Well, Gov, you own this

Patrick signs casino bill into law.

With two high ranking members of government, a senator and cabinet secretary, already caught with their hands in the cookie jar, buying stocks in casino companies before pushing through legislation legalizing it, we'll see how long it will be before politicians are going to jail over this stuff.

We'll see how much worse this deal makes our situation in this state when people go broke because of it and the goverment's forced to intervene, while hundreds of local businesses go under and promised revenue never materializes. Governor Patrick - this is your legacy now, good luck with that.

Questions Media Didn't Ask at #OccupyBoston

Sometimes it's not just about what the media asks -- what they cover -- but what they don't cover and don't ask. Most of the issues over the coverage we saw, of what little coverage there was, would fit into this category.

News organizations like WCVB have covered the fact that the police asked protesters to leave, but didn't ask why they wanted to stay. That seems kind of important, doesn't it?

Several media outlets, like the Boston Herald, covered the fact that Boston's police commissioner blamed the raid on "anarchists" who had 'taken over' over the past 24 hours, but didn't bother to see just who those 'anarchists' were. If they followed up, they would have found a lot of veterans for piece, college students from neighboring campuses and the working poor, but I'm not so sure about "anarchists."

Plenty of news sources, like NECN, covered the fact that Mayor Menino despises civil disobedience and won't tolerate it in Boston, but could no news organization think to ask him how he can reconcile that with the fact that Boston practically invented civil disobedience in this country, in the form of hordes of Bostonians throwing tons of tea into the harbor.

There was the media coverage of the shrubs -- oh, dear, the shrubs! -- including ABC News, except no one bothered to ask Occupy Boston about it. If they did, they'd know Occupy Boston had approval from the Rose Kennedy group to be there, so long as they'd help care for the shrubs.

If the media asked, they would have learned how Occupy Boston already took care of shrubs and flowers at the Dewey Square camp and had a recycling program that would be the envy of many municipalities across the state.

Almost no main stream media organizations made note of the Veterans for Peace who were attacked, even while they trended worldwide on twitter. Wouldn't it have made sense to ask why it was necessary for the Boston Police to come down hard on people who've served this country with honor and distinction?

What about the medics and legal observers who were arrested? Or the medical supplies and other resources that were immediately thrown away -- things that could have provided evidence of police brutality, like cell phones and computers that may have been in the camp? Were these not worthy questions to ask about?

Among the questions that the media didn't ask was if the Patrick Administration approved the State Police being used as tools to bash protesters, or why Mayor Menino didn't have the police use non-violent means of breaking up the crowd -- without having to make mass arrests -- like using tear gas. There were plenty of questions asked of the Boston Police, but very little coverage of the protesters.

The entire Dewey Square camp was free and clear, with hundreds of people right there who would have been willing to answer questions. These are people who just want to have their voices heard -- that's why they're there in the first place. Would it have been so hard to hear their stories? To hear why they're there? To hear why they're willing to put themselves at risk for a greater cause? Those are worthy questions the rest of America deserves to have answered and covered.

Mostly, though, I'd like to know why most of the media didn't seem to think this was a big story. Well over a hundred people, in a city the fraction the size of New York, stood up for their rights in front of police brutality and courageously didn't back down, even when it meant arrest -- while the world went nuts over it on Twitter -- and it received barely a peep on the Mainstream Media. That's the biggest travesty of all.

Bob Massie: Channeling '06 to Win in 2012?

By now, many people who pay attention to the State Democratic Party and Massachusetts politics in general have heard that we've had our first announced challenger to Scott Brown -- Somerville's Bob Massie. Though most people probably don't know Bob very well (disclosure: I know him a little bit), he's not exactly a new hand to Massachusetts politics and is certainly fondly remembered by those who have been around since his 1994 campaign, where he beat out an insider to be nominated Lt. Governor on the Democratic ticket.

He's one of those rare few involved in politics who govern themselves by their convictions, and aren't afraid to take on the big challenges in order to help everyday people. We need more people like him in office. In many ways, he's the type of politician who's been sorely missing in this state for a long time -- but in other ways, his campaign reminds me a bit of the early days of Deval Patrick's 2006 winning effort. That's why I actually think he has a shot.

Consider this: One candidate was a political outsider with absolutely no name-recognition, but had an inspiring story and was willing to run hard based on his convictions alone. The other candidate is known only in activist circles, but has an inspiring story and is willing to run hard based on his convictions.

