| | | |  | | By Kelly Garrity | | Presented by |  | | | ALL HANDS ON DECK — Building out the state’s budget is always a challenge — and questions around federal funding are threatening to make it even trickier. Under that cloud of uncertainty, lawmakers got the ball rolling Thursday on the monthslong process that often pits members of the House and Senate against each other as they fight to fit their priorities into a multi-billion-dollar spending bill. But this year, with “escalating uncertainty and increasing geopolitical turbulence,” Senate Ways and Means Chair Michael Rodrigues said, “we find ourselves in an all-hands-on-debt moment here in the Commonwealth.” It’s a problem, that “is going to be too big for any one branch to think that they'll have a proposal to solve it,” warned Gov. Maura Healey’s Administration and Finance Secretary Matthew Gorzkowicz. But how exactly they could — or would — be able to backstop some of the up-in-the-air funding cuts isn’t clear yet. Healey already has gotten creative to cover spending increases in her budget plan, leaning on tax tweaks and revenue from the so-called millionaire’s tax to cover transportation and education initiatives. And that was without including any fail-safe for federal funding cuts. Healey’s budget relies on an expected $16 billion in federal funding, much of which would cover reimbursements for MassHealth. In the month and a half since Healey filed her proposal, the state’s fiscal outlook has only grown foggier. “The landscape is shifting every day, and every state is facing fiscal disruption,” she told lawmakers during a hearing. Case in point: President Donald Trump rolled out sweeping tariffs on Canada and Mexico earlier this week, before punting on them Thursday. The 25 percent tariffs on many Mexican and Canadian goods won’t kick in now until April 2, he said. That means lawmakers will need to focus on “staying disciplined,” House Ways and Means Chair Aaron Michlewitz said during the hearing. What that means for the state’s bottom line isn’t clear yet. It’s “too early to tell” whether the House budget plan will come in under Healey’s, Michlewitz said after the hearing. There was some good news: “Revenues have been much stronger in recent months,” Michlewitz said. “At over $600 million above our benchmarks for FY 25, we are in a much better place than we were last year at this time.” GOOD FRIDAY MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS. Happy Friday! TODAY — Gov. Maura Healey has no public events. Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll and Rep. Richard Neal speak at the Springfield Regional Chamber’s OUTLOOK 2025 at 11:45 a.m. in Springfield. Driscoll highlights the Rural Development Fund awards at 2 p.m. in Cummington. Boston Mayor Michelle Wu attends the 27th Annual Greater Boston International Women’s Day at 9:45 a.m. in Fenway and speaks at the South Boston Boys & Girls Club’s St. Patrick’s Day luncheon at 12:20 p.m. in South Boston. Wu and Auditor Diana DiZoglio attend state Sen. Sal DiDomenico’s annual St. Patrick’s Day dinner at 6 p.m. in Charlestown. THIS WEEKEND — Rep. Jake Auchincloss hosts a town hall at 12:45 p.m. in Fall River Saturday. DiZoglio is on WBZ’s “Keller @ Large” at 8:30 a.m. Boston mayoral candidate Josh Kraft is on WCVB’s “On The Record” at 11 a.m. Sunday. Have a tip, story, suggestion, birthday, anniversary, new job, or any other nugget for the Playbook? Drop me a line: kgarrity@politico.com.
| | | | A message from Uber: Massport's $15 Rideshare Tax Would Be The Highest in World. Massport wants to make Logan Airport passengers pay a whopping $15 tax for a roundtrip Uber ride. Even while charging record breaking taxes, Massport will still force Uber passengers to use remote pickup and drop-off locations. Stop MassPort's unfair tax on travelers. | | | |  | DATELINE BEACON HILL | | — “Abortion foes launch campaign backing pregnancy center,” by Christian M. Wade, The Eagle-Tribune: “Anti-abortion groups have launched a new ad campaign aimed at countering what they describe as a ‘malicious smear campaign’ by the Healey administration and reproductive rights groups that targeted pro-life pregnancy centers. The conservative American Center for Law and Justice said the advertising blitz seeks to ‘combat the blatant lies about pregnancy resource centers with truth and lifesaving information and resources — while also sharing stories of the hope and support PRCs provide to women in need.’’” — “State orders open access to free prenatal vitamins, birth control,” by Sam Drysdale, State House News Service (paywall): “Eligible MassHealth members and Health Safety Net patients will have access to prenatal vitamins and over-the-counter birth control at no cost, under two standing orders that the Healey administration announced Thursday. The orders, which essentially enable the state to write a prescription for a large group of people, will allow about half a million patients to access the reproductive health medications. The medications will be available at all MassHealth-enrolled pharmacies, and available for eligible MassHealth members and those who use the Health Safety Net, a fund used to pay care costs for certain low-income and uninsured individuals.” GET YOUR ROASTS READY — State Sen. Nick Collins is hosting his annual St. Patrick’s Day breakfast in South Boston on March 16 at the Iron Workers Local 7 union hall, per the State House News Service’s Sam Doran.
| | PLANES, TRAINS AND AUTOMOBILES | | — “Ceiling panel falls at Harvard MBTA station, no injuries reported,” by Marc Fortier, NBC Boston: “A panel fell from the ceiling of Harvard Station on the MBTA's Red Line on Thursday morning, two years after a pair of similar incidents at the same location. The MBTA said it is investigating the incident around 7:30 a.m. Thursday where a single panel fell from the ceiling at Harvard Station on the southbound platform. They said no one was injured, and Red Line service was not impacted. … A similar incident occurred in March of 2023, when a 25-pound ceiling panel fell on the same platform, narrowly missing a T rider as they approached a staircase. That near miss was blamed on corrosion from water and prompted the removal of 100 other ceiling panels.” — “Speeding Green Line train ignored stop signal, causing $6.6m collision, investigators say,” by Shannon Larson, The Boston Globe: “A Green Line train with passengers aboard was traveling westbound above the speed limit and passed a stop signal when it collided with a stationary train at the East Somerville Station in Somerville, causing an estimated $6.6 million in damages, federal investigators said in a newly released preliminary report. The crash between the two Green Line trolleys occurred during heavy snow at about 12:22 a.m. on Feb. 9. The passenger train was traveling about 32 miles per hour when it entered a 25-mile-per-hour zone, passed a stop signal, and entered a 10-mile-per-hour zone. In the station, it smashed into the stationary out-of-service train, according to a preliminary review of an event recorder and signal data, the National Transportation Safety Board said Thursday afternoon.”
| | THE RACE FOR CITY HALL | | FIRST IN PLAYBOOK — A coalition of five unions is planning to endorse Boston Mayor Michelle Wu over the weekend. The list includes 1199 SEIU, SEIU 1957 CIR, SEIU Local 509 and 32BJ SEIU, as well as SEIU Local 888, which rolled out its endorsement earlier this year. Two of the unions — SEIU Local 32BJ and SEIU 1199 — previously linked up to help bankroll a super PAC that supported Wu-backed city council candidates in 2023. The unions will make it official at an event Saturday at 32BJ SEIU’s union hall. ABOUT THAT INVITE — How did what looks like the New York City skyline end up on an invitation for a fundraiser for Josh Kraft’s mayoral campaign? Obviously, not on purpose, according to Josh Leffler, chair of the Beacon Hill Civic Association, and one of the hosts of Thursday night’s event. “Rishi [Shukla, the event’s co-host] and I both have careers, and we both have roles supporting various non-profit organizations,” Leffler told Playbook. “We went online and picked a template that has a city because we live in a city and the fundraiser was for somebody who’s running for office of a city and didn’t really put any more thought into it than that.” Shukla and Leffler hosted the event as private citizens, according to Leffler, and the skyline situation could’ve just easily happened on an invite for an event with Wu, who Leffler and Shukla offered to host the same event for. “We’re not publicly endorsing either candidate,” Leffler said. “We believe strongly, as folks who care about the city and are raising families in the city, that we have an opportunity to put the candidates in front of our network and allow voters to be well informed in making an important decision.” “There are really important challenges and opportunities facing the city of Boston, and it would be great to give those issues the attention they deserve,” he added.
