Governor Deval Patrick tonight gave his State of the State speech, outlining a tough road ahead which will include cuts to localities that will bring layoffs to police, fire, and teachers. The Governor called for “reform” of state government in some key areas, including pension, transportation,local governance and ethics. But the Governor failed to offer specifics (he has already filed an ethics reform bill), most notably failing to offer guidance to localities on how much of a cut is coming down the pike. He once again called for additional revenue authority to be given to munipalities, including a local meals tax option as well as a repeal of the telecommunications exemption to property taxation. He notably did not, except in the most general sense, advocate for additional management tools for localities, and did not advocate any reform that would broaden local management rights in the health care area. I certainly hope that expanded management rights for cities and towns makes it into any municipal relief package filed by the Governor. Now that would be reform that places the peoples interests in front of the special interests.
We at the local level look forward to working with the Governor and Legislature to make the best out of a real bad situation. If we cannot reform some of the practices that have put us into this financial free fall now we may never be able to do so.
Bill Manzi.com 
Your Honor,
I would say this Governor has spent us into trouble. Left no room for difficult economic times as have many of the municipalities. Now we get the speech with no substance (sounds familiar doesn’t it?).
Ethics “reform”. One has to enforce what we have before we worry about “reform”. I asked the question, “how many people have been charged with ethics violations and how many have been punished in some way?”
Transportation “reform”. It will achieve nothing. Is it true that while the number of sub-groups will be reduced to one, there will be no reduction in personnel?
Repealing state mandating effecting your ability to manage costs. Results expected. NOTHING-NADA-BUPKIS. These guys are under union control.
The cynical side of your last sentence is applicable.
Do you have any hope?
Jules
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Your Honor,
Listened to the Governor suck up to the legislature. He called their effort the “most productive session”. !!!!!!!!!!!
Is that the way you see it?
I also noticed the applause was lukewarm and sometimes absent.
The governor told everyone that the burden of budget reduction will be born by people YOU, your honor, will have to enforce. Not the 1,000 people he added to his office here and in Washington, not the construction police details, not the toll takers, not the hacks. I could go on, but you get the idea.
New Ethics “Reform”. We have been through this before, but no one can tell me how many people have been accused under the existing law. Don’t forget there is a disincentive to handle ethics charges as revenge can be taken later.
Transportation bill: DOA. Poorly handled. This “reform” before revenue is translated as “We don’t know what we are doing”. This is extremely complex and we don’t have the brain trust to put together a master plan. Need MIT types applying complex math and computers. Plus we have the union and hack friends to deal with.
Retirement “reform”. Do you expect the people who are going to benefit from the existing system to “reform” it. They will make it even more beneficial for themselves.
Unfortunately, the problem with our system of government is that once enacted, bad choice legislation is hard to reverse. When we are through with saving the economic health of the country, Obama and all his Devals will have sunk us deeper into socialism. And we approved it all.
(If Enron were a government entity, it would still be in business.)
Jules
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I actually found this speech phony, nauseating and quite uninspiring. And I’m a Democrat…
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