Five candidates for governor shared a broad stage at a forum held this morning at the Framingham Sheraton, but there wasn’t much daylight between them, with almost all professing a focus on job growth, improving education and cutting red tape.
Economic development and improving the regional transportation infrastructure necessary to support it were the twin focuses of the forum, put on by the 495 MetroWest Partnership. Each of the candidates had five minutes to give a rough outline of their platforms to the assembled regional business and planning leaders.
Treasurer Steve Grossman highlighted a plan to provide 5,000 paid internship for local students with a $5,000 stipend, part of an effort to create a "pipeline of talent for local businesses to draw on." He also pledged to fully fund Gov. Deval Patrick’s transportation infrastructure plan, needling Republican candidate Charlie Baker for Baker’s opposition to an indexed gas tax.
His criticism on the gas tax issue was echoed by Attorney General Martha Coakley, who emphasized that one of her own priorities would be improving education, particularly in computer science, to help create an educated workforce attractive to high tech companies.
Self-proclaimed progressive candidate Don Berwick also spoke to the jobs issue, saying a "progressive agenda is a jobs agenda," and pointing to the 24 percent growth of the state’s green energy sector in recent years as an example of the kind of success he’d like to further. He also voiced support for creating more living wage jobs and reducing health care costs by offering single payer health care.
Baker, for his part, fiercely defended his opposition to the indexed gas tax, saying that all substantial tax increases should face public scrutiny. He also spoke of the need for better cooperation among state and local leaders in economic development, and emphasized his view that increases in local aid should be tied to increases in state revenue.
Mark Fisher, who owns a small business in the Metrowest region, highlighted his own four-point economic plan, saying he wants to cut red tape, cut corporate taxes, eliminate the obscure inventory tax in order to entice distribution centers to locate in Massachusetts and stop offering tax credits for "fad industries." He also spoke of his strong opposition to the continued existence of tolls on the Mass Pike.
The congestion problems on the Pike and its interchanges were also highlighted by the partnership, with Joseph Nolan of the town of Wayland’s planning department naming the Mass Pike/495 interchange as the second worst "transportation nightmare" named by MetroWest residents in a survey conducted by the partnership and the MetroWest Daily News. The top spot on the nightmare list was claimed by Rte. 9, whose entire 21- mile stretch through the region was deemed nightmarish to drive on during commuting hours.
Somewhat more positive news on transport infrastructure in the region was delivered by Dr. Beverly Scott, MBTA general manager and MassDOT Rail and Transit administrator, who reviewed planned improvements to the MBTA and commuter rail due to come online in the next several months, including new rail cars for the Commuter Rail, Red and Orange Lines. Scott also said that the transit authority was heavily invested in seeking new public-private partnerships to fund further improvements, and that she planned to undertake a listening tour among local business leaders to seek ideas for cutting red tape and learn about regional priorities.
