BOILING OVER — The conflict between Mayor Michelle Wu and North Finish restaurateurs isn’t nearly outside eating anymore.
Restaurant homeowners unwilling to fork over $7,500 to run outside eating within the neighborhood this summer time are being backed by anti-vaccine protesters and basic critics of Wu. Her opponents are intermingling on-line, exterior her home, at Metropolis Corridor and within the North Finish, taunting the mayor and, in some circumstances, the restaurateurs who are siding with her.
Shana Cottone, the Boston police sergeant who’s been outstanding within the push towards Wu’s vaccine mandate for metropolis staff, confirmed up yesterday alongside the restaurateurs protesting Wu at Metropolis Corridor and within the North Finish. Wu later tweeted that a few of these restaurateurs “have taken half within the yelling exterior my home, bullied Metropolis workers & fellow restaurant homeowners.”
Wu has offered a compromise. However that hasn’t stopped the pushback. Her workplace moved yesterday’s occasion saying versatile fee plans for restaurant homeowners from the third-floor mezzanine of Metropolis Corridor to behind closed doorways within the fifth-floor Eagle Room as a consequence of protesters. Undeterred, restaurateurs and others together with Cottone headed for the mayor’s workplace to say their piece.
“Let’s be clear. We won’t normalize harassment as acceptable habits,” Wu tweeted afterward, in response to a viral video of the restaurateurs. In another post, she stated town “hosted a number of public conferences on this open to everybody over the previous few months. That’s how you can form coverage selections, NOT by teaming up with antivax protesters discovering each alternative to harass individuals.”
Getting misplaced on this feud are the residents who’re pressuring their elected leaders to make adjustments to the outside eating pilot program this yr after navigating clogged streets and parking and trash woes final summer time. And a few of these residents vote: Wu received the North Finish final fall, and the neighborhood’s metropolis and state representatives are all up for election this yr.
GOOD WEDNESDAY MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS. Home Speaker Ron Mariano is endorsing former Boston Metropolis Councilor Andrea Campbell for state lawyer basic, lauding her “lived expertise” and expressing “utmost confidence” in her imaginative and prescient for the workplace.
“Andrea has devoted her total profession not solely to advocacy, however to motion,” the Quincy Democrat stated in an announcement shared first with Playbook. “She has defended the rights of youngsters and their households as an schooling lawyer, pushed for larger fairness in our schooling and transportation techniques beneath the Patrick Administration, and handed historic housing and felony justice laws as president of the Boston Metropolis Council.”
Mariano’s newest foray into this yr’s statewide races follows a shock assertion of assist for state Legal professional Basic Maura Healey for governor throughout a State Home Information Service occasion final week. Campbell stated she’s “extremely grateful” for the highest Home Democrat’s assist. Mariano didn’t again Campbell within the Boston mayor’s race final yr; he somewhat infamously endorsed former state Rep. Jon Santiago.
TODAY — Gov. Charlie Baker and Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito hear from survivors at a Worcester roundtable on the administration’s dangerousness and “revenge porn” payments at 10 a.m. Polito chairs a Governor’s Council assembly at midday. Healey visits the Chelsea Boys & Women Membership at 8 a.m. Interim Suffolk DA Kevin Hayden is on GBH’s “Boston Public Radio” at 11 a.m. Rep. Lori Trahan and colleagues host a virtual summit on faculty sports activities inequities at 12:15 p.m.
Ideas? Scoops? Going to Chris Rock’s show at the Wilbur? E-mail me: [email protected].
— “Massachusetts reports pandemic low for intubated coronavirus patients,” by Rick Sobey, Boston Herald: “The 9 sufferers on ventilators is the bottom rely of the pandemic, tying final July 7. … The state Division of Public Well being reported 882 COVID-19 circumstances, a 14% enhance from 773 infections recorded final Tuesday. … Within the state’s weekly breakthrough report, the state Division of Public Well being reported 3,892 breakthrough infections final week — a 43% bounce from the two,732 absolutely vaccinated circumstances through the prior week.”
— “Mass. case numbers, coronavirus levels in waste water tick up from low levels,” by Martin Finucane and Ryan Huddle, Boston Globe.
— BALLOT BATTLE REVS UP: Opponents of the proposed laws and poll query to categorise drivers for app-based firms like Uber and Lyft as impartial contractors reasonably than workers are holding occasions in Boston, Lynn, New Bedford and Springfield forward of this afternoon’s legislative committee listening to on the matter. Secretary of state hopeful and NAACP Boston Department President Tanisha Sullivan is amongst these becoming a member of Massachusetts Is Not For Sale in Roxbury at 10 a.m. In the meantime, proponents of the proposals will maintain their very own press convention at midday close to the Brewer Fountain on the Boston Widespread.
