Out with MASSterList: Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll’s extensive contact list

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When a phone rings or buzzes with a text in the Massachusetts political sphere, there’s a good chance Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll is on the other line.

Her contacts list includes a who’s who of state and local officials. That was apparent during an early December meeting of Gov. Maura Healey’s Competitiveness Council, when there were technical issues with getting audio from Sen. Paul Feeney, who had logged in from home. After several attempts to fix the problem, Healey turned to Driscoll and said, “Why don’t you just call him?” Driscoll dialed away and put him on speaker.

Driscoll, who is quick with a joke and a text message, was laughing about the incident days later as she sat down for breakfast at the Gulu Gulu Cafe, a self-styled “bohemian outpost” in her hometown of Salem, down the street from a torture museum and across from a comic book shop. A burly member of her security detail took a seat at a table behind her, while an aide, Isabella Lanata, was seated one table over and tasked with getting Driscoll into the car by 10 a.m. so she could make an 11 a.m. event at the State House.

“The car ride used to be a joyous time to like, listen to music or NPR, and it is not anymore,” Driscoll said with a chuckle. “It is a workspace. And so you're constantly making phone calls or responding to emails or texts and things like that. And I take constituent services very seriously, as a former mayor. People reach out to you, and I want to get back to them or get their query addressed. You can't always meet every demand or inquiry, but you're not going to say you didn't hear from me, if I can help it.”

She has an iPhone, for those wondering. Better for security, and it’s easier to share PDFs than with a Samsung, which was her first choice. She still pines for the days of the Blackberry. “I succumbed to the Dark Lord of Apple,” she said. “It was efficiency. That's what drove it. I still feel like a sellout.”

I asked her about her communication style, recalling my personal horror at seeing Healey walk through the State House, holding the phone close for a voice-to-text message. “You should see the texts,” Driscoll quipped.

Gov. Healey is considering removing obesity medication coverage from the state employee health plan in her upcoming budget. Cutting treatment would jeopardize progress for thousands and harm workforce health. Urge the Governor to protect access to GLP-1s and treat obesity like any other chronic disease. Use our quick tool to send your message today.

7:30 | Boston Mayor Michelle Wu, Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley and Sen. Liz Miranda are among those expected as YMCA of Greater Boston hosts a celebration of the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.  The theme is "In Times of Challenge and Controversy, Keep Moving Forward," organizers said. | Roxbury YMCA, 285 MLK Jr. Blvd., Roxbury

9:00 | U.S. Rep. Jim McGovern begins his statewide #EndHungerNow tour at Quincy Community Action Programs with U.S. Rep. Stephen Lynch. | 22 Pray St., Quincy

11:00 | Boston Mayor Michelle Wu gives remarks at a ribbon cutting ceremony to celebrate the completion of The Amp, the third and final phase of Flat 9 at Whittier. | 1170 Tremont Street, Roxbury

12:00 | Gov. Maura Healey holds an event to celebrate completion of the New England Clean Energy Connect transmission line, which will begin delivering hydropower from Canada to Massachusetts on Friday. NECEC will provide Massachusetts with nearly 20% of its overall electricity. Other participants include Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll, Energy & Environment Secretary Rebecca Tepper, Economic Development Secretary Eric Paley, Hydro-Quebec COO Serge Abergel, and other state officials. | Grand Staircase, State House, Boston

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….The MassGOP may have missed an opportunity in 2024, when they failed to field a candidate against Michael Rodrigues, the Westport Democrat who chairs the Senate Ways and Means Committee. His district swung to Donald Trump in the presidential election that year, stoking GOP hopes of taking it this year. So much so that two Republicans have thrown their hats into the ring. But neither is happy about the prospect of a primary. Manny Silva, a Christian pastor who had already declared his candidacy months ago, blasted out an email saying he was “deeply disappointed” that Gabriel “Boomer” Amaral decided to wade in, pointing to a recent podcast where Amaral had said he wouldn’t run for Senate. Amaral is an elected member of the Republican State Committee and has unsuccessfully run for mayor of Fall River. Amaral told MASSterList he was talked into running for Senate by several GOP officials. “It’s nothing personal against Manny,” he said. “This seat is an important seat and we need to make sure Sen. Rodrigues doesn’t go unopposed”....

