June 2008
Blueprint for American Prosperity Metro Boston Regional Summit
The June 20 forum, sponsored by the Massachusetts Institute for a New Commonwealth and the Brookings Institution, was hosted by the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston and included extensive comments from Boston Mayor Thomas Menino and Bruce Katz of the Brookings Institution, with each lambasting failed federal leadership. Katz began the forum with a review of institution research and a critique of the current models of governance, which lack meaningful partnerships between the federal, state and local levels, he said.…
Find out more »Too Many Left Behind New Choices and Challenges for Massachusetts School Reform
Incoming state Education Secretary Paul Reville analyzed the strengths and weaknesses of the public education system in Massachusetts Wednesday morning during a breakfast forum attended by hundreds of system stakeholders at the Intercontinental Hotel. The Boston College Citizen Seminar, convened as Gov. Deval Patrick prepares to announce long-term education reform recommendations, was cosponsored by The Chief Executives’ Club of Boston, the Massachusetts Institute for a New Commonwealth and the John LaWare Leadership Forum. After Reville’s keynote, the following individuals engaged…
Find out more »April 2008
The Politics of Tough Choices During Tough Fiscal Times
Spanning political parties, gubernatorial administrations and more than two decades of government administration, former top state budget officials gathered at a downtown Boston hotel Thursday morning and talked taxes and spending for more than an hour. Among many other things, former Senate President Thomas Birmingham said he doesn’t sense any appetite for broad-based tax increases. Former Malone Treasury and Romney administration official Thomas Trimarco said state government must root out spending abuses that regularly and predictably infuriate the public. Former…
Find out more »February 2008
Mass Jobs Meeting the Challenges of a Shifting Economy
Addressing the state’s underground economy, using tax policy to spark investment and jobs, improving worker training, passing a $1 billion life sciences bill, and reining in health care costs were among economic stimulus ideas mentioned during a forum Friday, February 8, 2008 on the future of jobs in Massachusetts. The breakfast forum, held at the Boston Park Plaza Hotel, featured a panel discussion that followed remarks from Suzanne Bump, state secretary of labor and workforce development. The panelists were: Mark…
Find out more »December 2007
Municipal Meltdown The Fiscal Crisis Facing Massachusetts Cities and Towns
A state senator, two municipal leaders, a teachers union chief and citizen activist gathered Thursday morning at a downtown hotel to debate the future of local governments, in the face of evidence that there’s a growing squeeze on municipal finances that calls out for far-reaching solutions. The forum was held at the Omni Parker House and sponsored by the Massachusetts Institute for a New Commonwealth. The cover story in the fall issue of MassINC’s quarterly magazine “Commonwealth” looked at whether…
Find out more »September 2007
High Stakes The Casino Gambling Debate
Gov. Deval Patrick's announcement that he will push to allow three resort-style casinos in Massachusetts was perfectly timed for a long-planned forum at the Omni Parker House entitled "High Stakes: The Casino Gambling Debate." Coming less than 24 hours after Patrick said he thinks casinos can improve the quality of life in Massachusetts and deliver funding for property tax relief and transportation infrastructure, the forum, hosted by the Massachusetts Institute for a New Commonwealth, laid out the major arguments of…
Find out more »June 2007
Higher Education and the Massachusetts Economy Building on Our Competitive Advantage
An offshore buoy system known as ORION that will help measure climate change and wind patterns along the Northeast coast, a national wind blade testing facility in Charlestown, and myriad projects that would emanate from Gov. Patrick's $1 billion life sciences proposals are all examples of the types of collaborative efforts needed to move the Massachusetts economy forward, according to a top Patrick aide. Dan O'Connell, state secretary of housing and economic development, mentioned the three initiatives last week during…
Find out more »March 2007
Shifting Risk Changing Rules for Family Economic Security
A panel of experts, after hearing from a noted author on the topic, debated on March 28, 2007 at the Park Plaza Hotel over whether the economic burdens and risk shifting that’s occurring today, particularly in the areas of health care and pensions, mean more people are worse off, and potentially closer to bankruptcy, than ever before. The panelists agreed that the cost shifting is palpable, but didn’t agree over whether times are tougher now. The panelists included: Thomas M.…
Find out more »February 2007
Starting Line 2007
With a month of Beacon Hill activity to reflect on, four political pundits gathered last Thursday morning to talk about the issues facing Gov. Deval Patrick and the Legislature, Patrick’s performance so far, and the contests for the Democratic and Republican presidential nominations. Moderator: John Schnieder, MassINC Interim President Panelists: Jim Braude, host of NewsNight on New England Cable News Virginia Buckingham, Boston Herald columnist Craig Sandler, State House News Service general manager Joan Vennochi, Boston Globe columnist Starting Line…
Find out more »November 2006
Lessons from the Big Dig
On the heels of the election, a panel of transportation experts with extensive knowledge of the project and its politics gathered at Suffolk University Law School to discuss lessons learned from the undertaking. The early-morning Nov. 15 event was sponsored by the Rappaport Institute for Greater Boston, the Massachusetts Institute for a New Commonwealth, the A. Alfred Center for State and Local Government, and the Rappaport Honors Program in Law and Public Policy. Moderator: Robert Keough, editor, CommonWealth magazine Panelists:…
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