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Deval Patrick on Local Issues
Democrat
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Deval Patrick on Big Dig
Governor should take responsibility and get Big Dig reform
Q: What responsibility do you bear for the Big Dig problems?HEALEY: From the very beginning of the administration, we knew reforms were needed. Finally it took a tragedy to have the legislature allow us to get a stem to stern review done.
PATRICK:
That stem to stern review was promised when you ran for Lt. Governor - it was owed the people of Massachusetts.
HEALEY: Then why did the legislature stand in our way?
PATRICK: The question always seems to come back to your not taking responsibility
when it is your responsibility. I want to be governor and take that responsibility. My plan is to appoint an independent special inspector general, someone who doesn’t have relationships with any of the interests on Beacon Hill, to give a professional
analysis of both the structural and the financial integrity of that project, and to hold them accountable.
HEALEY: That’s precisely what we have done. We’ve gotten experts from around the country.
Source: 2006 MA Gubernatorial debate on Fox News with Chris Wallace
, Sep 25, 2006
Big Dig cost overruns are why people question taxes
PATRICK: The voters have voted to roll the income tax back and why wouldn’t they? They look at something like the Big Dig for example, billions of dollars in cost overruns, and structural defects we’ve known about for a long time and hardly any curiosity
until the tragedy in July from our elected executives about where that money went. Small wonder people say, give me my money back. REILLY: Well, Deval, you should say there’s a lack of curiosity to the people of my staff who are working around the
clock, night and day, to get to the bottom of this, going through hundreds of thousands of records. They are making progress, substantial progress. The Big Dig, and the problem with that, is a series of Republican governors who have tied my hands.
But despite that, we have recovered and saved $75 million of tax-payers’ money, plus six people under criminal indictment.
Source: MA gubernatorial debate on CBS4 news, moderator: Jon Keller
, Sep 13, 2006
Deval Patrick on Transportation
New rail to Assembly Square, Worcester, and the Cape
Let's keep going. Let's keep rebuilding our infrastructure. This year, we will open the Assembly Square station in Somerville and the Yawkey station in Boston; increase commuter rail service to Worcester; resume seasonal service to the Cape;
and launch automated tolling. With your help, Mr. Speaker and Madame President, we can begin construction on the Silver Line to Chelsea, the I-91 viaduct in Springfield, and the last mile of broadband in underserved communities.
We can hire the builder for new Red line and Orange line trains, and start building them right here in Massachusetts. And yes, in this year, we can escalate construction on South Coast Rail.
So, I ask the Legislature to pass the bond bills before you now so that we can put more people to work and deliver the public works worthy of a world class economy. Let's keep going.
Source: 2014 State of the State speech to Massachusetts legislature
, Jan 28, 2014
Saved $250M by abolishing the Turnpike Authority
Simplifying the transportation network and abolishing the Turnpike Authority means we saved taxpayers a quarter billion dollars and can put toll and
T fare hikes off a little while, while we focus on better service for commuters.
Source: MA 2010 State of the State Address
, Jan 21, 2010
Page last updated: Nov 14, 2019
