Eye On Patrick (continued)by Andy Steinberg
Science and the Environment
October 18: Patrick asked the Legislature to create the MA Broadband Institute to manage $25 million in bonds to provide high speed internet access infrastructure by 2010 to all 32 MA communities that do not have it, and 63 other communities who only have limited high speed access. This will cover DSL and cable but not satellite. Fifteen towns in Hampden, Hampshire and Franklin counties have no broadband, while another 22 have limited service. Patrick said, "This bond bill begins the important work of bridging that divide so every student and every business can compete on a level playing field." Shutesbury-Leverett Broadband Committee member Glenn Cherrits said ,"Broadband is close to a necessity for students. If they lack broadband, students can be at a serious disadvantage, especially if they compete with students who do have it." Russell town accountant Nancy Boersig said the town financed its own high-speed Internet by creating an enterprise fund. She said, "We took care of our problem. We feel we should be eligible for something."
October 30: Patrick wants a $1 billion (half in capital funds) & 250,000 job plan to boost the state life science industry, to create a MA Stem Cell Bank, a research center to build on the work of Nobel Prize-winning scientist Craig Mello (See Science and Environment, November 30) at UMass Medical School, a center at UMass Amherst, labs, equipment, tax incentives, grants, and to assist the PVLSI Pioneer Valley Life Sciences Institute for breast cancer, diabetes, metabolic disorders and apoptosis (see Springfield October 29). Patrick said that places from North Carolina to China are luring away MA's best biotech experts. Una Ryan, president and CEO of AVANT Immunotherapeutics in Needham, said she was able to locate her manufacturing facility in Fall River through a state-backed financing program despite offers from other states.
November 2: Patrick appointed D-Marblehead Rep. Douglas W. Petersen as the new state agricultural commissioner. Reactions from farmers have been very mixed, from being pleased to surprise to anger.
November 6: House Speaker Sal DiMasi, Senate President Therese Murray, and Patrick filed a bill to exempt certain ethanol fuels from the state 21-cent gas tax, and increase biofuel in home heating oil and in diesel. These types include cellulosic ethanol made from forest products, switchgrass and agricultural wastes from cranberry bogs, but not corn. New biofuel refineries are planned for Pittsfield, Greenfield and Quincy. "Any type of fuel mandate is problematic for our industry," said Steve Dodge of the MA Petroleum Council.
November 9: The above bill has been revamped to have a $2,000 tax deduction for those buying a alternative fuel car or hybrid car, and a $300 tax credit for solar water heaters.
November 30: Patrick traveled to China with over 12 clean energy and life sci executives from Genzyme, Vertex Pharmaceuticals Inc, Novartis AG, Nypro Inc, ViaCell Inc, Biogen Idec Inc, Wilson Turbopower Inc, Advanced Electron Beams, Satcon Corp, Cape Wind Associates LLC, and Rohm and Haas Electronic Materials LLC, and also two Cabinet secretaries, Harvard and MIT representatives, UMass president Jack Wilson, and UMass Medical School professor Craig Mello (See Science and Environment, October 30). The group plans to create partnerships between MA companies, and companies in Beijing and Shanghai like the Shanghai Electric Co. This 7-day, $200,000 trip was paid for by Massport, which operates Logan Airport, and the MA Technology Collaborative. Associate professor of marketing at Montana State University At Billings Timothy Wilkinson said, "The fact is that a governor can open doors."
December 21: Patrick asked the Legislature to approve his $1.4 billion bond bill to maintain state forests, parks, beaches, harbor islands, hiking and biking trails, swimming pools, skating rinks and campgrounds, the biggest environmental bond bill in state history.
January 4: Doctor Mark Flomenbaum, the state's former chief medical examiner, was fired by Patrick in August for losing track of a body that later was found buried in the wrong grave, and many other reasons detailed in a harsh 36-page report. Mark filed a lawsuit against Patrick for firing him. (See Public Safety and Civil Rights, January 23.)
Springfield
October 3: In the first governor's cabinet meeting held in Springfield in memory, Patrick said his Springfield Partnership will provide $560,000 to hire 10 new police officers, renovate and expand the police training facility at Springfield Technical Community College, provide state matched employer assistance housing programs, $2 million to match city funds for a new 150-bed homeless shelter on Worthington Street, $10 million for a regional firefighting training center, improving early childhood education, forging links between UMass Amherst and public schools and other colleges, state investing in existing public housing, help Springfield provide safe affordable housing, job skills training programs, Main Street North roadway project, and a PVTA hub at Union Station.
This meeting was held at Patrick's newly opened (closed since 2003) governor's satellite office in the Springfield State Bldg at 436 Dwight St. "I would say that this should not be perceived as a silver bullet or the end of the conversation. I'm am not interested in government by 'photo op' or press announcement," he said. Other attendees of this packed house included secretaries of public safety, labor, transportation, housing energy and finance, Mayor Charles Ryan, chairman of the state-appointed Springfield Finance Control Board Christopher Gabrieli, City Council President Kateri Walsh, Lt. Governor Tim Murray, the entire city council and control board, most of the state legislature, dozens of citizens, and the Worthington Shelter kitchen manager John Covington.
