POLITICO Massachusetts Playbook: SNOW FIGHT on the T — LINDSTROM kicks off statewide tour — EVERSOURCE nixes rate hike after TAX LAW boost
01/04/2018 07:25 AM EDT
By Lauren Dezenski (ldezenski@politico.com; @LaurenDezenski) with Rebecca Morin (rmorin@politico.com; @RebeccaMorin_)
GOOD MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS. The storm's bearing down, with snow expected to start falling around 7 a.m. The National Weather Service has thelatest forecast, including wind gusts between 65 and 75 miles per hour along the commonwealth's eastern coast.
GONZALEZ AND THE SNOW FIGHT ON THE T - As Massachusetts braces for bombogenesis, there's not a lot to do on a day like today. But for one Democrat, it's an election-year opportunity to try to chip away at Gov. Charlie Baker's apparent Teflon-coated approval rating by using the MBTA. Baker has wrapped his arms fully around the issue of boosting the MBTA and specifically preparing it for the winter after an abysmal transit performance during the region's historic wallop of snow in 2015, which led to an $85 million five-year investment in winter preparedness and the establishment of the T's Fiscal Management and Control Board, among other reforms.
Today, Democratic gubernatorial contender Jay Gonzalez is kicking off the first of four days of commuting on the region's transit system, traveling from his home in Needham Heights to campaign HQ in Cambridge.
This is despite urging by Baker and Transportation Sec. Stephanie Pollack yesterday to stay off of the roads - and stay home - today thanks to the powerful storm expected to deliver high winds, frigid temperatures, wind chills approaching 20 below zero, and snowfall between eight and fourteen inches. The MBTA has cut back its schedule and non-essential state offices are closed today because of the expected dangerous conditions.
For the record, fellow Democratic gubernatorial challenger Setti Warren plans to heed officials warnings and stay inside, per his spokesman, though he'll likely to undertake the same four-day MBTA commuting challenge as Gonzalez sometime next week.
Have a tip, story, suggestion, birthday, anniversary, new job, or any other nugget for the Playbook? Get in touch: ldezenski@politico.com.
TODAY - Gov. Charlie Baker plans to hold an 8 a.m. press conference with an update on the winter storm. Rather than holding it at the bunker in Framingham, it'll be at MassDOT's Highway Operations Center in South Boston - All non-essential state offices are closed today.
ON THE STUMP -
FIRST IN PLAYBOOK - LINDSTROM ON TOUR - Republican US Senate candidate and Elizabeth Warren challenger Beth Lindstrom is kicking off a statewide "business growth tour" with a roundtable for business owners in Hingham at 10 a.m. on Friday, Lindstrom's campaign tells me.
- Meanwhile, Sen. Elizabeth Warren returns to the town hall circuit on Friday night with one scheduled in Quincy, Warren's campaign announced yesterday. This is Warren's first town hall of 2018 and her 18th since the start of 2017.
- MASSIE'S ENERGY PLAN - The Bob Massie gubernatorial campaign is releasing a 28-page plan for Massachusetts' energy needs, including reforming the state's energy regulator Department of Public Utilities by shifting to a performance-based regulatory structure. Massie, with a background in environmental and energy issues, also proposes shifting to 100 percent renewable energy in Massachusetts by 2050. Read the plan here.
THERE'S ALSO AN LG CAMPAIGN UNDERWAY - Year-end OCPF reports are in and Democratic candidate for Lieutenant Governor and Obama administration alum Quentin Palfrey is touting a $100,850 year-end war chest with donors including former AG Martha Coakley, Obama alums including Interior Sec. Ken Salazar, and Patrick administration alums including former MBTA GM Rich Davey. Fellow Dem LG contender and comedian Jimmy Tingle raised just over $30,000 in 2017. Meanwhile, LG Karyn Polito ends 2017 with an eye-popping $8 million-plus sum in her campaign account.
- MARK YOUR CALENDAR - The Longmeadow Democrats have scheduled a candidates night for the LG contenders on Wednesday Jan. 10
- "Former MassLive president Allison Werder mulling Republican run against state Rep. Brian Ashe," by Shira Schoenberg, Masslive.com: "Allison Werder, the former president of MassLive, is considering a run for state representative. Werder, 47, a Republican living in Longmeadow, formed a campaign committee to explore a run for the 2nd Hampden seat currently held by Rep. Brian Ashe, D-Longmeadow."
