
Let the battle for City Hall begin
Presented by
WHO'S ON BOSTON'S BALLOT — The field for Boston's much-hyped municipal elections is set — almost
Candidates had until 5 p.m. Tuesday to file their nomination papers with the city's Election Department. And while there are lots of candidates interested in running, only a handful are officially on the ballot so far.
Who's in? Almost all incumbent councilors have already qualified for the ballot, save for At Large Councilor Henry Santana, who hadn't been certified to be on the ballot as of Tuesday night. Michelle Wu tapped her supporters to help collect signatures for Santana, a former director of civic organizing in the mayor's administration who she endorsed in 2023.
Who's out? The only incumbent not seeking another term is Councilor Tania Fernandes Anderson, who earlier this year pledged to step down from the council after pleading guilty to federal corruption charges.
There's plenty of interest in filling the District 7 seat, which covers Roxbury, Dorchester, Fenway and some of the South End. Eight candidates are already officially on the ballot: Said Ahmed, who runs the popular Boston United track program for youth; Samuel Hurtado, who served as a senior adviser to former Mayor Kim Janey; Miniard Culpepper, a Roxbury pastor, who ran for state Senate; Mavrick Afonso, a City Hall alum, who's now with the state's Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities; Natalie Juba-Sutherland of Roxbury; and a handful of candidates who have run council before: Said Abdirahman Abdikarim, Jerome King and Roy Owens.
The other big draw: The citywide at-large race. The fact that all four at-large councilors are planning to run for reelection doesn't seem to have deterred candidates from getting in the race. Alexandra Valdez, the director of Boston's Office of Cultural Affairs, and Yves Mary Jean, who ran for a district council seat in 2019, are both in, as is former District 3 Councilor Frank Baker, who is looking to mount his comeback after forgoing reelection in 2023.
Not so crowded: The mayoral race. A bevy of interested candidates pulled papers to run for mayor, but it looks like the most closely watched race on Boston's ballot may not need a preliminary election come September. Only Wu and Josh Kraft have made it onto the ballot so far, though other candidates could have their signatures certified in the coming days.
GOOD WEDNESDAY MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS. Have a tip, story, suggestion, birthday, anniversary, new job, or any other nugget for the Playbook? Drop me a line: kgarrity@politico.com.
TODAY — Gov. Maura Healey has no public events. Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll speaks at the 2025 Multi-Chamber Legislative Breakfast at 8:15 a.m. in Malden and chairs a Governor's Council meeting at noon at the State House. Attorney General Andrea Campbell is on GBH's 'Boston Public Radio' at 1 p.m. Sen. Ed Markey hosts a Senate Climate Change Task Force meeting at 5 p.m. in D.C. Boston Mayor Michelle Wu hosts a coffee hour in the South End at 10 a.m. and speaks at a ribbon cutting ceremony for the opening of Pok Oi Residence at noon in Chinatown.
DATELINE BEACON HILL
SHELTER SKIRMISH — Just as Gov. Maura Healey announced that the state would soon be closing makeshift shelter sites at hotels, state Auditor Diana DiZoglio released a report chiding the administration for relying on 'unlawful' no-bid contracts for emergency food and transportation services serving shelters.
Those contracts, 'resulted in unnecessarily high costs and inefficiencies,' the auditor's office said. The audit covered a period from July 2021 to June 2024, a chunk of time during which both former Gov. Charlie Baker and Healey were in office.
'We hope, for the sake of history not repeating itself, especially in areas such as the no-bid contracting process, where taxpayers have grown increasingly frustrated and concerned with the appearance of impropriety regarding how and why no-bid contracts were awarded, that this administration will move away from its defensive posture and instead embrace recommended reforms,' DiZoglio said in a statement.
Still, the report earned criticism from one provider. 'When you're auditing systems that are essential service — emergency service systems — you need to really understand the emergency service and the system that you're auditing to understand the nuances of how it functions,' Heading Home CEO Danielle Ferrier told Playbook. 'And what I saw in the report that I read is — I did not see, for example, interviews with providers or folks that know the system. And so a lot of the conclusions, from what I read are actually inaccurate because the audit methodology, to me, is, is lacking.'
More from the Boston Herald and The Boston Globe.
— State board OKs vocational education lottery system by Christian M. Wade, The Eagle-Tribune: 'State education officials have approved a new statewide admissions policy for vocational and technical schools that includes a lottery system to fill high-demand seats in the programs, but advocates say the changes will still leave some students behind. The proposal, approved by the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education on Tuesday, would require the state's 28 vocational and technical schools to use lotteries to fill limited classroom openings. Currently, applicants are ranked on their academic, attendance and disciplinary records.'