…When a Boston Herald reporter asked Gov. Maura Healey for her reaction to President Trump threatening to cut off federal funding to so-called sanctuary cities and states, she said, “Well, I won’t give you the finger,” before launching into a critique of ICE. It was an apparent reference to Trump – famously called a “short-fingered vulgarian” in a 1990s magazine – after the president flipped off a Ford auto worker who heckled him earlier this week. Herald reporters have likely fielded worse from Massachusetts elected officials over the years….

…Power players and policymakers in the health care sector will convene at Westin Copley on Thursday, Jan. 29 for the annual meeting of the Massachusetts Health & Hospital Association. Dr. Atul Gawande, author of “Being Mortal,” offers up the morning keynote. The agenda also includes a speech from Gov. Maura Healey, and a conversation about the health care landscape in the aftermath of Steward Health Care’s collapse.

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TAX SHIFT DIES: A majority of Boston’s senators backed Mayor Michelle Wu’s proposal to temporarily shift the property tax burden to commercial owners, but the amendment went down in a 33 to 5 vote. The Senate opted instead to approve alternative proposals pushed by Sens. Will Brownsberger and Nick Collins. – State House News Service

TRANSFER FEE: Supporters of real estate transfer fees hope to make another run at the proposal as the end of the legislative session approaches, but it still faces a tough go on Beacon Hill. – CommonWealth Beacon

BALLOT ROYALE: If it’s a ballot question year, it’s another battle between businesses and unions. SEIU has emerged as the main opposition to a coalition of business groups proposing questions that would cut the state income tax and overhaul a state tax revenue formula to enable refunds. – WBUR

NO HOUSE SPECIAL: House Speaker Ron Mariano said there would be no special election to replace Rep. Natalie Blais after state elections chief Bill Galvin voiced logistical concerns. That leaves the seat vacant until next year, when whoever wins in November is sworn in. – Greenfield Recorder

BALLOT QUESTION REPORTS: Senators backed a bill requiring more public reporting on the fundraising and spending behind ballot questions as voters could consider a record number of them this year. – State House News Service

SEEKING PAROLE: Jose Colon, 63, made his case before the state’s Parole Board for release after killing Trooper George Hanna in 1983 at the age of 20. Board members indicated some skepticism about his prospects. – MassLive

MWRA CHIEF: Fred Laskey, the 68-year-old head of the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority, plans to retire from the $280,000-a-year job. – Boston Globe

OFFSHORE WIND LAWSUIT: Vineyard Wind is asking a federal judge for a preliminary injunction against a federal suspension order, making it the final offshore wind project, out of five that were abruptly shut down, to sue. Two wind projects have won preliminary injunctions and can restart construction. – New Bedford Light

LAW LOSS: Big law firms in Boston and across Massachusetts are cutting back their numbers of attorneys,with a research analysis showing 19 lowering their number and just six increasing. – Boston Business Journal

HARVARD CLUB: The Harvard Club of Boston, which is not directly associated with Harvard University, will pay $2.4 million to settle a federal investigation, which looked into allegations that it should not have applied for a Paycheck Protection Program loan during the pandemic. – Harvard Crimson

Office portfolio in Boston’s Fort Point sells at 75% of 2016 price

Enrollment decline could cost Pittsfield schools roughly $5 million

New England Public Media sues local production company

Off-duty Marshfield cop to be charged with drunk driving after crash

Nine towns in Berkshire County weigh regional animal control program

@ ISSUE SIT DOWN: 9:30 a.m., NBC 10. Reporter Matt Prichard interviews Imari Paris Jeffries of Embrace Boston.

ON THE RECORD: 11 a.m., WCVB. Liz Breadon, the new Boston City Council president, is the guest.

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