Finneran: Godspeed Charlie Baker
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Friday, January 09, 2015
Tom Finneran, GoLocalWorcester MINDSETTER™
Governor Charlie Baker
We have a new Governor in Massachusetts. I wish him well.
I liked his campaign. I liked the idea of making Massachusetts a great state. Aim high Charlie Baker. You have our prayers. And you, like all of your predecessors in that corner office, will need our prayers.
Governing, leading, inspiring is exhausting and difficult work. Contrary to popular opinion it is not easy to govern a state, particularly a state like Massachusetts. Contrary to popular opinion, there are no easy or obvious ways to fix what ails us. The easy stuff, the low-hanging fruit, has already been harvested. What’s left to solve are stubborn chronic expensive problems, with the choices usually limited to lousy, bad, worse, or worst.
Governor Baker approaches these difficult tasks with an unusual and impressive skill set. He has had ample and successful government experience in very important departments, departments which are often decisive in moving Massachusetts forward. He has coupled that experience with service in local government as a selectman in the town of Swampscott. The careful reader might note and consider that this body of government service and experience, state and local, is rarely partisan in the discharge of its major duties. Rather, it’s about high competence and common sense on behalf of taxpayers who rightly expect fair and good value for the taxes they pay. Let’s call it fiscal prudence. It is always required though not always delivered. I think that it’s in Charlie Baker’s wheelhouse. It’s in his DNA.
One of the challenges of governing Massachusetts is the multi-dimensional nature of our state. Consider the Boston-Cambridge-Route 128-Metro West area, home to world-class colleges and universities, host to the most legendary hospitals on the planet, and economically driven by the gifted scientists, researchers, and engineers in our midst. Entrepreneurs drool over this deep pool of talent. That pool of talent drives innovation, creativity, and economic opportunity. But Boston and Cambridge, the dynamic duo of the Bay State, do not a commonwealth make. There are a lot of cities and towns in our humble little state, many of them struggling to maintain a good local economy. And not everyone in Massachusetts has a PH.D. in applied engineering from M.I.T.
Consider next the scattered but critical “gateway cities”, cities which once hosted thriving manufacturing centers---think of Lowell and textiles, Brockton and shoes. As American manufacturing has shifted, these cities search anxiously for economic opportunities for their residents. Worcester for example knows that the past cannot dictate the future. Ditto Springfield, Pittsfield, Holyoke, New Bedford, and Fall River. Housing is much more affordable in those towns than it is in Boston or Cambridge but the lengthy commutes in search of good jobs really diminishes the quality of life for everyone. Economic development in these cities and towns will be a huge challenge for the Governor. So too will transportation improvements loom as a large and expensive headache. I expect that Governor Baker will be spending lots of time on these fronts, rightly perceiving them as key opportunities to make Massachusetts great. (Full disclosure: I have done some professional work on behalf of housing and transportation needs in these “gateway cities”).
Next consider rural Massachusetts, home to farms and often forgotten as an integral part of the state’s economy. Beyond beautiful landscapes and critical open space, the state’s fields and forests and farms serve a vital role in the public’s health. The needs and concerns of those more rural regions are decidedly different from those of Cambridge and Boston, yet they carry a similar importance and urgency.
I have no doubt that the Governor will resist and refuse the Potomac whisperers and wise guys who will try to turn his attention from the toil and tasks ahead. He knows that four full years of energetic focus and effort can truly thrust Massachusetts forward. Eight full years would be even better in elevating Massachusetts to excellence. Forget the siren call of Washington D.C., the nation’s capital of dysfunction. Just be the best damn Governor you can be. Bring to your grip the major elements of any great state---education, the economy, housing, and transportation. You’ll find very capable legislative allies who will carry the ball for you. They too want greatness for our fair state. So shock the world and show that world that Massachusetts is indeed a great state.
Aim high Charlie Baker. Godspeed and good luck.
Tom Finneran is the former Speaker of the Massachusetts House of Representatives, served as the head the Massachusetts Biotechnology Council, and was a longstanding radio voice in Boston radio.
Related Slideshow: Central MA: 10 Possible Power Changes Under Governor Baker
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WHA and Ray Mariano Get Boost
Dr. David Schaefer, Political Science Professor at Holy Cross-
"I am particularly impressed that he (Baker) has taken an interest in the program that Ray Mariano has introduced into Worcester Housing Authority projects, aimed at getting residents off of welfare and housing subsidies and on to self-supporting work. Baker has expressed a desire to extend this worthy program to all state-owned public housing. And he has thereby signified his interest in ideas emanating from Central MA - as well as in policies designed to benefit the area."