State Legal professional Basic Maura Healey and labor lawyer Shannon Liss-Riordan plan to testify at the Legislature’s 1 p.m. hearing. Liss-Riordan opposes the poll initiative and Healey has sued Uber and Lyft for misclassifying staff as impartial contractors.
— “Post-COVID recovery: Massachusetts must invest in housing, child care, transit, new report finds,” by Alison Kuznitz, MassLive: “The COVID-19 pandemic irrevocably altered office dynamics — and now, Massachusetts should spend money on job coaching, public transportation, youngster care and psychological well being helps, amongst different key arenas, to make sure a resilient post-coronavirus economic system, a brand new legislative report concludes. Distant and hybrid work codecs will repeatedly evolve the following decade, the Way forward for Work Fee — co-chaired by state Sen. Eric Lesser and state Rep. Josh Cutler — stated in a report unveiled Tuesday. Whereas know-how and innovation should adapt to make sure Massachusetts retains its aggressive edge, different human infrastructure wants like housing and schooling additionally warrant overhauls to maintain a fluid labor market.”
— “Spilka Looks Forward To Senate Licensing Bill Debate,” by Chris Van Buskirk, State Home Information Service (paywall): “Senate President Karen Spilka stated she seemed ahead to debating laws in her department that would offer some undocumented immigrants a pathway to acquire a driver’s license in Massachusetts, although the Ashland Democrat didn’t supply a timeline for when the invoice may come up within the Senate throughout pre-recorded remarks aired Tuesday at a digital [MIRA Coalition] advocacy occasion.”
— “How clean is the air in your school or workplace? Hint: Many places are lacking,” by Kay Lazar, Boston Globe: “In Massachusetts, with its abundance of historic buildings and getting old faculties with decrepit heating and cooling techniques, the standard of indoor air can also be a priority. No less than half of the air flow techniques in public faculties have but to be upgraded, one professional estimated.”
— “Michelle Wu offers ‘hardship exemptions’ to North End outdoor dining fee as restaurant owners continue to fume,” by Sean Philip Cotter, Boston Herald: “Mayor Michelle Wu softened town’s stance on North Finish outside eating, permitting ‘hardship exemptions’ to the neighborhood-specific $7,500 opt-in charge — although that did little to calm indignant enterprise homeowners who say they shouldn’t be alone in having to pay. … Issues bought salty after the press convention ended. Metropolis officers directed individuals out a facet entrance to the mayor’s places of work, away from the protesters. As among the pro-Wu restaurant homeowners walked out throughout the decrease mezzanine, the anti-Wu contingent rained down insults from the walkways above, calling them ‘rats.’”
— “Owner of firm overseeing Government Center garage demolition has history of OSHA violations,” by Chris Burrell, GBH Information: “The proprietor of the corporate in control of demolishing the Authorities Middle storage when it partially collapsed final weekend has a historical past of employee security violations, in line with the U.S. Occupational Security and Well being Administration.”
— “Company overseeing Boston garage demolition has faced lawsuits from other injured workers,” by Beth Healy and Christine Willmsen, WBUR: “The Brockton-based firm has paid massive settlements in recent times in at the least three lawsuits introduced by staff who bought damage on the job and blamed JDC and different contractors.”
— “At UMass Boston, racial tensions rise during search for new dean,” by Kirk Carapezza, GBH Information: “At UMass Boston, a white professor’s criticism of a Black dean being chosen to steer a seek for the following schooling dean has generated heated exchanges.”
— “‘Gentrification is destroying the community’: In Eastie, first-generation Bostonians lament a changing neighborhood,” by Danny McDonald, Boston Globe: “Expensive improvement continues to quickly remodel this neighborhood, lengthy often called a touchdown pad for immigrants however drawing extra prosperous white-collar staff and college students by the day. During the last decade, luxurious excessive rises have sprouted alongside the once-industrial waterfront whereas broader upheaval has extra quietly modified Eastie’s inside — a surge of cash, property values, and developer exercise that has the neighborhood’s working-class residents frightened they received’t be capable to hold on.”
— “As Boston weighs a reparations commission, questions of cost and control arise,” by Adam Reilly, GBH Information: “As Boston strikes to ascertain a fee charged with crafting a municipal reparations coverage, District 1 Metropolis Councilor Lydia Edwards is elevating questions concerning the potential price of such a fee and the way its membership can be decided.”
