| | | | |  | | By Kelly Garrity | THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM — Gov. Maura Healey never mentioned President-elect Donald Trump by name in her State of the Commonwealth speech last night. But his victory — and Democrats’ bruising defeat — last November helped shape her address as she laid out a path forward for her party, staring down her own reelection bid. Speaking from the House rostrum, Healey promised to cut “red tape” for businesses and touted the package of tax cuts she signed last session. When she briefly touched on the migrant and shelter crisis that has dominated her time in office, she focused on reining in costs while calling for “anybody who does violent acts” to be deported. And as she wrapped up, Healey signaled a willingness to “work with the federal government in any way that benefits Massachusetts,” while promising, “we will not change who we are.” It’s a different message from the one Healey trumpeted in the immediate post-election haze last year (when she pledged to “hold the line” against Trump 2.0 on MSNBC), even if the underlying meanings are the same. And it's a far cry from the attorney general who sued the former president almost 100 times. But that's the direction Democrats need to head if they want to win again, according to one notable onlooker. “I think this election proved that the most important thing to people are the economics of an election – the inflation, the cost of groceries, the cost of gas, the ability to have safe borders,” International Brotherhood of Teamsters President Sean O’Brien, who attended the speech at Healey’s invitation, told reporters. And that was the message he heard from Healey, he said. O’Brien, a Democrat, made headlines this year when he accepted an offer to speak at the Republican National Convention – and when he wasn’t offered a speaking slot at the Democratic National Convention. His union ended up forgoing a presidential endorsement. Also in the crowd: International Association of Fire Fighters President Ed Kelly, whose union delivered a similar blow to Democrats by declining to endorse their presidential ticket. Legislative leaders praised the speech, though they didn’t whole-heartedly embrace all of the policies Healey pitched. House Speaker Ron Mariano said Healey’s call to deport violent criminals a day after she proposed changes to the state’s “right-to-shelter” law was “something we’ll have to look at.” “How do you determine who's going to get deported and what you have to do to get deported?” he said, when asked about the governor’s comment. Senate President Karen Spilka pointed out that it might not constitute much of a change from current practice. The big question is how long that sentiment lasts. While Massachusetts was among the states that felt the strongest effects of Trump resistance during his first term, with a progressive Boston city councilor toppling a 10-term U.S. House incumbent in 2018, whether Democrats will have the same reaction this time around remains to be seen. Healey didn’t declare her intentions for 2026, but she previewed her pitch to voters — that her administration is willing to take on some sticky issues, like fixing the T and chipping away at the state’s housing crisis — before capping the night off with supporters around the corner at the Dubliner. (A $23,812 payment to Beacon Research — her preferred pollster — at the start of this month shows she’s been running the numbers.) More takeaways from GBH News and a line-by-line analysis from the Boston Globe. GOOD FRIDAY MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS. And happy bill filing deadline day! Got a bill we should highlight? Email me: kgarrity@politico.com. TODAY — Healey has no public events. THIS WEEKEND — Boston City Councilor Ruthzee Louijeune is on WBZ’s “Keller @ Large” at 8:30 a.m. Sunday. Rep. Jake Auchincloss is on WCVB’s “On the Record” at 11 a.m. Sunday.
|  | DATELINE BEACON HILL | | SPOTTED — at the State House for last night’s festivities: Reps. Katherine Clark, Stephen Lynch, Richard Neal and Lori Trahan; Boston City Councilor Ruthzee Louijeune, former House Speaker Bob DeLeo, former state Rep. Jim Cantwell, Gardner Mayor Michael Nicholson, Harvard President Alan Garber, the AFL-CIO’s Chrissy Lynch and retired Boston Celtic Cedric Maxwell. FROM THE OTHER SIDE OF THE AISLE — Healey’s speech did little to satisfy Republicans. In his rebuttal, GOP state Rep. Marcus Vaughn slammed Healey for leading the state down a “path of secrecy, mismanagement, and unaffordability” criticizing her administration over its handling of the migrant and shelter crisis amid reports of violence in state-run facilities. Dive deeper with the Boston Herald. FACT CHECK — As Healey touted her efforts to get the MBTA back on track, State House News Service pointed out on X that the agency was “reporting delays, ‘high priority alerts’ on the Green Line, numerous bus lines, and four commuter rail lines,” as she spoke. FIRE ALARM — “Massachusetts firefighter safety grants contingent on compliance with transit housing law,” by Chris Van Buskirk, Boston Herald: “Municipalities in Massachusetts must comply with a controversial transit-oriented housing law in order to receive state grant money for firefighter safety equipment, a change fire chiefs said they found out about late Wednesday afternoon. … Fire chiefs who spoke to the Herald Thursday said the Healey administration changed the requirements for the fiscal year 2025 firefighter safety equipment grant program Wednesday.” While state Fire Marshal Jon Davine told fire chiefs yesterday that no grants had been denied, according to the Herald, Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr, who was fielding calls from concerned constituents, told Playbook it would be “inappropriate” to leverage public safety funds to get towns to comply the controversial zoning law. — “Lawmakers request audit of shelter system, Auditor says she’s already conducting one,” by Matthew Medsger, Boston Herald: “Republican lawmakers reached out to the Auditor this week to request a hard look at the state’s overflowing shelter system, and seemed pleasantly surprised to discover an audit is already underway. In a letter to State Auditor Diana DiZoglio ... Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr (R-Gloucester) and House Minority Leader Brad Jones (R-North Reading) asked the auditor to ‘undertake a comprehensive audit of the shelter program.’ DiZoglio responded immediately, assuring the lawmakers she is already doing just that.” — “Former official who helped write Mass. right to shelter law wants to protect premise of law,” by Lisa MullinsLynn Jolicoeur, WBUR: “A former Massachusetts official who helped shape the state's right to shelter law for more than 40 years ago wants to make sure Gov. Maura Healey's proposed changes don't prevent families from accessing shelter when they need it. Phil Johnston was Health and Human Services Secretary under Gov. Michael Dukakis in the 1980s. He said he thinks state leaders will come to an agreement that protects the original premise of the statute.”
