31-07-2025
Beacon Hill's big stick
DEAL OR NO DEAL — Facing mounting public pressure and the threat that the bar advocate battle could bleed into their summer break, lawmakers on Beacon Hill are choosing the stick over the carrot.
The proposal legislators tacked onto a supplemental budget they plan to vote on this afternoon would give bar advocates a $20 per hour raise over two years. That's less than the $35 per hour single-year increase they lobbied for.
At that rate, it's not a guarantee that the bar advocates who stopped taking new clients will come back to work. But lawmakers added a workaround. In addition to bumping up bar advocates' hourly rates, the supplemental spending plan calls for $40 million to go to the Committee for Public Counsel Services to hire more public defenders, who also represent indigent defendants.
Another provision would require bar advocates to sign biannual contracts with the Committee for Public Counsel Services and would help prevent future work stoppages by considering those like the one many attorneys began in late May a violation of antitrust law.
It's essentially a take-it-or-leave-it deal, House Ways and Means Chair Aaron Michlewitz acknowledged, calling the raise 'significant, sufficient,' and 'much higher' than anyone else on state payroll amid a budget crunch.
Senate President Karen Spilka pushed back on the idea that the changes amounted to 'punishment' of bar advocates, whose tactics legislative leaders openly chafed at.
'It's not punishment. It's reality,' Spilka told reporters. 'We're trying to just balance this out again, a little bit more so that CPCS will have more attorneys.'
The question remains whether or not enough attorneys will return to work quickly enough to keep the courts from being forced to release more defendants.
GOOD THURSDAY MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS. Have a tip, story, suggestion, birthday, anniversary, new job, or any other nugget for the Playbook? Drop me a line: kgarrity@
TODAY — Gov. Maura Healey, Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll and state and local officials announce tax credits for housing development at 10 a.m. in Winchester. Healey and Driscoll make a job and innovation announcement at noon at the State House and speak at the opening ceremony at the Feast of the Blessed Sacrament at 5:30 p.m. in New Bedford. Rep. Jim McGovern joins MASSCAP and the Worcester Community Action Council for a press conference about prospective cuts to energy aid at 2 p.m. in Worcester. Boston Mayor Michelle Wu hosts a press conference promoting upcoming liquor license opportunities at 10:30 a.m. in Chinatown.
MORNING MONEY: CAPITAL RISK — POLITICO's flagship financial newsletter has a new Friday edition built for the economic era we're living in: one shaped by political volatility, disruption and a wave of policy decisions with sector-wide consequences. Each week, Morning Money: Capital Risk brings sharp reporting and analysis on how political risk is moving markets and how investors are adapting. Want to know how health care regulation, tariffs, or court rulings could ripple through the economy? Start here.
YAHD SIGNS AND BUMPAH STICKAHS
FIRST IN PLAYBOOK — The Boston Ward 15 Democratic Committee has endorsed Boston Mayor Michelle Wu for reelection. Eleven of the city's Democratic Ward Committees that are now backing the incumbent mayor (wards 1, 3, 4, 5, 10, 11, 15, 18, 19, 21 and 22).
— Boston City Councilor John FitzGerald is endorsing Will Onuoha in the crowded at-large race.
— Markey's East & West Support United with Backing from McGovern by Matt Szafranski, Western Mass Politics & Insight: 'Senator Ed Markey has already received support for his reelection from the commonwealth's east and west. That support is now meeting in its (geographic) center. In a video, Worcester Congressman James McGovern, who also represents much of Franklin and Hampshire counties, announced his support for Markey adding 'there is no better fighter in the Senate.'
— Josh Kraft accuses Boston Mayor Wu of hiding White Stadium taxpayer cost until after election by Gayla Cawley, Boston Herald: 'Boston mayoral candidate Josh Kraft seized on Mayor Michelle Wu's latest delay in releasing final taxpayer costs of her administration's public-private rehab of White Stadium as evidence she's hiding that figure until after the election. Kraft said Wednesday that Wu's latest remarks on the radio this week, when she pushed back the timeline for releasing a final budget for the project from this summer to 'later this calendar year' after 'all construction bids are finalized,' are indicative of what he sees as the mayor's lack of transparency around how taxpayer dollars are being spent on the pro soccer stadium rehab.'
DATELINE BEACON HILL
— Senate poised to approve school cellphone ban by Christian M. Wade, The Eagle-Tribune: 'The state Senate is poised to approve a statewide ban on the use of cellphones and other electronic gadgets in public schools in response to rising concerns about classroom distractions and teen mental health issues. The legislation, teed up for a Thursday vote, would require the state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education to develop guidance to school districts on how to implement a 'bell-to-bell' ban. Those bans would be required to be approved before the 2026-27 school year.'