— ENDORSEMENT ALERT: The Collective PAC, which helps elect Black candidates, has endorsed NAACP Boston Department President Tanisha Sullivan for secretary of state and former Boston Metropolis Councilor Andrea Campbell for state lawyer basic.
— “Labor attorney Shannon Liss-Riordan snags government employee union endorsement in AG campaign,” by Samantha J. Gross, Boston Globe: “The Nationwide Affiliation of Authorities Workers, a Quincy-based union which represents 22,000 public-sector workers in Massachusetts and greater than 40,000 nationwide, introduced Tuesday that its members unanimously voted to again Liss-Riordan.”
— “Councilor Shirley Asack vows to ‘get more for Brockton’ if voters send her to State House,” by Chris Helms, Brockton Enterprise: “Metropolis Councilor Shirley Asack’s pitch to your vote within the new all-Brockton State Home seat is all enterprise. … [Asack is] working within the Democratic major towards fellow Metropolis Councilor Rita Mendes, an at-large councilor who was the highest vote-getter in November’s election. Businessman Fred Fontaine can also be working as an impartial.”
— ON THIS EPISODE OF: State Legal professional Basic Maura Healey appeared on Kara Swisher’s “Sway” podcast for NYT to speak about the whole lot from her lawsuits towards former President Donald Trump to her marketing campaign for governor. She solid the governor’s race as a contest between her and Trump-endorsed Geoff Diehl — with out really saying his title. Pressed on what she’d do on Day One as governor, Healey talked about “having nice groups” in place with “various management” and talked about the considerations she’s listening to from voters about psychological well being care, youngster care and workforce improvement.
— “Boston activist Monica Cannon-Grant and her husband plead not guilty to defrauding donors to anti-violence nonprofit,” by Shelley Murphy, Boston Globe: “Outstanding neighborhood organizer Monica Cannon-Grant and her husband pleaded not responsible Tuesday to fees that they defrauded donors who donated to their nonprofit, Violence in Boston Inc., illegally collected pandemic unemployment advantages, and lied on a mortgage software when buying their Taunton house final yr. … Throughout a 10-minute listening to, Assistant US Legal professional Adam Deitch advised the decide that the federal government’s case towards the couple is ‘complicated’ and entails a ‘large’ quantity of proof.”
— “Lawsuit challenges statute that denies homeowners profit from foreclosed homes,” by Shira Schoenberg, CommonWealth Journal: “The California-based Pacific Authorized Basis is utilizing [Deborah] Foss’s case to problem a Massachusetts legislation that lets a municipality seize a property due nonpayment of property taxes, then promote the property and hold any revenue above the quantity owed.”
— “Elizabeth Warren on Biden’s billionaire tax: ‘I would have gone further’,” by Jess Bidgood, Boston Globe: “A proposal within the Biden administration’s finances, launched Monday, would require anybody value greater than $100 million to pay at the least 20 % of their revenue in taxes — and embrace the rise within the worth of their investments, or unrealized features, as a part of that revenue. It’s not a carbon copy of Warren’s authentic concept. And Democratic Senator Joe Manchin of West Virginia has already expressed reservations about it, which may doom its probabilities. However the inclusion of the idea within the presidential finances exhibits how Warren’s name to tailor a tax to the very richest People — and to broaden what they’re taxed on — has woven itself into the material of Democratic politics almost three years after she first extolled it from crowded major debate levels.”
— Extra: “Mass. lawmakers back Biden’s billionaires’ tax,” by Christian M. Wade, Newburyport Day by day Information: “Rep. Seth Moulton, D-Salem, says he additionally helps Biden’s effort to tax the nation’s prime earners. … Rep. Lori Trahan, D-Westford, stated she additionally helps Biden’s tax proposal and his administration’s effort to get the nation’s wealthiest to ‘pay their justifiable share’ of the federal tax burden.”
— “Senate climate hawks announce 500-day energy independence plan,” by Zack Budryk, The Hill: “Senate Democrats who’re a part of the chamber’s Local weather Change Job Power are calling for a multistep technique to attain vitality independence by transitioning to renewable vitality over the following 500 days. At a gathering of the duty power Tuesday, Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) outlined a collection of reforms that he stated would obtain the purpose with out elevated reliance on fossil fuels.”
— “Democrats in Congress ask Clarence Thomas to recuse himself from Jan. 6 cases,” by Jacqueline Alemany, Washington Put up: “The letter, spearheaded by Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.), follows The Washington Put up’s reporting on repeated efforts by conservative activist Virginia ‘Ginni’ Thomas, the Supreme Court docket justice’s spouse, to stress White Home Chief of Workers Mark Meadows to pursue varied avenues to overturn the 2020 election.”