FROM THE HUB
— Two Boston City Hall employees fired after being arrested last week, mayor's office says by Nick Stoico and Niki Griswold, The Boston Globe: 'Two Boston City Hall employees have been fired after they were arrested last week in connection with a domestic incident in a Chinatown apartment, a spokesperson for Mayor Michelle Wu's office said Tuesday. Marwa Khudaynazar, 27, chief of staff for the city's Office of Police Accountability, and Chulan Huang, 26, who worked in the Office of Economic Opportunity and Inclusion, had been placed on unpaid leave following their arrests.'
MIGRANTS IN MASSACHUSETTS
— As ICE appearances increase across Mass., local communities amp up resistance by Anjali Huynh, Dan Glaun and Giulia McDonnell Nieto del Rio, The Boston Globe.
PLANES, TRAINS AND AUTOMOBILES
— MBTA board approves 'nuts and bolts' capital budget, leaving billions in critical projects unfunded by Shannon Larson, The Boston Globe: 'On Tuesday, the T's board of directors approved a $9.8 billion, five-year budget for construction projects, while also leaving more than $12.4 billion in needs without funding, familiar territory for the cash-strapped agency. The plan directs the bulk of the investments to critical repairs and service improvements.'
WARREN REPORT
— Mass. Sen Warren roasts Trump's IRS pick: 'You shouldn't be within 1,000 miles' of the job by John L. Micek, MassLive: 'President Donald Trump's pick to run the Internal Revenue Service shouldn't be 'within 1,000 miles' of the post if he couldn't answer a question about black-letter law, U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren argued Tuesday. That criticism came during a tense exchange between Warren and former U.S. Rep. Billy Long, of Missouri, as he faced a barrage of questions before the Senate's Finance Committee.'
FROM THE 413
— Northampton mayor unveils $145M budget, defending school funding position by Alexander MacDougall, Daily Hampshire Gazette: 'Mayor Gina-Louise Sciarra has officially debuted her $145 million fiscal year 2026 budget for the city, continuing to defend her plan for the school district while warning of possible instability from federal cuts. The new budget represents a 4.8% increase from the previous fiscal year, with $129.5 million in the city's general fund and the remaining to be used across the city's four enterprise funds. Within the general fund, school funding makes up 43% of all expenditures, with $43 million budgeted for Northampton Public Schools and another $11 million for Smith Vocational and Agricultural High School.'
THE LOCAL ANGLE
— Quincy mayor to add 'senior scam and fraud liaison' to city payroll by Peter Blandino, The Patriot Ledger: 'Mayor Tom Koch wants to add a new 'senior fraud and scam liaison' for the city's department of elder services. The position comes with a $90,000 salary. In hearings on Mayor Koch's proposed $455.8 million budget for fiscal 2026, the city council's finance committee approved $36 million in spending increases for the fiscal 2026 budget, including this new hire which drew questioning from multiple councilors.'
— Worcester to add security guards, scanners at City Hall by Adam Bass, MassLive: 'Worcester City Manager Eric D. Batista announced Tuesday that City Hall will add security guards on its first floor and install security scanners. Beginning May 27, security compliance officers will be stationed at City Hall when the building is open, according to an email the city issued Tuesday.'
— Norton approves two zoning districts to comply with MBTA law by Madison Dunphy, The Sun Chronicle.
