcy, Dorchester Reporter: "Boston voters will see some new faces when they arrive at their polling locations next Tuesday. City high school students have been recruited to help set-up, greet voters and prepare ballots for pick up through a new initiative. Roughly 40 students from 13 high schools attended mandatory training sessions at the BPS headquarters in Dudley Square on this week."
- "Coming soon: Fiber-optic debut in Mount Washington," by Larry Parnass, Berkshire Eagle: "More than 14 months ago, the Massachusetts Broadband Institute gave this town $230,000, making it only the second 'fiber to the home' broadband project to win state backing. Now, Berkshire County's smallest community is a month from lighting up its new fiber-optic network and coming off the rolls of 'unserved' towns."
- "Worcester Railers counting down to opening night; goal is sellout of 12,316," by Bill Ballou, Worcester Telegram: "The return of professional hockey to the city is less than a month away and the Worcester Railers have a problem. They are not sure where to put all the people they are expecting for opening night. The DCU Center's sellout number for hockey was 12,316 during the years it was home ice for the AHL IceCats and Sharks, a number that was reached only twice in 20 seasons. The IceCats did it first in February, 1995 and again a month later."
ICYMI - "Flight plan for Failure," by Kelly Carr, Jaimi Dowdell, and Jenn Abelson, Boston Globe: "Just two minutes after the private jet was cleared for landing, the pilot realized his error and declared an emergency. He had miscalculated the fuel needs for the one-hour journey from Germany and now his engines were flaming out. The Learjet plummeted toward the ground that day in September 2012, then carved its way through a field, coming to rest amid cornstalks and mud, the passenger onboard seriously hurt. First responders found the pilot, an Iranian with a criminal record, unconscious in the cockpit. Nearby, investigators discovered a US pilot certificate with a name that wasn't his."
MEDIA MOVES - "Out of 'Spotlight,' the movie, comes the Spotlight Fellowship," by the Boston Globe: "But the team at one of the companies behind the film - Participant Media, founded by Jeff Skoll and dedicated to entertainment that inspires social change - wanted to do more to champion the work of investigative journalists. So they created the Spotlight Investigative Journalism Fellowship. Participant Media, along with the film's partners Open Road Films and First Look Media, fund the fellowship, which provides recipients the opportunity to work on their own in-depth investigative stories alongside The Boston Globe's Spotlight Team."
- "The NFL Responds to Donald Trump," by The Ringer staff: "Trump attacked the NFL and its players during a rally Friday, insinuating that anyone who kneels during the national anthem is a "son of a b****." Many of the NFL's most prominent figures have since stood up to the president."
MAZEL! - "Congressman Seth Moulton weds Liz Boardman," by Mark Shanahan, Boston Globe: "Congrats to US Representative Seth Moulton and Liz Boardman, who got married under not-so-sunny skies in Marblehead Friday. Moulton, who'd proposed to Boardman in June on the Speaker's Balcony of the US Capitol Building, got hitched at Marblehead's Old North Church in front of a crowd that included family, friends, and few fellow pols and other familiar faces."
HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY - to Kaleigh Ross, former Coakley campaign staffer and currently working in AG Maura Healey's office.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY - to Pittsfield state Rep. Tricia Farley-Bouvier and AG Maura Healey's chief of staff Mike Firestone.
DID THE HOME TEAMS WIN? Yes! - The Sox beat the Cincinnati Reds 5-4. The Patriots topped the Houston Texans 36-33.
HAVE YOU HEARD? - The first episode of The Horse Race, a new podcast about Massachusetts' most exciting campaigns from yours truly and master pollster Steve Koczela, is out of the starting gate. In the first ep.: What happened to Boston's mayoral race, the latest on MA-3 and Republican US Senate bids, and how Graham-Cassidy could take a bite out of the governor's race. Plus, Seabiscuit. Subscribe and listen now on iTunes and Sound Cloud.
Want to make an impact? POLITICO Massachusetts has a variety of solutions available for partners looking to reach and activate the most influential people in the Bay State. Have a petition you want signed? A cause you're promoting? Seeking to increase brand awareness among this key audience? Share your message with our influential readers to foster engagement and drive action. Contact Jesse Shapiro to find out how: jshapiro@politico.com.
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** A message from PhRMA: Are middlemen really holding down the cost of medicines? Ever wonder who decides what you pay for your medicines? It's not who you might think. Biopharmaceutical companies set the list prices for their medicines, but it's your insurer that ultimately determines how much you pay out of pocket. More than one-third of the list price of a medicine is rebated back to middlemen, like insurers and pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs). These rebates and discounts create savings of more than $100 billion, but these savings aren't always shared directly with patients. Patients share the costs. They should share the savings. http://onphr.ma/2xoeT5w **
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