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| By Kelly Garrity |
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BANK ON IT — Sen. Elizabeth Warren has long railed against Donald Trump’s tax policies. Next year, as the top Democrat on the Senate Banking Committee, she’ll have a new platform to make her voice heard. And she’s already getting started: During a Senate Banking subcommittee hearing on the 2025 tax fight she led yesterday, Warren laid into the Trump-era tax law she derided as a “$2 trillion tax scam.” She slammed policies she claims only benefit “Trump’s billionaire buddies” like Elon Musk. And she warned that if congressional Republicans renew the law that’s set to expire, “hard-working Americans will foot the bill for tax cuts for Trump’s wealthy donors.” It’s a preview into how Massachusetts’ senior senator intends to wield her newfound power as the top Democrat on the panel, a position she’s set to take over next year after Ohio Sen. Sherrod Brown, the current chair, lost reelection. The tax law Trump championed in 2017 is set to expire next year. Trump pledged on the campaign trail to make the tax cuts permanent, and he and many congressional Republicans are pushing to lower the corporate tax rate, setting up a showdown in Congress next year. Warren sees that, in part, as an opening. “The last time that Trump and the congressional Republicans cut taxes, Americans did notice. They noticed, and they hated Trump’s billionaire tax cuts,” she said during yesterday’s subcommittee hearing. After getting the new law in place, Warren said, “his approval rating dropped like a rock.” That’s a similar argument to the one she laid out in a Time op-ed shortly after the election, detailing ways for Democrats to “fight back.” “It was Democratic opposition to Trump’s tax bill that drove Trump’s approval ratings to what was then the lowest levels of his administration, forcing Republicans to scrap all mention of the law ahead of the 2018 midterm election and helping spark one of the largest blue waves in recent history,” Warren wrote in the piece. Warren’s hearing is also a sign that she’s ready to resume her role as one of the president-elect’s chief critics — one that last time around she parlayed into a presidential bid. GOOD THURSDAY MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS. There’s at least one area Warren’s ready to work with Trump on: instituting a 10 percent rate cap on credit card interest rates. TODAY — Gov. Maura Healey, Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll and Boston Mayor Michelle Wu are in D.C. to attend the Celtics’ championship celebration at the White House at 4:30 p.m. Healey joins a panel at the Washington Post Global Women’s Summit alongside New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham and Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly at 1 p.m. in D.C. State Auditor Diana DiZoglio attends the Groundwork Lawrence 25th Anniversary Glow Gala at 6 p.m. in Lawrence. Have a tip, story, suggestion, birthday, anniversary, new job, or any other nugget for the Playbook? Drop me a line: kgarrity@politico.com.
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D.C. BOUND — A delegation of Massachusetts politicians are headed to the White House today to join the Celtics’ championship celebration happening there this afternoon. Gov. Maura Healey, Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll, Treasurer Deb Goldberg, Senate President Karen Spilka, House Speaker Ron Mariano and Ways and Means Chair Aaron Michlewitz and Boston Mayor Michelle Wu are all heading down to D.C. today (Mariano and Michlewitz are cutting short their trip to Cuba to make it, per State House News Service) for the occasion. Healey is also set to meet with the state’s congressional delegation, according to a person familiar with the plan. — “Mass. lawmakers spend nearly $30,000 in campaign funds on travel agent for health care-focused Cuba trip,” by Samantha J. Gross, The Boston Globe: “Massachusetts House lawmakers spent nearly $30,000 in political donations last month on a trip to Cuba billed as an opportunity to learn about the island nation’s interest in biomedical research. Specifically, the lawmakers paid $28,566 to Marazul Tours, a New Jersey-based travel agent that specializes in trips to Cuba.” DONE DEAL — Gov. Maura Healey signed the roughly $4 billion economic development bond bill yesterday, capping off months-long debate over the bill that at one point looked like it might not make it across the finish line this legislative session. Who’s celebrating? The life sciences, climate and clean energy industries, which could see millions of dollars of investment over the next few years. It’s also a win for Healey, who called on lawmakers to return for a special formal session to pass the billion-dollar borrowing bill after they broke on Aug. 1 without a deal. Who’s not? People who fell victim to what they say are predatory lending practices of a Blue Hub Capital, a Boston-area nonprofit that’s led by a Healey ally and fundraiser. One person interrupted an event Healey spoke at yesterday asking her to veto that section of the bill. More from the Boston Globe.
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| FROM THE HUB
| | — “Representative Steve Lynch warns Boston leaders: Don’t take our economic success for granted,” by Jon Chesto, Boston Globe: “US Representative Steve Lynch offered a stark warning to Boston business leaders this week: Don’t get complacent. In a speech to the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce on Monday, Lynch said he’s been alarmed by the slowdown in construction projects in the city. Lynch and other elected officials from South Boston routinely review early-stage developments, big and small, that come up in their neighborhood. The pace of proposals that have come before the ‘Southie electeds,’ as they’re informally known, has slowed considerably in recent years.” — “Boston City Council shoots down election receivership resolution after ballot mess: ‘Premature’,” by Gayla Cawley, Boston Herald: “The Boston City Council shot down a measure calling for a state takeover of the Election Department after this month’s ballot mess, but one opponent made it clear his vote wasn’t a ringing endorsement for a department that ‘screwed up pretty bad.’ Rather, concerns around the resolution put forward by Councilors Ed Flynn and Erin Murphy on Wednesday centered around a feeling that declaring local support for a state takeover of the city’s Election Department would be ‘premature’ — given the ongoing investigation by the Secretary of State’s office into the ballot shortages that hampered polling places throughout Boston on Election
Day.”
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PLANES, TRAINS AND AUTOMOBILES | | — “Framingham City Council rejects second multifamily zoning proposal,” by Tom Benoit, The MetroWest Daily News: “City councilors are expected to create their own multifamily zoning map to satisfy the state MBTA Communities Act after a plan presented by the Planning Board was subjected to several weeks of pushback from north side residents. City councilors on Tuesday suggested they could close an ongoing public hearing discussing the current Planning Board proposal on Monday, Nov. 25, then begin making changes to the plan to refer to the Planning Board.”
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| YAHD SIGNS AND BUMPAH STICKAHS | |
— “Advocates renew push for same-day voter registration,” by Christian M. Wade, The Eagle-Tribune: “Voting rights groups are renewing a perennial push to eliminate the state's 10-day cut off to register to vote, citing reports from the Nov. 5 election that some voters were disenfranchised. The Massachusetts Election Protection Program's steering committee said an analysis of the recent presidential election found ‘major barriers’ to voting that could have been resolved with a system of same-day registration.” — “Ouellette's narrow win over Thrasher in 8th Bristol state rep race certified after recount,” by Frank Mulligan, The Standard-Times: “Democrat Steven J. Ouellette again came out on top over Republican Christopher Thrasher in the 8th Bristol District state representative's race, following a recount Wednesday of a precinct that had experienced voting machine problems on Election Day. That was Precinct E in Westport. Westport Town Clerk Kristin Stinson said the precinct's final tally after the recount Wednesday was 1,012 for Ouellette and 765 for Thrasher.” — “In speech, incoming Taunton state senator describes her trailblazing political career,” by Emma Rindlisbacher, Taunton Daily Gazette.
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TRUMPACHUSETTS | | — “Could Trump really conduct mass deportations here?” by Giulia McDonnell Nieto del Rio, The Boston Globe: “It’s unclear to what extent the Trump administration would be able to carry through on its threats, particularly in a Democratic stronghold such as Massachusetts, where Governor Maura Healey has vowed to protect residents from deportations, and Boston Mayor Michelle Wu has said the city would not cooperate with deportation efforts. Still, some experts say Trump could have powers at his command to initiate large numbers of deportations.”
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| FROM THE 413
| | — “Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno pledges additional money to reduce tax bills,” by Jeanette DeForge, The Springfield Republican: “With residents facing the largest tax bill in more than a decade, Mayor Domenic J. Sarno pledged to put more money toward tax relief. He promised to reduce the tax levy, or the amount the city must raise to pay for expenses, by $3 million. That amount will come from the remaining about $17 million in the city’s free cash account, which was certified by the state earlier this month.”
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THE LOCAL ANGLE | | — “The RFK Jr. effect: Mass pols sound the alarm for the Bay State,” by John L. Micek, MassLive. — “Worcester investigating 27 cops state says fast-forwarded mandatory online training,” by Brad Petrishen, Telegram & Gazette: “Worcester police Wednesday confirmed opening internal investigations into 27 officers alleged to be among dozens statewide to use technology to shirk online training requirements. Interim Police Chief Paul Saucier told the Telegram & Gazette that he ordered the internal probes immediately after the state informed him of the issue last week.” — “Activist sprayed with paint outside City Council meeting; suspect is restaurateur,” by Marco Cartolano, Telegram & Gazette: “As members of the City Council stood for the national anthem before their meeting Tuesday night, a resident known for prolific progressive activism was assaulted with spray paint outside the Esther Howland Chamber. In connection with the assault, a warrant was issued for the arrest of John Piccolo, owner of Piccolo's at 157 Shrewsbury St. and a prominent name in the Worcester restaurant scene.” — “President Biden and first family to spend Thanksgiving on Nantucket,” by Catherine Messier, Cape Cod Times: “President Joe Biden and the first family are headed back to Nantucket to celebrate Thanksgiving. The holiday travel is a longstanding tradition of the Bidens, dating back to 1975. Though the first family stayed home due to the pandemic in 2020, they returned to the charm of November in New England in 2021, and have been back each year since then.”
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| HEARD ‘ROUND THE BUBBLAH | |
TRANSITIONS — Dr. Nefertiti Walker has been appointed senior vice president for academic affairs, student affairs, and equity at the University of Massachusetts. HAPPY BIRTHDAY — to state Rep. David Muradian, Matt Martinelli, Michael Lipson, Jim Daiute and Timothy Cronin.
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