| | | | |  | | By Kelly Garrity | ON BOSTON BALLOTS — Ranked-choice voting could be coming to Boston — and it has the potential to change the way candidates run. A home rule petition backed by City Council President Ruthzee Louijeune and At-Large Councilors Julia Mejia and Henry Santana has a hearing this morning, an early stop on the long road to the ballot box. How would it work? Voters would vote as they always have for mayoral and district council candidates in the city’s preliminary elections — but instead of the top two candidates advancing, the top four vote-getters would move on to the general election. In the general, voters would rank the mayoral and district council candidates. If no candidate earned over 50 percent of the top slot, the candidate with the least number of votes would be eliminated and their votes would be dispersed to their supporters' second-ranked picks. For the four at-large seats, anyone who gets 20 percent of the vote would automatically win a seat. (One of the groups supporting the effort, Ranked Choice Boston, has a quick video explainer.). Supporters say the system would bump up voter engagement and prevent “spoiler” candidates from having an outsized influence on the results of an election. Ranked-choice voting is “all about making sure that voters are able to fully express which candidates that they want to have an office,” Louijeune told Playbook. It could also change the way candidates campaign. Instead of trying to stitch together support from enough neighborhoods, candidates would have to appeal to a broad voter base. And it would make candidates think twice about employing some of the bare-knuckled tactics that have historically defined Boston politics. Even if a candidate comes across a home with a supporter’s lawn sign out front, Ed Shoemaker, the executive director of Ranked Choice Boston, told Playbook, it’s still worth engaging with the voter there to try to earn a spot as their second pick. “It causes you to have to work across ideological bounds, work in coalition and collaboration,” Shoemaker said. And it “can create a friendlier political atmosphere where folks are working together, where there's less mudslinging,” Louijeune noted. The legislation still has a long way to go. After today’s hearing, it’ll still need approval by the Council and the mayor before it can move to the State House and then come back before voters for a referendum. In short: it won’t be here before next year’s election, when both council seats and the mayor’s office will be on the ballot. Supporters are targeting 2025 to get the referendum on the ballot, Shoemaker said, with the aim of rolling out the new system during the 2027 election. GOOD THURSDAY MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS. Hurricane Milton hit Florida Wednesday night as a Category 3 storm, tearing through the central part of the state. The Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency offered its support, Gov. Maura Healey said on social media last night, and local volunteers are helping out here and on the ground. Follow live updates from the Tampa Bay Times. TODAY — Gov. Maura Healey and Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll hold a ceremonial signing for kennel safety legislation, also known as Ollie’s Law, at 1 p.m. at the State House. Driscoll speaks at the opening ceremony for the construction of the Lawrence Police Station at 9 a.m. in Lawrence, at a Boston summer learning event at 11 a.m. in Boston and at the Rindge Commons ribbon cutting alongside Rep. Ayanna Pressley and state and local officials at 3 p.m. in Cambridge. Healey, Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey, Boston Mayor Michelle Wu and state officials celebrate federal funding for the North Station drawbridge at 10 a.m. in Boston. Wu speaks at an event counting down to the 250th anniversary of the Battle of Bunker Hill at 10 a.m. in Charlestown, talks about her property tax proposal at the Massachusetts Senior Action Council’s meeting at 1:30 p.m. in Roxbury and speaks at the annual national Faith & Blue event at 5:45 p.m. in Roxbury. Attorney General Andrea Campbell joins a virtual conversation with the Massachusetts Women of Color Coalition at 2 p.m. and delivers the keynote address at MassVOTE’s “Champions of Democracy” event.6:30 p.m. in Boston. Tips? Scoops? Birthdays? Email me: kgarrity@politico.com
|  | DATELINE BEACON HILL | | — “Groups urge rejection of Healey budget maneuver using millionaire tax funds,” by Bruce Mohl, CommonWealth Magazine: “A group of nearly 30 advocacy organizations urged House and Senate leaders to reject a budget-balancing maneuver put forward by Gov. Maura Healey that uses funds raised by the millionaire tax to help balance the fiscal 2024 budget. Money raised by the millionaire tax was supposed to go for new transportation and education programs and not simply displace existing state funding that could then be used for other government programs. The challenge to Healey’s approach represents one of the first tests of how millionaire tax revenues are being spent, and whether the will of the voters is being honored.” — “Say what!? Gov. Healey formally commends Cape Cod gun store owner leading repeal campaign,” by Chris Van Buskirk, Boston Herald: “Gov. Maura Healey issued a formal commendation to a Cape Cod gun store owner who is leading a campaign to repeal a firearms reform law only a week after she effectively stifled an attempt to immediately suspend the statute until the 2026 elections. … At an unrelated event Wednesday afternoon, Healey said a person requested the citation, her constituent services office fulfilled the order, and a staff member in the constituent services office drafted the language. ‘We’re in office for everyone. When constituent services receives a request, we honor those,’ she told reporters while walking to her State House office.” — “As gambling increases, Mass. health officials target the fallout for youth,” by Chris Burrell, GBH News: “With increasing opportunities for legal gambling, the state’s public health agency is tackling the fallout: problem betting and gambling addictions. The state’s public health department is setting aside more than $3 million over the coming year to specifically prevent and treat problems with gambling among youth.” — “State Police Academy graduation overshadowed by recruit’s death, demands for accountability,” by John Hilliard, The Boston Globe.
| | FROM THE HUB | | TAX TALKS — New numbers from the city are helping shed some light on what Boston Mayor Michelle Wu’s property tax shift proposal would mean for businesses and Boston residents. The mayor’s office is predicting residents could see a 28 percent tax increase next year, slightly lower than initial estimates. For Boston residents, that’s an extra $768 on their annual tax bills if Wu’s proposal can’t get through Beacon Hill. If it does pass, that jump is lower – $273, according to data from the city. Though the bill only started moving through the House in the last days of formal lawmaking, time is ticking to get it done now. The city will start to send out tax bills with the hike in late November if it can’t get done by then, Wu said. Senate President Karen Spilka, who met with Wu and members of the Boston delegation recently to talk about the proposal, didn’t directly weigh in on whether lawmakers on Beacon Hill would be able to hit that deadline. The business community is still pushing for other alternatives, and it was unclear after the meeting how much support the plan has from Boston senators. “We’ll have to see. We’ll continue to look at it,” Spilka said Wednesday after an unrelated event. “My hope is that the city and the stakeholders continue to have conversations about the options and possibilities that were raised during that convening.” More from MassLive and the Boston Herald. — “Guru of Boston’s youth jobs program stepping down after three decades,” by Gintautas Dumcius, CommonWealth Beacon: “For every Boston Mayor over four decades, securing summer jobs for public school students has been a top priority. Tom Menino called up employers and told them what they needed to do: hire youngsters and keep them off the streets. His successor, Marty Walsh, convened a phone bank, with his cabinet chiefs joining in around the table, to lobby employers to make summer hires. Michelle Wu has met with a network of major Boston employers, which includes hospitals, banks, insurance companies and the biotech firms that power the region’s economy. Behind the mayors, and largely behind the scenes, there’s been one constant: Neil Sullivan, the executive director of the nonprofit Boston Private Industry Council, often called the PIC.” — “Boston restaurant owners feeling hopeful as new liquor licenses become available,” by Alexi Cohan, GBH News.
| | BALLOT BATTLES | | — “More MCAS ballot question ads flood in ahead of election, Boston mayor ‘torn’ on MCAS stance,” by Grace Zokovitch, Boston Herald. — “Amherst Regional board backs ending MCAS requirement for graduation,” by Scott Merzbach, Daily Hampshire Gazette.
| | YAHD SIGNS AND BUMPAH STICKAHS | | — “Cape Cod votes: 1st Barnstable rep candidates on housing, immigration, wind, water quality,” by Heather McCarron, Cape Cod Times: “During an hour-long forum Tuesday afternoon, the two candidates vying for the 1st Barnstable District seat in the state House of Representatives for the most part stood along party lines. Incumbent Rep. Christopher Flanagan, D-Dennis, wants to continue representing Brewster, Dennis and Yarmouth precincts 1, 2, 3, 4, 7 and 8, and is challenged by newcomer Gerald O'Connell, a Yarmouth Republican.”
| | DAY IN COURT | | — “MassLive's Housing Court Guide: What you need to know, getting started,” by Tréa Lavery, MassLive. — “Massachusetts Department of Correction hit with lawsuit alleging brutal violence against inmates,” by Flint McColgan, The Lowell Sun: “There’s even more trouble brewing at the Massachusetts prison where an attack last month left five officers injured: a class-action lawsuit for what inmates say was a brutally violent retaliatory campaign by guards. A ‘Retaliatory Force Campaign’ in January and February of 2020 at Souza-Baranowski Correctional Center, plaintiff attorneys allege, ‘consisted of officers attacking more than 100 prisoners using extreme, malicious, and cruel methods of force designed not to restore order, but to inflict pain, fear, and trauma.’” — “Swansea man found guilty of civil disorder in Jan. 6 Capitol riots: Here's what may happen,” by Dan Medeiros, The Herald News. — “Middleboro student appeals free speech T-shirt case to U.S. Supreme Court.,” by Christopher Butler, The Brockton Enterprise.
| | KENNEDY COMPOUND | | — “Joseph P. Kennedy III awarded honorary doctorate from Atlantic Technological University in Ireland,” by Kiera McDonald, The Boston Globe.
| | THE LOCAL ANGLE | | — “Holy Cross says it will cover tuition for families making less than $100,000,” by Nick Stoico, The Boston Globe: “The College of the Holy Cross announced Wednesday that it will waive tuition costs for students from families making less than $100,000 in yearly income. The move marks a significant expansion of the Worcester college’s financial aid program, which currently covers the full cost of tuition for families with less than $75,000 in income and ‘reasonable assets,’ the college said.” — “After 3 left in 5 years, Worcester hires new chief equity officer,” by Adam Bass, MassLive: “Following a two-and-a-half-year search, Worcester has a new chief equity officer. Worcester City Manager Eric Batista announced Wednesday afternoon he has selected Kevin Lovaincy to serve in the position effective Oct. 28. … Lovaincy will fill a position that has been vacant for two-and-a-half years. Stephanie Williams, who previously held the chief diversity officer position, left in March of 2022. In her departure letter, Williams wrote that her role did not have the structure to change institutions in Worcester to help those in Black, Hispanic, Asian, Middle Eastern, and LGTBQ+ communities.” — “Smoking allowed: Worcester City Council dismisses effort to ban cigarette sales,” by Marco Cartolano, Telegram & Gazette: “Cigarettes and other nicotine products will remain available for purchase for ages 21 and over in Worcester for the foreseeable future. On Tuesday City Council ended consideration of a request from District 4 City Councilor Luis Ojeda for a feasibility report looking into how other Massachusetts municipalities have moved toward eliminating the sale of nicotine products.” — “Foxboro select board opts not to take a position on MBTA Communities Act,” by Jeff Peterson, The Sun Chronicle: “With less than six weeks remaining before the Nov. 18 fall town meeting, select board members continue to take a wait-and-see approach on a contentious proposal to adopt the MBTA Communities Act. Meeting Tuesday night to review the November warrant, board members took a series of procedural votes to support most of the 14 articles facing voters at the upcoming fall session.” — “Prosecutor slams back, says plenty of evidence to convict Taunton mayor — including video,” by Emma Rindlisbacher, Taunton Daily Gazette: “In a new legal filing, the special prosecutor for the domestic violence case against Taunton Mayor Shaunna O'Connell says he has plenty of evidence to convict her even if her husband refuses to testify. That evidence includes including a 911 call recording, her husband Ted O'Connell's injuries, her statements to police and a video recording of Shaunna O'Connell on top of Ted O'Connell's car.”
| | MEANWHILE IN NEW HAMPSHIRE | | — “Ayotte's ad included foreign video to attack Craig on raising NH prices,” by Kevin Landrigan, New Hampshire Union Leader.
| | HEARD ‘ROUND THE BUBBLAH | | HAPPY BIRTHDAY — to Harvard’s Laurence Tribe, former state Rep. Jen Benson, Brilee Weaver, Algirde Pipikaite, Tanveer Kathawalla, Conor Glasheen and Megan McCafferty. Happy belated to Monica Hinojos-Capes, who celebrated Wednesday. Happy very belated to Dan Hudson, who celebrated Monday. 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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