The many mayoral races of Massachusetts

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LIFE, LIBERTY AND THE PURSUIT OF MAYORALTY — In a state regularly ragged on for its lack of electoral competition, this year’s mayoral contests are shaping up to be an exception.

Five of the 35 mayors up for reelection this year are stepping down or have already left, opening up corner offices for the first time in years — if not decades — from Pittsfield to Marlborough to Haverhill. And more could follow as mayors from Methuen to New Bedford mull their options.

The competition isn’t limited to open seats. At least eight mayors have already drawn challengers, putting incumbents on defense from Brockton to Springfield.

Covid-19 fatigue contributed to nearly a fifth of the state’s mayors leaving office in 2021. This year’s departures are different. Jim Fiorentini, the mayor of Haverhill since 2004, told supporters that at 76, he wants to “leave with enough health left to enjoy some life.” Melrose Mayor Paul Brodeur, who’s been in public office since 2002, plans to fill his soon-to-be free time with family and friends.

After 12 years as mayor and 18 on the City Council, Marlborough Mayor Arthur Vigeant said he wants to see more of his five grandkids. And Pittsfield Mayor Linda Tyer wants to travel and spend more time with her aging parents.

“There’s always a moment in time when new leadership could be really beneficial to the community, and I feel like that’s where we are right now,” Tyer told Playbook.

Revere Mayor Brian Arrigo had already decided not to seek a third term when he stepped down last month to run the state Department of Conservation and Recreation. Four city councilors are now vying to succeed him, a contest that could end with former Mayor Dan Rizzo returning to the job Arrigo knocked him out of eight years ago.

Another particularly fraught race is shaping up in Springfield, where two city councilors and a state representative are among those lining up to take on the city’s longest-serving mayor: Domenic Sarno.

Sarno is no stranger to drawing and dispatching opponents — he toppled an incumbent to win the seat in the first place. And his challengers, long critical of his handling of police oversight in the city, have reasons to want him gone.

But it’s still unusual for an incumbent — particularly one as politically formidable as Sarno — to have not one but three prominent challengers. In this case, state Rep. Orlando Ramos and City Councilors Justin Hurst and Jesse Lederman, who are all ostensibly coming at the more centrist Democrat from the left.

Sarno plans to launch his reelection campaign on May 17, according to an event invitation reviewed by Playbook. He dropped $19,000 last month on yard signs and bumper stickers in preparation, per his latest campaign finance filing.

Challengers have also put incumbents on notice in cities including Braintree, Greenfield, Malden, Medford, Woburn and Waltham. And in Brockton, Mayor Robert Sullivan is running against youth mentor John C. Williams and former GOP congressional candidate Hamilton Rodrigues.

“It would probably be easy for me to say ‘nope, I’m gonna call it a day.’ You know, I came in, and then six weeks later we were dealing with a pandemic,” Sullivan told Playbook. “I have a lot of friends that I’ve met, mayors, they’ve served and then they’ve decided to go in a different direction.”

But Sullivan isn’t ready to call it quits. “To be able to make a difference in people’s lives is why I run,” he said.

GOOD FRIDAY MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS. Here are two things to watch as mayor’s races continue taking shape:

— The mayors who haven’t said anything yet. Quincy’s Thomas Koch and Taunton’s Shaunna O’Connell, for instance, both plan on running again but haven’t made it official, per two people familiar with their plans. But Weymouth Mayor Bob Hedlund hasn’t decided yet, his chief of staff said. And New Bedford’s Jon Mitchell, who’s been floated for higher office before, has been playing curiously coy.

— The Healey-Driscoll factor. When the state’s governing team includes a former mayor, it’s a safe bet that the two top executives will play in some municipal races. They’re already starting to — backing Medford Mayor Breanna Lungo-Koehn for reelection and Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll’s former chief of staff, Dominick Pangallo, in the upcoming special election for Salem mayor.