| | FROM THE HUB | | — “Galvin Still Scrutinizing Boston Elections Dept.,” by Sam Drysdale, State House News Service (paywall): “The secretary of state's office is still in the process of investigating Boston's election division and has not yet decided whether to appoint a receiver to seize control of the city's elections, after an issue with Boston's ballots last November. Secretary of State William Galvin held a press conference in November, at which he said he would most likely appoint a receiver after some city polling locations did not have enough ballots during Election Day, causing the secretary's office to send police cars, sirens blaring, to rush extra ballots to those locations.” — “Boston City Council to probe home assessment variability amid property tax spikes,” by Gayla Cawley, Boston Herald: “Hefty property tax hikes for homeowners have raised questions about the City of Boston’s assessment process, where similar homes on the same street can vary significantly in value and property values can spike without renovations. Boston City Councilors Erin Murphy and John FitzGerald introduced a hearing order that aims to start getting answers to some of those questions, given the direct impact rising assessments have on residential property taxes.”
| | FROM THE DELEGATION | | POINT — “The oral arguments before the Supreme Court on TikTok made clear that the social media app is skating on thin legal ice. Last term, I cosponsored the bipartisan bill it is challenging. This term, Congress must follow through on forcing TikTok’s divestment from its Chinese parent company, ByteDance,” Rep. Jake Auchincloss writes in a Boston Globe op-ed. COUNTERPOINT — “With 170 million American users on the platform, a nationwide TikTok ban would have serious consequences, dealing a profound economic, social, and political blow to its creators and users,” Sen. Ed Markey argues in his own op-ed.
| | TRUMPACHUSETTS | | — “Can a $10M wind-energy center in New Bedford withstand opposition from locals and Trump?” by Frank Mulligan, The Standard-Times.
| | IT'S NOT EASY BEING GREEN | | — “NOAA backs off more boating restrictions to protect right whales. Some are relieved,” by Heather McCarron, Cape Cod Times: “NOAA Fisheries on Wednesday announced it is tabling a proposal to strengthen protections for critically endangered North Atlantic right whales against vessel strikes. The decision was welcomed by Gov. Maura Healey and leaders on Nantucket, who worry about the economic and public welfare effects of reducing vessel speeds in the region. Scientists and conservationists, who have long pointed to vessel strikes as one of the top two causes of death for the imperiled whales, criticized the move.”
| | THE LOCAL ANGLE | | — “City clerk: During absence from council, Nguyen due to receive $2,641 monthly stipend,” by Toni Caushi, Telegram & Gazette. — “Dartmouth superintendent 'confident' of school's safety after an alleged stabbing attack,” by Frank Mulligan, The Standard-Times: “An alleged assault at Dartmouth High School on Wednesday was an ‘isolated incident’ in which the school’s shelter-in-place response was effective in helping to handle the situation, said Dartmouth School Superintendent June Saba-Maguire.” — “'Vicious and defamatory': Freetown-Lakeville superintendent sends $1 million demand letter,” by Emma Rindlisbacher, The Taunton Daily Gazette: “Former Superintendent Alan Strauss has sent a demand letter to the town of Lakeville, saying that the town could owe him ‘up to $1,000,000’ in damages relating to the actions of two Freetown Lakeville school committee members. The Gazette obtained a copy of the demand letter through a public records request. It is not clear at this time if Strauss's attorney also sent a demand letter to Freetown.” — “From development to water issues, Attleboro Mayor Cathleen DeSimone reflects on past year in office, things to come,” by Tom Reilly, The Sun Chronicle.
| | MEANWHILE IN RHODE ISLAND | | — “McKee proposes $14B state budget that closes deficit with spending cuts, tax changes,” by Ted Nesi, WRPI: “Gov. Dan McKee on Thursday unveiled a $14.2 billion budget bill that proposes to close the state’s first deficit in years through a mix of spending cuts, new taxes and fees, and accounting changes. The biggest source of new revenue McKee wants is a 10% tax on digital advertising that would be paid by large tech companies. He also wants to increase charges on buyers of cigarettes and electric vehicles, and to levy the 5% hotel tax on more Airbnb rentals.”
| | HEARD ‘ROUND THE BUBBLAH | | HAPPY BIRTHWEEKEND — to former Sen. Paul Kirk and David Jacobs, publisher of the Boston Guardian, who celebrate Saturday; and to Sunday birthday-ers state Sen. Julian Cyr, Adam Sege and Michael E. Garrity. 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. | | | | Follow us on Twitter | | | | Subscribe to the POLITICO Playbook family Playbook | Playbook PM | California Playbook | Florida Playbook | Illinois Playbook | Massachusetts Playbook | New Jersey Playbook | New York Playbook | Ottawa Playbook | Brussels Playbook | London Playbook View all our politics and policy newsletters | | Follow us | | | | |