HEARD 'ROUND THE BUBBLAH
HAPPY BIRTHDAY — to Seth Klarman, Nicole Freedman, Evan Francis of state Rep. Dennis Gallagher's office, Edelman's Amy Larkin Long, Beth Dozoretz, Arthur Brooks and Lacey Rose.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


The Hill
33 minutes ago
- The Hill
House GOP approves ‘technical changes' to Trump agenda bill
House Republicans on Wednesday greenlit a series of 'technical changes' to the party's tax cut and spending package, removing language that would have thrown their effort off course in the Senate. The chamber approved the tweaks — which were tucked inside a procedural rule for a separate measure — in a 213-207 vote, weeks after Republicans passed the sprawling package full of President Trump's legislative priorities. The adopted rule also tees up a final vote on the White House's bill to claw back $9.4 billion in federal spending. House GOP leaders moved to make the changes after the Senate parliamentarian scrubbed through the legislation — a procedure known as the 'Byrd bath' — and identified provisions and language that do not comply with the strict rules for the budget reconciliation process, which the GOP trifecta is using to circumvent a Democratic filibuster in the Senate and approve the bill by a simple majority. Leaving the legislation as it was risked the parliamentarian ruling that it was not compliant, which would have resulted in the threshold for passage in the Senate increasing from a simple majority to 60 votes — allowing Democratic opposition to block it. The changes to the Trump agenda bill — officially titled the 'One Big Beautiful Bill Act — pertain to defense funding, energy policy and changes to Medicaid. For defense, Republicans nixed $2 billion for the enhancement of military intelligence programs; $500 million for the development, procurement and integration of maritime mines; and $62 million to convert Ohio-class submarine tubes to accept additional missiles. On the energy front, meanwhile, the changes removed a provision that would have reinstated leases for a proposed copper and nickel mine that had been renewed under the first Trump administration but revoked under Biden. The mine would have been located near an area known as the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, a nature preserve that contains canoe routes and species including black bears, moose and foxes. While leaders moved to strike some portions of the bill, they still plan to fight for those provisions when the package hits the Senate floor. 'We disagree; ultimately we're going to try it again on the Senate floor,' House Majority Leadere Steve Scalise (R-La.) said Tuesday. ' We disagree with the parliamentarian. … But you can't take the risk on any of them. You cannot take the risk because if any one of them is ruled on the Senate floor to be fatal, it's a 60-vote bill. The whole bill is a 60-vote bill — you can't take that risk.' With the changes made, the House is now expected to formally send the package to the Senate, where Republicans are mapping out their own changes to the behemoth bill. Some GOP senators want to decrease the state and local tax (SALT) deduction cap, others are pushing to increase the spending cuts in the bill, and a subset are pressing for a smaller rollback of the green energy tax credits that Democrats approved in 2022. Any changes to the House bill in the Senate, however, risks party leadership losing support in the lower chamber, which will have to approve the Senate's tweaks before the bill can head to Trump's desk for signature. Party leaders are still hoping to enact the package by July 4, but that timeline is coming into serious question as Republicans remain at odds over a series of high-stakes issues. Rachel Frazin contributed.


The Hill
38 minutes ago
- The Hill
Hegseth takes fire from Republicans at heated Senate hearing
Republican senators came out firing during Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's hearing on Wednesday before the Senate Appropriations subcommittee on armed forces. Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) immediately pressed Hegseth over the Russia-Ukraine war, with Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) driving home the point later in the hearing; Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine), the top Senate appropriator, scolded the Pentagon's delays with budget information; and Sen. Lisa Murkowski closed out the hearing by questioning the administration's focus on Greenland in its Arctic strategy. McConnell, one of three Republicans who opposed Hegseth's confirmation, gaveled in the hearing by calling out the Trump administration for what he views as a flat base-line defense budget. He then launched into strong warnings against the U.S. cozying up to Russia in its bid to end its war in Ukraine. McConnell said Washington's allies are 'wondering whether we're in the middle of brokering what appears to be allowing the Russians to define victory. I think victory is defined by the people who have to live there — the Ukrainians.' The former Senate majority leader who now chairs the subcommittee, McConnell asked Hegseth which side he wanted to win the war. The Defense chief said the Trump administration wanted the killing to end but would not choose a side. 'America's reputation is on the line,' McConnell said. 'Will we defend Democratic allies against authoritarian aggressors?' Later in the hearing, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) asked Hegseth and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chair Gen. Dan 'Razin' Caine Caine if Russian President Vladimir Putin is going to stop at Ukraine. 'I don't believe he is,' Caine replied. Hegseth, meanwhile, said it 'remains to be seen. Graham fired back, referring to his previous allusion to appeasement of Adolph Hitler: 'Well, he says he's not. This is the '30s all over. It doesn't remain to be seen.' The line of questioning laid bare the ideological divide within the GOP as to how the U.S. should confront Russia, seen by defense hawks as a global threat that must be countered with military assistance to prop up Ukraine and assert U.S. force in the European theater. But many in the Trump administration, including Hegseth, have taken a more ambivalent tone, arguing for an America First approach that could see American troops rotated out of bases in Europe and an end to the flow of military aid from Washington to Kyiv. 