One of the candidates got out there ahead of the entire field, so he could build the sort of grassroots army among party activists that would enable him to defeat opponents who would start out with more money and name recognition. The other is doing the same thing.

One candidate was a political outsider who brandished an anti-establishment message, the other is a Beacon Hill outsider who's on occasion sparred with some of the establishment, at least when they forgot who they were working for.

In a race where I don't think many core members of the democratic establishment will even run -- never mind be our best shot at winning -- we need people like Bob Massie to breath a fresh breath of air into our politics. Someone else will jump into the race, someone with more money and with bigger name, but like Tom Reilly, I'm not so sure that person is going to win -- and I'm pretty confident that person won't be our best bet at beating Scott Brown.

The biggest difference between what Deval Patrick did in '06 and what Bob Massie is trying to do today is that Deval Patrick never won anything before, never mind a statewide primary. None of this is to suggest that what happened in 2006 will happen again today, but I've got hope that a candidate like Bob Massie can speak to our better angels and get a lot of people who checked out to check back in come 2012.

The Probation Department Must Go to Patrick, Now

The Probation Department scandal is casting a dark force on government, but darker still is the fact that Representative Charles Murphy -- one of the most powerful Democrats in state government -- is doubling down, insisting there's no wrongdoing within the legislature, when all evidence points to the contrary. Representative Murphy is not helping himself here:

“Is there any evidence to suggest that jobs are for sale?’’ said Murphy. “Did Paul Ware say in his report that any legislator got money for jobs? The answer is no. He didn’t. It is not there. He says there is a statistical probability of something like that, a chance. That’s not evidence. And he was very clear to state that.’’

Emphasis mine. Ware's report is absolutely devastating to the credibility of our Government in Massachusetts -- and it certainly calls into question many legislators in the state legislature.

Ware, in his investigation, also pursued the Spotlight finding that probation was beset with a "pay to play mentality" in which scores of job seekers made contributions to legislators in apparent hopes of favored treatment. Ware said he could not prove that individual politicians got jobs for people directly in exchange for campaign contributions, which could violate state and federal bribe statutes. But he said statistical evidence shows that legislators tried much harder to get jobs for people who gave them campaign contributions. Ware said his job was to investigate problems in probation, leaving it to others to probe whether legislators broke the law, too.

It gets worse.

The special counsel makes it clear that O'Brien, a protege of former House Speaker Thomas M. Finneran, was supporting legislators' job candidates in exchange for a bigger probation budget. O'Brien's political aides methodically kept track of legislators' favored candidates for jobs, showing that legislative leaders received by far the most patronage hires, Ware found.

Terrifyingly, it gets even worse.

Ware found that O'Brien's patronage machine was so extensive that some legislators rated their people on a scale of one to four, often giving the highest rating to people who were also campaign contributors. On one "Sponsor List" compiled for O'Brien, Ware found that 62 percent of the legislator-backed candidates got probation jobs -- if they also gave money. But only 25 percent of sponsored candidates who did not give money got probation jobs.

The legitimacy of our very state government is in peril with the Ware Report. With all due respect to Representative Murphy, the House leadership is the last body that should be making decisions about the probation department. This is especially true when Representative Petrolati is #3 on the House Totem Pole. This is a man who is so deeply embroiled in this entire scandal that he was not only compelled to testify about it (after holding out for a lengthy period of time), but he actually refused to answer any questions when finally questioned.

While Governor Patrick recognized the probation department as a "rogue agency," Representative Murphy "pushed back strongly" against the report. Who do we want making the decisions about how this agency is ran?

The fact of the matter is Governor Patrick is the only person in state government who has demonstrated the political courage and trust necessary to tackle the reforms this agency needs, and placing the agency under the executive branch will at least ensure someone is accountable for its actions and the way it is run. The leadership in the House and Senate must recognize that if trust is to be given to our state government, it cannot delay or somehow try to hold out. Too many of its members are potentially involved.

The Corruption of Casinos is Pervasive

This is a devastating article coming out of the Globe today on the casino industry in Massachusetts.

The ultimatum reveals the administration’s dissatisfaction with Fall River officials, who over the past several years persuaded the state to invest more than $50 million in road improvements and other upgrades for a planned “BioPark’’ — only to see those city officials on Monday instead endorse construction of a casino on the site.

Patrick’s top economic aide, Gregory Bialecki, said his office was not briefed on the casino proposal before the Mashpee Wampanoag tribe unveiled it.