TODAY — Gov. Maura Healey and Driscoll participate in the first meeting of the Economic Development Planning Council at 2:30 p.m. at the State House. Driscoll administers the oath of office to Framingham State University’s new president at 10 a.m. Boston Mayor Michelle Wu attends a Roxbury coffee hour at 9:30 a.m. AG Andrea Campbell is on GBH’s “Boston Public Radio” at 1 p.m. and speaks at the Massachusetts Black Lawyers Association’s gala at 6:30 p.m. in Boston.

THIS WEEKEND — Driscoll, Secretary of State Bill Galvin and Auditor Diana DiZoglio attend the 3T & 2C annual Democratic Breakfast at 9 a.m. Saturday at Nicholson Hall in Newburyport. Former Labor Secretary Marty Walsh receives an honorary degree from Dean College at 11 a.m. Saturday.

SUNDAY SHOWS — MassDems Chair Steve Kerrigan is on WBZ’s “Keller @ Large” at 8:30 a.m. Sunday. Healey is on WCVB’s “On the Record” at 11 a.m. Sunday.

Tips? Scoops? Running for mayor? Email us: [email protected], [email protected] and [email protected].

DATELINE BEACON HILL

— MARK YOUR CALENDARS: The Senate will roll out its budget proposal on Tuesday, per the State House News Service. The timeline for a tax-relief package, however, remains unclear. Speaking of that …

— LETTER-WRITING CAMPAIGN: The coalition that worked to pass the so-called millionaires tax is continuing to pressure senators to keep cuts to the short-term capital gains tax rate and other controversial measures out of their tax-relief plan.

Raise Up Massachusetts sent a letter to the entire Senate yesterday doubling down on its argument that April’s revenue shortfall, combined with the feds hiking interest rates and the threat of defaulting on the national debt, present “significant” fiscal risk for the state. The group is urging senators to reject not only lowering the short-term capital gains tax rate, but also the plans on the table to raise the estate-tax threshold and tinker with the single sales factor apportionment.

— “Healey brings more women into governor’s office,” by Colman M. Herman, CommonWealth Magazine: “According to the state’s diversity dashboard, [Gov. Maura] Healey has 52 people working in her office at the State House – 36, or 69 percent, are women, and 16, or nearly 31 percent, are men.”

— “Minority-owned firms see big jump in Massachusetts state contracts,” by Paul Singer, GBH News: “Minority-owned businesses won contracts worth $217 million from Massachusetts state agencies last year, a jump of more than $50 million from the year before, according to new data from the state’s Supplier Diversity Office.”

VAX-ACHUSETTS

— “Massachusetts COVID cases drop 14%, Boston shutting down some vaccination and testing sites,” by Rick Sobey, Boston Herald: “On Thursday, the Massachusetts Department of Public Health reported 897 virus cases over the last week. The daily average of 128 COVID cases from the last week was a 14% decrease from the daily rate of 148 virus infections during the previous week.”

— “Most major health care and hospital systems in Mass. will lift mask requirements next week,” by Kay Lazar and Jessica Bartlett, Boston Globe.

FROM THE HUB

— “Mayor Wu announces $16.5 million in federal funds to help homeless people,” by Danny McDonald, Boston Globe: “Mayor Michelle Wu announced the city is receiving a $16.5 million grant from the federal government for housing and supportive services for homeless people. … As part of the breakdown of funds, Wu’s office said Eliot Community Services will receive $6.2 million over three years to house 105 homeless people from Mass. and Cass or ‘other high-risk settings.’”

— “Advocates request halt to low-income housing,” by Leah Samuel, Bay State Banner.

— “Michelle Wu indicates support for rat czar hire in Boston,” by Gayla Cawley, Boston Herald.

— “Amid writers’ strike, Boston University is facing heat for picking Warner Bros. CEO as commencement speaker,” by Rick Sobey, Boston Herald.

PLANES, TRAINS AND AUTOMOBILES

— “Family of woman killed by Commuter Rail sues MBTA for crash records,” by Dan Atkinson, Dig Boston: “Last January, a 68-year-old woman driving through Wilmington died when a Commuter Rail train slammed into her car as she was going over the railroad tracks. The crossing arm failed to come down, which MBTA officials quickly blamed on ‘human error.’ A worker for Commuter Rail managers Keolis was placed on leave. But for more than a year, the T has not released further information about the crash and its subsequent investigation.”