October 29: State secretary of the Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development Daniel O'Connell, visited the UMass Amherst to discuss a UMass-Springfield link about research and development in life sciences, and the latest advances in clean energy development and technology, education and economic relations, and a planned UMass facility in downtown Springfield. The current UMASS Pioneer Valley Life Science Institute PLVSI partnered with Baystate Medical Center has been very successful (See Science and Environment, October 30). A tour of UMass included visits to the wind energy laboratory directed by James Manwell, the nanotechnology work conducted by James Watkins, life sciences research directed by Lila Gierasch, and work on bioremediation and microbial fuel cells by Derek Lovely.
Turnpike and Transportation
October 2: Patrick wants to get rid of the 55 year old MA Turnpike Authority, the MA Highway Dept, Tobin Bridge operation and regional transportation authorities, and the state's steamship authority, in order to replace them all with a single agency called MassTrans that will run all transportation services, including the MBTA, roads, bridges, trains, and buses, to increase efficiency and decrease cost. The only exception would be the MA Port Authority which operates Logan International Airport. Other possible solutions to close the $15-$19 billion transportation funding deficit (over the next 20 years), the MBTA's $2.7 billion maintenance backlog, and over 500 damaged bridges, are doubling Pike tolls, increasing the gas tax 11.5 cents, instituting cent per mile tolls on all 10 interstates, or the casinos plan. MassTrans would have to be approved by the Legislature.
November 19: Back in June Matthew J. Amorello was forced to resign form his post as Turnpike Authority Executive Director after the Big Dig collapse that killed a driver. Mary Jane O'Meara served as interim director since then. O'Meara returned to her prior job of running the Tobin Bridge. Patrick today chose Alan LeBovidge to be the new executive director. In June had fired LeBovidge from his post as Commissioner of Revenue unofficially because of criticism of his views on corp taxation (to tighten the tax codes affecting business for closing corporate tax loopholes), and complaints about his inflexibility and micro-managing style from the National Assoc. of Government Employees union of the MA Dept of Revenue. LeBovidge previously worked for PricewaterhouseCoopers, ran the revenue department for Swift and Romney, and Springfield Finance Control Board chairman. LeBovidge retired from PricewaterhouseCoopers wealthy enough to donate his $140,000 salary as revenue commissioner to charity.
November 29: Patrick wants a $4.7 billion ($1.9 billion from federal funds, MA borrowing $2.8 billion) bonding bill to repair MA bridges and roads ($500 million), and $100 million for commuter rail work including $18.2 million to make a commuter rail extension by 2016 from Fall River to New Bedford, and $700 million for a Green Line extension to Somerville.
December 4: For the 2nd time in a year, the MA Highway Dept planned to order removal of signs, flags, and banners hanging over state highways for fear they would fall on drivers, this plan was again quickly stopped by the Governor while he was in China (See Science and Environment, November 30). The father of a missing soldier had somberly watched two flags removed from a bridge in Methuen. Retired director at Malden Mills James Wareing created several bridge displays in MA since the September 11th terrorist attacks. Wareing and Ramon "Andy" Jimenez took down two flags that paid tribute to Jimenez's son, Army Specialist Alex Jimenez, and other veterans. Alex Jimenez, 25, was kidnapped in Iraq seven months ago by Iraqi insurgents and remains missing. Jimenez, from Lawrence, clutched an American flag and a black POW/MIA flag in his gloved hands as he stood on a bridge across Route 213. Jimenez and Private Byron W. Fouty of Michigan were kidnapped May 12 when insurgents attacked a checkpoint in Baghdad. Ramon Jimenez said he was recently contacted by the Army and informed that an insurgent who may have information on his son's whereabouts was recently captured and is being interrogated. "I think we are more in danger of losing our lives driving through Boston's tunnels or getting hit by someone on a cellphone," said Gail Tuccero, 54, of Waltham, the mother of an Army corporal who spent 13 months in Iraq. "To me, this is another way of sweeping the war under the rug." Private First Class Joseph Anzack Jr., was also captured but his body was found several days later floating in the Euphrates River. Four US soldiers and an Iraqi translator were killed in the ambush.
Gerald Matta, a Ware Selectman, made a media event out of placing a small American flag on a Palmer overpass fence overlooking the Massachusetts turnpike. Matta told 22News, "Taking down the flags would have been very disrespectful and unpatriotic". Brenda McCarthy of Bondsville told us, "Taking down these flags would be wrong, very wrong"
Volunteer Service Corps
November 27: Patrick created a $3 million state-run volunteer service corps for community services such as teaching after-school programs, mentoring underprivileged youth, helping the elderly, and cleaning up parks and beaches. The VSC hopes to enlist 250 people this year. Members must be at least 18 to join, and must promise one year of part-time or full-time service. Students 18 and older could combine their study with this service.