— Despite widespread support, 'menstrual equity' bill has stalled for two sessions in the House by Bhaamati Borkhetaria, CommonWealth Beacon: 'Two years ago, Senate President Karen Spilka called it a 'simple' proposition to make menstrual products available in public spaces like schools, prisons, and homeless shelters. At a 2023 hearing on a bill that would do that, Sen. Julian Cyr, the vice chair of the Joint Committee on Public Health, called it 'absurd that menstrual products aren't readily available in every and all public locations.' But getting a 'menstrual equity' bill across the finish line has been anything but simple.'
FROM THE HUB
— Boston City Hall staffer embroiled in alleged North End shoe fight by Gayla Cawley, Boston Herald: 'A Boston City Hall employee allegedly struck a woman in the face repeatedly with her high-heel shoe, as part of an attack that also reportedly involved the Wu administration official's father and two of her sisters last Friday in the North End. Ciara D'Amico, the city's deputy director of neighborhoods, allegedly joined an attack that began with her father, John D'Amico, punching a woman in the face multiple times, and continued with three of his daughters jumping into the fray, according to a Boston Police report obtained by the Herald. No arrests have been made in the incident, the Herald has learned.'
— Boston doesn't have an employee dating policy, but neither do many other cities by Saraya Wintersmith, GBH News.
MIGRANT MOVES
— The vast majority of men in ICE custody in Mass. are classified as 'no threat' by Simón Rios, WBUR: 'About 85% of federal detainees held in U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement custody at the Plymouth County detention center this year have been classified as 'no ICE threat' by the agency, according to federal data analyzed by WBUR. The numbers call into question an oft-repeated talking point for President Trump, that immigration agents are pursuing 'dangerous criminals' and 'the worst of the worst.''
— Old Orchard Beach police say DHS 'shifting blame' to them in ICE arrest of summer officer from Jamaica by Nick Stoico, The Boston Globe: 'Officials in Old Orchard Beach, Maine, issued a forceful defense of their hiring practices Wednesday in response to claims by federal authorities that the town failed to verify the work authorization of a seasonal police officer who was arrested by immigration agents last week. The town's police chief, Elise Chard, said recent public remarks Homeland Security officials criticizing her department 'appears to be an attempt to shift the blame onto a hard-working local law enforcement agency that has done its job.''
FROM THE 413
— Massive health rate hike to hit local towns this fall by Scott Merzbach, Daily Hampshire Gazette: 'All 73 members of the Hampshire County Group Insurance Trust will see health insurance rates increase by an additional 20% on Oct. 1, ensuring that the trust remains intact, even in the face of significant medical and pharmaceutical claims and the growing popularity of weight-loss drugs.'
THE LOCAL ANGLE
— Most districts in Worcester County see declines in enrollment by Jesse Collings, Telegram & Gazette: 'Over the last decade, Wachusett Regional School District has lost nearly 800 students. That decline, which is mirrored by districts across the county, has put an enhanced strain on school officials trying to keep a balanced budget without cutting any key programming or staff.'
— Lawrence pays $40K to settle suit alleging 'dirty politics' by Jill Harmacinski, The Eagle-Tribune: 'The city reached a $40,000 settlement with Scott Wood of Haverhill who wanted to transfer to the Lawrence Police Department but the mayor terminated him before he could start. Wood, who was described in court papers as a 'tenured Haverhill police officer,' sued the city, filing a civil lawsuit in Essex Superior Court, and appealed to the Civil Service Commission. The lawsuit cited, in part, 'dirty politics and unethical and false accusations' after Lawrence Mayor Brian DePena notified him of his termination.'
MEANWHILE IN RHODE ISLAND
LOCAL ANGLE — North Adams native Eric Hyers has signed on to assist expected Democratic gubernatorial candidate Helena Foulkes' campaign team, The Public's Radio's Ian Donnis reports.
— Brown University reaches agreement with Trump administration to restore federal research funding by Alexa Gagosz, The Boston Globe: 'Brown University has reached an agreement with the Trump administration to restore the university's federal research funding and address allegations that it failed to do enough to stop the harassment of Jewish students, according to a copy of the agreement viewed by the Globe. In exchange for the restoration of nearly $50 million in research grants, Brown will pledge $50 million over the next 10 years to state workforce development organizations in Rhode Island. The deal, which was finalized Wednesday, settles three open investigations into the university, and does not require the Ivy League institution to admit any wrongdoing or make a payment to the federal government.'
HEARD 'ROUND THE BUBBLAH
TRANSITIONS — Miriam Ortiz is the new chief impact officer with the Eastern Bank Foundation.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY — to Gabe Adams-Keane, chief of staff for state Sen. John Velis; former Gov. Bill Weld, who turns 80; former Gov. Deval Patrick, who turns 69; former Boston state Rep. Nika Elugardo, former Westfield Mayor Donald Humason Jr., Dan Kimmel, author Dave Wedge, Amy Inglis and Robert C. Merton.