— “Man files lawsuit stemming from MBTA escalator accident at Back Bay Station in 2021,” by Travis Andersen, Boston Globe.

DAY IN COURT

— “Elizabeth Warren Likely to Beat RFK Jr. Suit Over Anti-Vax Book,” by Peter Hayes, Bloomberg Law: “Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) won’t be required to immediately retract, apologize for, or remove a letter from her website requesting that Amazon not direct consumers to an anti-vaccine book by Robert F. Kennedy Jr. because Kennedy’s underlying suit isn’t likely to succeed on the merits, a federal appeals court said Thursday.”

— “National investigation shows Massachusetts lags in compensation for wrongfully convicted,” by Mike Beaudet, WCVB: “Massachusetts’ wrongful convictions statute has a cap of $1 million on damages. … ‘I’m absolutely for lifting that cap,’ [AG Andrea] Campbell said. But any reforms would have to be signed into law by Gov. [Maura] Healey, who, despite serving as attorney general for eight years and whose office handled these cases, would not weigh in on whether the law should be changed.”

— “Fall River City Councilor admits in court to harassing wife of an ex-lover last year,” by Jo C. Goode, Herald News.

IT'S NOT EASY BEING GREEN

— “With new report, AG Campbell calls for more public participation in key energy decisions,” by Sabrina Shankman, Boston Globe: “Decisions about where to site energy infrastructure have long left out those who end up suffering the worst consequences of those decisions — the environmental justice communities that are often home to facilities that can pollute the air and water, according to a new report issued early Tuesday by Attorney General Andrea Campbell’s office.”

— “Markey introduces bipartisan bill to improve climate-related mental health services,” by Zack Budryk, The Hill: “The legislation, the Community Mental Wellness and Resilience Act, would establish a $36 million pilot program through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for mental health care specifically for communities on the frontlines of climate change.”

WHAT ELSE YOU SHOULD BE READING

— “Mass resignations leave just one member on Uxbridge School Committee,” by Jeff A. Chamer, Telegram & Gazette: “In a letter to families on Thursday, Superintendent Michael Baldassare said the district will investigate the events that led to the recent resignations of six out of the seven members of the Uxbridge School Committee this week. The letter said the district would commission a third-party review and make its findings public.”

— “State gets “C-" for lead in school drinking water,” by Christian M. Wade, The Eagle-Tribune: “That’s up from the ‘D’ grade the state received in a 2019 report, but advocates say it’s not enough.”

— “‘Uniting for Ukraine’ federal program helps refugees start new life in Massachusetts,” by Brandon Truitt, WBZ.

— “At sit-in, Simon’s Rock students allege that the early college has a pattern of mishandling or covering up sexual assault complaints,” by Heather Bellow, Berkshire Eagle.

— “Exploitation, Abuse, and Death: The Dark Side of Working in the Weed Industry,” by Dusty Christensen, The Nation.

HEARD ‘ROUND THE BUBBLAH

TRANSITIONS — Alexi Nowokunski has joined Benchmark Strategies as a public affairs associate. She previously was senior information manager for former Gov. Charlie Baker.

— Amy Metet and Kate Bueker have joined Bridge Over Troubled Waters’ board of directors.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY — to Endpoints’ Nicole DeFeudis, Nicole Serrano, Brian Fry and Jedd Ari Fisch. Happy belated to GWU’s Todd Belt.

HAPPY BIRTHWEEKEND — to Paul Clark, Daniel Jick, David Rogers, Lori Lefkowitz, Meg McIntyre and Amanda Drane, who celebrate Saturday; and to Sunday birthday-ers Emma Riley, Nancy White, Chris Lindahl, M.J. Tidwell, Nicholas Harrer and Brian Dunn.

NEW HORSE RACE ALERT: ONE-HORSE STATE — Hosts Steve Koczela, Jennifer Smith and Lisa Kashinsky dig into why so many elections are uncontested in Massachusetts, what BPS parents are worrying about and the bills on Beacon Hill that would boost supports for immigrants. Subscribe and listen on iTunes and Sound Cloud.

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