— “Opponents torch proposed rules for burning wood to create electricity in Mass.,” by Miriam Wasser, WBUR: “Massachusetts is as soon as once more revisiting wood-burning biomass energy laws, and the general public, it appears, is just not happy with the plan. The state’s Division of Power Sources held a digital listening to on Tuesday to get suggestions on a proposal to alter which biomass vegetation qualify for profitable renewable vitality subsidies, and the way the state tracks and verifies the kind of wooden these vegetation burn. And for about two hours, the overwhelming majority of audio system implored the division to go away the laws alone.”
— “Report: Much of area’s rental housing out of reach for residents,” by Dusty Christensen, Day by day Hampshire Gazette: “Housing affordability and segregation characterize a major problem within the Pioneer Valley, the place the COVID-19 pandemic and a sizzling market have contributed to rising housing inaccessibility. These are among the findings of a brand new research revealed by the UMass Donahue Institute’s Financial & Public Coverage Analysis Group, which discovered that the area wants at the least 17,000 extra rental items at or under $500 a month.”
— “State’s workplace inspectors refuse Springfield courthouse visit,” by Jim Kinney, Springfield Republican: “The state Govt Workplace of Labor and Workforce Improvement has refused to ship its office security inspectors to Roderick L. Eire Courthouse, irritating the union representing 200 clerical staff assigned to the complicated.”
— “New Census data confirms Massachusetts has some of the highest housing costs in the US,” by Daigo Fujiwara and Christina Prignano, Boston Globe: “New Census information launched this month exhibits Massachusetts has the third-highest house values amongst US states, and prices are solely rising. Amongst owner-occupied housing items, Massachusetts had a median house worth of almost $400,000, in line with the brand new information, collected as a part of the American Group Survey 5-year estimates. … The survey additionally discovered quickly rising house values in Larger Boston, with some cities, together with Boston and Cambridge, reporting house values about 50 % increased than they have been in 2010, the final time an analogous survey was launched.”
— “Schools get fed money for lunch supply issues,” by Christian M. Wade, Newburyport Day by day Information: “Massachusetts faculties are getting a tranche of federal funding to cowl the rising price of greens, meat and different college lunch staples which were pushed up by file excessive inflation and nationwide provide chain points. The state has obtained a $17.8 million grant from the U.S. Division of Agriculture’s Provide Chain Help program.”
— “Cambridge City Councilor Assaulted While Being Interviewed About Homeless Problem,” by Christina Hager, WBZ: “A person hit the TV videographer after which hit town councilor that was being interviewed. ‘I’m high quality. I’m high quality,’ stated Councilor Marc McGovern. Coincidentally, McGovern has been finding out the influence of the rising inhabitants of unhoused individuals in Cambridge. He’s additionally a social employee. ‘I do know that gentleman from the realm. He’s unhoused. He does have psychological sickness.’ … He stated the difficulty has been even worse since Boston’s sweep of the encampment within the space often called Mass and Cass months in the past.”
— “Harvard drops from top three law schools, ties with MIT among best business schools,” by Benjamin Kail, Boston Enterprise Journal: “Harvard College fell out of the highest three in U.S. Information & World Report’s 2023 greatest legislation faculties record, tying for fourth place with Columbia College.”
SPOTTED — at state Sen. Lydia Edwards’ reelection marketing campaign kickoff on Monday: Boston Mayor Michelle Wu; Suffolk County Sheriff Steve Tompkins; state Reps. Adrian Madaro, Jeff Turco and Jessica Giannino; auditor hopeful and state Sen. Diana DiZoglio; Revere Mayor Brian Arrigo; Boston Metropolis Council President Ed Flynn; Boston Metropolis Councilor Kenzie Bok; former councilor and present AG candidate Andrea Campbell; Revere Metropolis Councilors Patrick Keefe, Marc Silvestri and Steven Morabito; Ed Money, Ricardo Patron and Gabriela Coletta, per a Playbook tipster. Assistant Home Speaker Katherine Clark attended a supporter Zoom forward of the in-person occasion.
TRANSITIONS — Patch reporter and editor Mike Carraggi is moving to the company’s product team.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY — to Anna Duffy, Day by day Hampshire Gazette reporter Dusty Christensen, Invoice Ryan and Mark Daley.
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CORRECTION: An earlier model of Massachusetts Playbook misstated when elections for metropolis and state representatives in North Finish would happen. They’re slated to occur later this yr.