'We don't want a headline at the end of this conflict that says Russia wins and America loses,' McConnell told Hegseth. The hearing had a far more adversarial tone compared to Hegseth's appearance before the House Appropriations defense subcommittee a day prior, in which the Pentagon chief emerged largely unscathed, particularly at the hands of GOP members. Democratic and Republican senators grilled Hegseth over a sparsely outlined defense budget for next fiscal year, echoing rare bipartisan criticism during the House hearing. Collins reprimanded the Pentagon for being 'unacceptably slow' in submitting a detailed Pentagon spending request for the fiscal year 2026. Congress is waiting on the information as the GOP struggles to agree on Trump's reconciliation package. She also told Hegseth that Trump's budget request represented a reduction in buying power compared to the 2025 military budget, when inflation is taken into account, but suggested the Senate might correct that. McConnell earlier was also critical of the administration's defense spending plan, pushing back at Hegseth's argument that the U.S. would be making the largest investment in the military in 20 years via Trump's reconciliation package. McConnell said putting funneling defense dollars into that package while declining to increase military spending in the regular budget 'may well end up functioning as a shell game to avoid making the most significant annual investments that we spent years urging the Biden administration to make.' There was also no shortage of criticism from the panel's Democrats. Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), bashed the Pentagon for cutting military medical research while spending $45 million for a grand military parade marking the Army's 250th birthday, set for Saturday 'This is not consistent with what the men and women in uniform deserve,' Durbin said. Others, including Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) berated Hegseth for the Trump administration's decision to send National Guard troops and active-duty Marines into Los Angeles this week, calling the actions a wildly out-of-proportion response to sometimes violent protests against Trump's escalating immigration crackdowns. 'Threatening to use our own troops on our own citizens at such scale is unprecedented, it is unconstitutional, and it is downright un-American,' Murray said, noting that the actions were undermining the readiness of the U.S. military. Sen. Jack Reed (D-R.I.) pressed Hegseth to reveal the cost or timeline of refurbishing Trump's luxury jet from the Qatari government, meant to become Air Force One. 'You have signed a contract with a company to reconfigure the Qatari aircraft. What is the price of that contract?' Reed asked. Hegseth replied that the information 'cannot be revealed in this setting,' prompting Reed to fire back. 'Why can't it be revealed? This is the appropriation committee of the United States Senate. We appropriate the money that you will spend,' Reed said.

Miami Herald
40 minutes ago
- Miami Herald
State Senators Overwhelmingly Vote to Raise Car Dealership Fees 488%
California's state Senate has approved legislation allowing car dealers to charge buyers up to 1% of a vehicle's purchase price in document processing fees, with a $500 cap. This $500 limit represents an increase of nearly 500% from the current cap of $85, and the average starting price of a new car in May was $48,656, Cox Automotive reports. The bill passed with only one Senator voting against it, and its supporters, including California's New Car Dealers Association, say the fee is necessary since the $85 cap hasn't kept pace with the state's rising business costs over the decades. Processing paperwork that the added costs would help pay for includes loan documents, fraud protection forms, and Department of Motor Vehicles registration. Anthony Samson, the California New Car Dealers Association's lobbyist, said in April that other businesses can recoup similar costs through service charges, but dealers can't. "If we believed we could simply recover our costs and the price of the vehicle, I assure you that we would not be here today asking for your support on this measure," Samson said, according to Cal Matters. However, Senator Dave Cortese said he's working with the California New Car Dealers Association to lower the fee's ceiling when it's heard in the Assembly. Senator Henry Stern was the only Senator who voted against the bill, noting he feels that car sellers have undermined the state's efforts to protect consumers and the environment with actions like lobbying for the U.S. Senate to pass federal legislation blocking California's electric vehicle mandates. "The car dealers haven't earned the trust to justify this major increase in junk fees," Stern said, according to Cal Matters. Ray Shefska, CarEdge Co-Founder, added that "This bill reinforces that in America, whether it be national, state, or local, we have the best politicians money can buy. When things are already barely affordable, let's by all means make it even more difficult for people buying cars in California." The California New Car Dealers Association has donated $2.9 million to the state's lawmakers since 2015, according to Digital Democracy's database. One California Senator, Carolyn Menjivar, didn't vote on Tuesday but stated: "If we're looking to help everyday Californians with affordability, why are we looking at helping an industry that is making a healthy profit?" California is one of the most expensive states to buy a car since it charges the highest sales tax rate at 7.25% and imposes significant registration fees. The document processing fees vote occurred amid reports of auto dealers using incentive strategies to sustain profits without raising vehicle prices in reaction to Trump's tariffs. State government vehicle purchases are exempt from the document charge. House Assembly members still have to vote on the car dealer fees bill before it heads to California's Governor for approval or veto. If the House Assembly approves the legislation in its current form, a $500 cap could increase Governor Newsom's chances of vetoing it. Florida has the highest car dealer document fees in the U.S., with its $999 cap, followed by Virginia at $799, and Colorado registering third at $699. Copyright 2025 The Arena Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved.