Governor Deval Patrick delivered his “State of the State” address for Massachusetts on Monday. In it, Patrick thematically embraced responsibility as he discussed education, joblessness, health care, and the prison system. While Patrick highlighted Bay State successes, he addressed shortcomings specifically and offered specific plans to assist these four categories.
Starting with joblessness, Patrick pointed to national statistics that placed MA as #47 in job creation in 2006 and the state’s subsequent improvement to the #5 spot in the same survey. National politics aficionados will recognize this statistic from former Governor Romney’s claims of increasing jobs for Massachusetts, only to have this survey used to undermine his claims. It is particularly worthy to note that upon Mitt’s absence from the Governorship in 2006, the state has leaped to 5th place—a difference of 42 slots.
While the state has a vast amount of jobs available, Patrick noted that employers complain of the lack of qualified applicants. To rectify this skills gap between the work force and job opportunities, Patrick introduced his ideas to reform higher education in the state. While many jobs require more skills than demonstrated in highschool and usually less than those acquired through a four-year degree, the lack of ongoing education has hurt the state’s workforce. Community colleges across the state, according to Patrick, are in a unique position to fulfill this need through education on specific trades and professional assistantships. His plans include a streamlining of community college hierarchies and an influx of funding for specific professional programs. This, in turn, would narrow the education gap for job opportunities.
Healthcare in the state, since the MA health care reform passed, has improved significantly by different measures of institutional success. 98% of Massachusetts residents are now insured, leading the entire nation in citizens covered and reducing the burden on emergency services. Premium increases have dropped from 16.3% in 2010 to just 2.3%. Insurance companies continue to devise economic solutions for small business workers’ insurance, in some cases these plans are 20% cheaper than the current rate. Patrick criticized the health care system for focusing on sickness and not enough on wellness, however he did not outline any government solution to this and instead seemed to insist on internal institutional changes.
In the final, and most controversial part of his speech, Patrick turned his attention to public safety budgets and spending. While violent crimes in most cities within the state are declining, holes within the public safety system still allow shocking crimes to occur. Patrick highlighted the Legislature’s passage of the “Safe and Successful Youth Initiative”, set to target at-risk youth and provide them the tools so as not to commit or become victims of crime. Although this program is an example of successful use of funds, certain programs, according to Patrick, are not and need to be examined and reduced or eliminated.
In particular, Patrick called for leniency with non-violent offenders, most of which in the state are involved with drugs, and criticized the mandatory sentences for such offenses as costly and harmful to the state. Patrick argued, that non-violent offenders sometimes enter the system only to become hardened and more dangerous upon their release. On the other end of the spectrum, violent criminals and the parole system need to be overhauled and restructured. Patrick focused mainly on non-violent offenders, saying that the state needs to educate and provide adequate re-entry services to these individuals so that they become better people, not repeat or violent offenders. Patrick told the Legislature directly that a bill with one component and lacking another would not be met favorably by his office.
All told, this was a very straight-forward speech for an election year. Although certain attacks on previous administrations could be read into Patrick’s remarks, these comparisons were given to show the growth of the state and not to campaign for any particular presidential candidate. It will be interesting to see how the national State of the Union speech, given by President Obama tonight, will compare to Patrick’s optimistic State of the State address.
Examiner.com is asking readers what questions you would like answered in tonight’s State of the Union speech. I would like to ask readers what you wish Gov. Patrick addressed in his State of the State speech. Please leave your remarks in the comments section, and White House officials may answer your questions directly!
**Author’s Note: I will be tweeting the State of the Union speech. Please follow along with me @mmstuessy on Twitter.
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