DATELINE BEACON HILL -
- "Baker expected to trumpet bipartisanship (again) in annual address," by Joshua Miller, Boston Globe: "Kicking off an election year as a Republican in a state that is not, Governor Charlie Baker will deliver his State of the Commonwealth address to the Legislature and the people of Massachusetts on Tuesday, Jan. 23, his office announced. The speech is poised to offer the Swampscott 61-year-old his highest-profile opportunity to make the case for what he has accomplished during his three years steering the ship of state government."
- "Massachusetts senators exploring changes to state tax law due to federal overhaul," by Shira Schoenberg, Springfield Republican: "Massachusetts Sen. Harriette Chandler, in her first speech from the Senate rostrum as acting president, said Wednesday that lawmakers would look at addressing the impact of the federal tax law."
- "Jewish holidays prompt state to change primary date," by Christian M. Wade, Salem News: "Benjamin Bloomenthal is weighing a run for a seat in the state House of Representatives, but a quirk of the calendar could prevent from participating in the statewide primary next fall. That's because one of the prospective dates for this year's primary, Tuesday, Sept. 18, falls on Yom Kippur, when he and other observant Jews would be unable to campaign, or perhaps even cast ballots, due to religious considerations."
- "Baker admin. lifts hold on spending earmarks," by Michael P. Norton, State House News Service: "Gov. Charlie Baker is starting the new, election year off on a note that will please members of the Legislature. The News Service confirmed Tuesday that Baker has lifted his hold on funds that lawmakers earmarked in this year's $39.4 billion state budget for district priorities."
THE WARREN REPORT -
- "Elizabeth Warren wants the Education Dept.'s use of earnings data investigated," by Danielle Douglas-Gabriel, Washington Post: "Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) is asking the U.S. Department of Education's inspector general to investigate the agency's use of earnings data to grant partial student loan forgiveness to defrauded borrowers. The request arrives two weeks after the department said it will provide debt relief to former students of Corinthian Colleges by comparing the average earnings of students in similar vocational programs."
- "'Disgraceful': Elizabeth Warren enraged over C.F.P.B.'s Orwellian rebranding," by Bess Levin, Vanity Fair: "Unsurprisingly, one person who is not thrilled by the sea change is Senator Elizabeth Warren, who originally proposed the idea for the agency in 2007. 'Mick Mulvaney's new slogan shows that he's more interested in doing the bidding of big banks than standing up for American families,' she said in a statement to the Hive.'That's disgraceful.'"
- "Republicans to Elizabeth Warren: Please run for president," by Katie Glueck, McClatchy Washington: "'I'll be glad to donate,' joked Ron Kaufman, the Republican National Committeeman from Massachusetts who has watched Warren's career closely. 'I think she's probably unelectable as president.'"
WOOD WAR - Herald: "ICE AGE" - Globe: "Trump fires back at Bannon criticism," "Fight over DACA and budget roils Congress," "SNOW SET TO STORM IN," "It's just winter. Why does this one feel so cruel?"
THE LOCAL ANGLE -
- "Fentanyl banned from courtrooms," by Bob McGovern, Boston Herald: "Fentanyl and carfentanil will be banned from Bay State courtrooms beginning next week because trial court officials fear the potentially deadly risk of handling the potent and toxic opioids."
- "Lowell leaders in full-court press to fix school heat," by Todd Feathers, Lowell Sun: "The high school was closed Wednesday as the temperatures in 20 percent of its classrooms were below the state minimum. On Tuesday, parents posted pictures of their children at school with blue hands and holding thermometers that showed frigid temperatures."
- "Eversource cuts planned Western Massachusetts electric rate increase, citing new federal tax law," by Jim Kinney, Springfield Republican: "Eversource is seeking less of a electricity rate increase in Western Massachusetts than planned, saying it is passing along savings from the federal tax overhaul."
MAZEL! - to Marty Walsh administration and campaign alum Gabrielle Farrell, recently named press secretary for Sen. Elizabeth Warren.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY - to Jamie Chisholm, director of public affairs for DraftKings, and historian Doris Kearns Goodwin.
DID THE HOME TEAM WIN? - Yes! The Celtics beat the Cavaliers 102-88.
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