We gather tonight under an economic cloud darker than anything this Nation has faced in three generations. Tens of thousands of people in Massachusetts have lost their jobs to a nationwide recession. Thousands have seen their savings or home equity
snatched away by turmoil in the markets. Banks have money but won't lend it.
This is not the time to either lose our will or our way--the grim economic forecasts notwithstanding.
When I was growing up, we were forbidden from calling ourselves "poor."
My grandmother taught us to say we were broke, because "broke," she said, is temporary. See, we will cycle out of this downturn eventually and start to expand opportunity again, to widen the reach of the American Dream.
And I am confident that if we are honest about the challenges we face, responsible in the choices we make, and committed to work together for the common good, we will see our way through today's economic clouds to a stronger and brighter tomorrow.
$1.1 in cuts in services this year, including many layoffs
With the economy continuing to deteriorate, we foresee the need for another $1.1 billion in cuts and other budget solves this month. At the end of this month, I will file an Emergency Recovery Plan to close this further gap. My request to you is simple:
Give us the tools and we will finish the job.
I will also file a balanced budget proposal later this month for the coming fiscal year. Given the decline in state revenue, spending must be at levels significantly below what they have been in better
times.
No one's priorities will be spared. Local services will be cut, and in many cases, police, firefighters and teachers will face layoffs. But as we debate these proposals among ourselves and with the advocates, let us remember that we are doing no
more in state government than the people of the Commonwealth are having to do in their own lives--to make do with less, to trim down wherever we can to get through to a better time.
I know the impact is real. We need everyone to contribute.
Focus on stimulating economic growth via local aid
I think all of us agree on one thing, which is about the importance of stimulating economic growth here in Massachusetts and how important that is. I will say when I talk about the reasons for restoring local aid it is about investing in the
infrastructure so we can create a platform and small and medium-sized businesses to grow. It’s about creating opportunities to provide capital for those small and medium sized businesses, which is where most job growth is going to come from.
Source: 2006 MA Gubernatorial debate on Fox News with Chris Wallace
Sep 25, 2006
Focus on selling Massachusetts
As Governor, working with mayors and other local officials, I will personally engage in attracting new businesses and workers to Massachusetts and encouraging those here to expand.
We will also fund a marketing program to stimulate investment in and relocation to Massachusetts.
