David S. Bernstein’s story about Governor Deval Patrick is an example of going for the easy political jab rather than providing thoughtful analysis.
Our governor has been aggressively seeking change, and often has been ahead of the curve. Before it was clear we were in a national economic crisis, Patrick pushed for, and eventually got, legislation designed to create jobs, such as the $1 billion Life Sciences Act, the Green Communities & Oceans Acts, and the $3 billion Transportation Stimulus Bill. He identified and worked to close corporate tax loopholes, and actually lowered the corporate tax rate, which helps smaller businesses. Plus, he pushed for new revenue and cost savings for cities and towns through the Municipal Partnership Act.
Even his resort-casinos proposal, which frankly I opposed, was an attempt to avoid the tax increases now necessary, and pushed the legislature to come up with an alternative plan. This January, he put strong ethics reform, transportation reform, and pension reform on the table. Our governor has worked hard to clean up 16 years of inaction around infrastructure, transportation, education, you name it. Of course, certain people are not going to like that. But why should the governor take all the heat for that?
I like the Phoenix because it takes a stand, but your story about Patrick was way off base. Two years of his leadership has certainly made us better off than we would have been if past policies, or lack thereof, had continued.
Amy Perlmutter
Cambridge
EDITOR’S NOTE Amy Perlmutter served as environmental consultant for Deval Patrick’s Energy and the Environment transition working group.
David S. Bernstein’s recent story about Governor Deval Patrick was just that . . . a story. If it had been a serious attempt at journalism, Mr. Bernstein would not have had to rely so heavily on quotes from nameless “close Beacon Hill observers,” unidentified “lawmakers” and anonymous “political observers.”
Rather than rely on fiction, let’s look at the facts. In the last two years, Patrick has made it his priority to keep our health-care-reform law moving forward, made Massachusetts a leader in clean-energy and biotech innovation, and continues to fight for high-quality education and increased job creation.
Kathleen Polanowicz
Northborough
McCrea for Mayor
A city needs leadership for both good and not-so-good times, and it’s been a long time since the city has had any semblance of leadership at all. So, when a candidate shows up who has no ties to the establishment, has successfully run a business, and for more than four years has fought to correct wrongs, what happens? Nothing but bloody silence from the city’s two dailies. So much for the concept of fair and balanced reporting.
Thankfully the Phoenix’s Adam Reilly stepped up and made candidate Kevin McCrea more than an urban myth and for that I am grateful. I have e-mailed both the Globe and the Herald, wondering why McCrea has not gotten any coverage, and received bupkes in return. I guess it’s not just our pols who suffer from lack of ethics.
Mike Arnold
Dorchester
