Editorial

Patrick Gets Our Nod, but Has Work to Do

This is a critical time for Massachusetts, what most observers would describe as a critical crossroads. The state is still trying to recover from the worst recession in 80 years, while at the same time it is working to stimulate economic development in an ultra- competitive climate in which 49 other states and countless countries around the world are vying for businesses and jobs.
There is also the matter of casinos and whether they are to be part of the economic-development mix, the obvious need to make this state more business-friendly, and the very real possibility that the state’s sales tax will be rolled back to 3%, creating some possible opportunities for retailers but also a potential fiscal nightmare for the Commonwealth and its publicly funded institutions and programs.
For these reasons and others, BusinessWest lends its endorsement to incumbent Deval Patrick in the all-important governor’s race to be decided on Nov. 2. This is a nod over challenger Charlie Baker (Tim Cahill’s candidacy is a joke, and he should do the state a favor and drop out before the election) that comes with some caveats, as we’ll explain. The bottom line, we feel, is that Patrick is the best option for the state at this critical juncture.
For starters, we’ll note that Patrick has made some missteps in his first term. The Cadillac DeVille and office-redecoration exploits were among them, but more important were his steps backward in efforts to downsize government and stem the tide of patronage jobs. His failure to seal a casino deal has also led to questions about his leadership skills and ability to work with the Legislature to get things done.
But Patrick has matured in office and, over the past few years, has managed the deep recession effectively, while also amassing several legislative accomplishments, such as a toughening of pension and ethics laws, consolidation of transportation agencies, expansion of charter schools, and more.
What has stood out for us is his very real — not symbolic or token — support of Western Mass. and some of its struggling cities.
In Springfield, for example, Patrick was personally responsible for Liberty Mutual opening an office in the Technology Park at Springfield Technical Community College, a facility that now employs more than 300 people. His administration also played key roles in the State Street Corridor revitalization effort, South End redevelopment, efforts to make UMass Amherst a more vital force downtown, the Data Center being built at the former Tech High School site, and other initiatives.
Meanwhile, in Holyoke, another former manufacturing center trying to reinvent itself, Patrick administration played a key role in advancing the high-performance computing center project, an economic-development initiative that could have huge ramifications for that city and the region as a whole.
The wheels started turning thanks to officials at MIT, UMass Amherst, Boston University, and other schools, as well as private industry, but the Patrick administration helped steer this project to a successful conclusion, and in a city that sorely needs an economic boost.
While in the past, governors and candidates for that post have talked about how they represent the entire state and how important Western Mass. is to them, Patrick has backed up the talk, and in a way that hasn’t been seen since Michael Dukakis was in the corner office.
While we believe Patrick has earned another term to see if he can build on these accomplishments and create more progress for this region and the state as a whole, we’ll note that he and everyone else on Beacon Hill still have some serious work to make this state more business-friendly, and this must be one of the top priorities for whomever is governor next January.
Jobs are the real key to making a full recovery from the Great Recession and enabling cities like Springfield and Holyoke to forge new identities. And the key to creating them is making this a state business owners believe they can afford to be in. Right now, not enough people are of that sentiment, and until the reality, and not just the perception, changes, Massachusetts will be at an extreme disadvantage.