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Cities Will Lose Out to Suburbs
Dr. Mark Miller, Political Science Professor at Clark University-
"My only thought is that since the Republicans get most of their support from the suburbs, the central cities may suffer under a Republican administration. I am sure it helps that the Lt. Governor is from Central Massachusetts, and I assume she knows all the players in Worcester. But I would expect that the suburban communities will get more attention than Worcester will be able to obtain. Since most of the key figures in Worcester are Democrats, they may find that they will have to work harder to get the attention of the new administration."
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Beaton's Seat Becomes Key Player
Paul Giorgio, GoLocal Worcester MINDSETTER™-
"Matt Beaton has become a big player in the area. The election for his State Representative seat is on March 31st. I can't imagine they're not going to pour as much money as they need to keep his seat Republican."
Hannah E. Kane, a member of the Shrewsbury Finance Committee is the Republican candidate. Jason Palitsch, vice chairman of the Shrewsbury School Committee, is the Democrat candidate.
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Worcester Could Become More Accessible
Tom Finneran, former Massachusetts Speaker of the House-
"Lt. Governor Polito's first-hand knowledge and experience regarding transportation needs in Central Mass. mirrors Tim Murray's; look for the two of them working together in perfect harmony; Governor Baker will pay close attention and Central Mass. will be the beneficiary."
Within the next eighteen months, Governor Baker may have to get the Federal Railroad Administration to give a 'green light' to move forward with a project that will provide a commuter rail passage between Worcester and Providence.
The project, first reported in November, is being spearheaded by Boston Surface Railroad Co. If successful, it will be one of the few private commuter trains in the country. To date, it is an estimated $3 million dollar project.
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Influence Shifts to David Forsberg
David Forsberg, chairman of Governor Baker's campaign, is now in position to push his influence in the city. Forsberg, former President of Worcester Business Development Corporation, and Dean of School of Business at Anna Maria College, is a former Worcester city councilor and New England Regional Administrator for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
Forsberg, from Worcester, has an extensive background in state and local government and will have plenty of say in what happens in Central Mass.
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Murray and Polito Might Work Together
Dr. David Schaefer, Political Science Professor at Holy Cross-
"I am confident that given Karyn Polito's Central MA residency and Charlie Baker's several visits to this area during the campaign, Worcester will suffer no loss of influence or attention from the state under the Baker administration. In fact, Karyn, in connection with her family business, has served as a board member of the Worcester Chamber of Commerce during Tim Murray's directorship of that organization, and their relationship should facilitate continued influence for the Chamber, and Tim, under the new administration."
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Blais Could Gain Power in Central MA
Tom Finneran, former Massachusetts Speaker of the House-
"Tim Murray, Governor Baker, and Karen Polito share many concerns and ideas about the importance of economic development and job opportunities; sound budgets and sensible policies can create a certain momentum and confidence in investors and business leaders that Massachusetts is in capable hands."
Worcester Business Development Corporation President and CEO Craig Blais is now in position to garner support from Baker's administration. Former president, David Forsberg, was Baker's Campaign chairman.
Blais is in charge of the $10 million non-profit WBDC. He has a political background. Blais worked in the State House as Chief of Staff for the House of Representatives. He reported to the Chairman of the Joint Committee on Human Services and Elderly Affairs.
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DPW and WRTA May Get Early Support
David Muradian (R), State Representative - Worcester's 9th District-
"Governor Baker has made a commitment to local infrastructure, and I am excited to continue to advocate for economic development and increased local aid to come back to our communities."
On Thursday, Governor Baker, in his first act as Governor, stated that he would release $100 million dollars to cities and towns from Chapter 90 funding. This money would go to reimbursement for transportation projects.
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Sec. of Education Malone Out?
Tom Finneran, former Massachusetts Speaker of the House-
"Pay close attention to Governor Baker on education; he will be a strong an vocal leader, pushing communities to close achievement gaps and to provide meaningful and rigorous instruction to all students; Baker knows the history of education reform here in Mass. better than anyone in the state; watch him lead in this all-important area."
During his acceptance speech, Governor Baker said, "And while traditional public schools will always be the backbone of our education, we need more high performing public charter schools in underperforming school districts to complement them. As I speak, there are more than 45,000 Bay State kids and their parents on waiting lists for these schools."
Matthew Malone, who was appointed by former Governor Deval Patrick as Secretary of Education, may be out if Baker decides he wants someone that will take hold of his plans for more charter schools and see them put forth in the Bay State.
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Power Shift from Worcester to Shrewsbury
Lt. Governor Karyn Polito now holds the highest seat of anyone from Central Massachusetts in state government. Her position was formerly occupied by Tim Murray, now the director of Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce.
Alongside Polito is Matt Beaton, also from Shrewsbury and recently appointed as Secretary of Energy and Environmental Affairs.
In a town that has already emerged as a rapidly growing community in the past few years, may not have to wait long for state funding and government support for any projects in the future.
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