| | | | A message from Uber:  
| | | | | TRUMPACHUSETTS | | — “Comply, resist, evade? Trump policies spark heated health care conversations in Mass.,” by Martha Bebinger, WBUR: “A Boston-area health care director received guidance from the Trump administration last month about words to be removed from the organization's website. They included ‘equity,’ ‘women,’ ‘disability’ and ‘gender.’ If the terms were not removed quickly, the organization could expect to lose federal funding. … Hospitals, health care centers and medical clinics in Massachusetts and around the country are facing similar directives in response to President Trump's executive orders that seek to, among other things, curb transgender rights and remove all federal support for diversity and equity initiatives.” — “Local shelter workers say HUD cuts would destabilize 'an already unstable environment' for housing in the Berkshires,” by Claire O'Callahan, The Berkshire Eagle: “Local shelter providers are worried changes within the Department of Housing and Urban Development could gut their response to housing insecurity and homelessness in the Berkshires. President Donald Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency, an entity known by DOGE and overseen by Elon Musk, is planning sweeping staff cuts at HUD and promising to root out so-called spending inefficiencies within the agency. HUD’s Office of Community Planning and Development faces a staff reduction of 84 percent, the largest in the agency.” — “East Boston business owners keep ICE at arm's length by knowing their rights,” by Sarah Betancourt, GBH News.
| | FROM THE 413 | | — “Petitioning window opens for Springfield election; Some surprises are flying in,” by Matt Szafranski, Western Mass Politics & Insight: “The midterm municipal election in Springfield is off to a brisk start. Several races are developing only days after ballot papers became available. Challenges to some incumbents have been incubating for some time either publicly or quietly. Since the Election Commission opened the petitioning window on Friday, it appears even more officials could face opponents. A race in Ward 1 had already begun. A challenge to Ward 4 Councilor Malo Brown has been grist for the rumor mill since his unsuccessful bid for State Senate. What came as a surprise were challenges to Ward 5 Councilor Lavar Click-Bruce and Ward 6 Councilor Victor Davila. They could face serious challenges in Ed Nunez and Charles Whitaker-Battle respectively.”
| | | | A message from Uber: Logan Riders Pay More, Get Less Under Massport's Plan
Massport wants to raise rideshare fees at Logan to $15 roundtrip—the highest in the world.
Yet while charging Uber riders more, Massport is still forcing them to go to remote pickup and drop-off zones, even though taxis and personal vehicles go right up to the terminal for free or at much lower rates.
Logan is already the only U.S. airport where rideshare passengers pay per-trip fees just to be dropped off and forced to walk to the terminal from remote garages. Now, Massport wants to charge riders the highest fees in the world while providing nothing in return.
Stop MassPort's unfair tax on travelers. | | | | | THE LOCAL ANGLE | | — “Everett Mayor DeMaria says he will not pay back bonuses unless 'due process' finds them improper,” by Liz Neisloss, GBH News: “Everett Mayor Carlo DeMaria says he will not return $180,000 in bonus pay that a state investigation found to be an overpayment until he gets ‘due process’ and a chance to challenge the findings, according to a letter his lawyer sent the city council. The city council plans to vote Monday night on a motion saying they have ‘no confidence’ in the mayor and his chief financial officer. If passed, the action would be largely symbolic. Still the next mayoral election is in November, and the six-term mayor is expected to run.”
| | MEDIA MATTERS | | — “Boston Globe Media, NESN end weekday TV program and lay off staff,” by Aidan Ryan, The Boston Globe: “Boston Globe Media is canceling the weekday TV show it co-produced with the New England Sports Network and laying off employees who worked on the program, chief executive Linda Henry said in a note to employees Thursday. The companies are not renewing Boston Globe Today, which had launched with a two-year agreement in April 2023. The Globe laid off four employees, while two other staff members will stay. Henry said the experiment with Globe Today showed audiences want more video content and that its multimedia team will continue to produce daily video content across news, sports, and entertainment and invest more in video.” — “NEPM promotes from within, elevating Liz Román to top news role,” by Matt Szafranski, Western Mass Politics & Insight: “Against the backdrop of its own challenges and a broader wave of upheaval in Valley media, New England Public Media has named Elizabeth Román as its next executive editor for news. Román will take over the news operations of the region’s principal public media at a time of flux.”
| | HEARD ‘ROUND THE BUBBLAH | | HAPPY BIRTHDAY — to Christina Gregg. HAPPY BIRTHWEEKEND — to Emma Brodie and Axios Boston’s Mike Deehan, who celebrate Saturday; and to Sunday birthday-er Stefani Jones. 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 | | | |