So, here's what we have here: Corrupt politicians in Fall River, who are deeply embedded with all sorts of parties who wants casinos in that area, including this particular tribe in question, took $50 million in state funding dedicated toward a "Bio Park" and instead, pulled the carpet right from under that state investment, and will try to use that Bio Park's land for a tribal casino, instead.

When the tribe was asked if it would pay the state back, as the administration is demanding, here's what they said:

When asked if the tribe would reimburse the state the $35 million for the highway ramp, a Wampanoag spokesman would say only that the ramp would benefit other property owners in Fall River, not just the casino.

So, that's a no.

This is bull shit. Why are we, as a state, allowing ourselves to get involved with these corrupt and greedy asshats? Not just tribal interests and their corporate backers, but also the race tracks and any other parties trying to bid for a Massachusetts casino. They're all the same. They're all a threat to this state.

And just so people don't think this isn't a matter of Fall River being worried about making sure this Bio Park is used, UMASS Dartmouth was already planning to invest tens of millions of dollars in the park. How is that looking, now, you ask? Well, here's Chancellor McCormack.

Meanwhile, University of Massachusetts Dartmouth chancellor Jean MacCormack released a letter in which the school indicated it would pull a proposed biotechnology research facility that was also slated for the BioPark site. The state had already committed to spending $15 million for the facility, as well as another $2 million in road upgrades to support it.

“The City’s decision to abandon development of a BioPark in favor of a resort casino profoundly affects the university’s decision-making about a suitable location for our facility,’’ the UMass letter said. “Any delay in starting the project triggers a risk that state funding might be rescinded, so timing is important.’’

UMASS Dartmouth has an absolutely wonderful science program -- my best friend went through it and for the past 3 years has been doing cutting-edge research at a Harvard Bio-Lab and is now going for her MD. The University just built a high-tech botchelism lab, funded through bio-terror federal funds. There's all sorts of good stuff going on there -- and this Bio Park would have been a great opportunity not for the University, but the entire region as well.

This is exactly the kind of investments the city of Fall River needs to get back on its feet and prosper. Instead, it's doing everything it can to throw the opportunity away and build something that will suck whatever life's left in the city and region. It's quite fitting that the city and tribe has just done this in about the most underhanded way possible, in complete secrecy, after the state has invested tens of millions, with plans for tens of millions more. The people of Fall River better get rid of their creep mayor, or the chances of them ever getting the kind of investment that was going toward this Bio Park will be gone. This sort of duplicity puts everything at risk for that region.

Finally, for the State of Massachusetts, we must remember that if there's even 1 single, legalized slot machine in Massachusetts, the tribal casinos will have a back door into this state sooner rather than later. Once we build a casino or racino, the game's over. Those six planned ventures by Speaker DeLeo could easily become twelve, with two of them from our current recognized tribes, and another four from unrecognized tribes in this state which are currently trying to gain federal recognition.

PS: I feel for the region and UMASS Dartmouth for what looks to be a massive loss of opportunity for all involved, but with the University's support of Clyde Barrow, who's in turn propped up casino interests in the South Coast like none other, the University was kind of asking for it. If you sleep with the dogs, you get up with their fleas, as the saying goes.

Update: At least there's four rational city councilors in Fall River, but they need to oust this idiot Flanagan.

Grace Ross is a Democrat

When Grace Ross posted on BMG a few weeks back about contemplating a run for Governor, many people (including me) implored her to either run in the Democratic Primary or not run at all. We don't need to give Tim Cahill, Christy Mihos or Charley Baker any help in nudging Patrick from the Corner Office. So, that she decided to challenge Governor Patrick in the primary does not bother me. In fact, it's not only a good thing for Democracy, but ultimately a good thing for Governor Patrick.

All that said, she has a very, very steep hill to climb to even get on the ballot. With just days (literally) to convince longtime party members to mount a caucus effort (an almost impossible task given that she just became a Democrat and couldn't have a Democratic grassroots effort yet), she's going to need at least 15% of State Democratic Convention voters to endorse her candidacy at the convention to get her on the ballot. Caucuses take place in your local community between February 10-24 and any Democrat can run for it (check with your local paper, or contact your local ward/town/city chair, for specific times and locations).

Of course, Chris Gabrieli pulled off getting on the ballot way after that year's caucus meetings, but there was lots of backdoor dealings that few people without the pockets and clout of Chris Gabrieli could pull off -- and Patrick, despite having a masterful caucus strategy that won him a majority of supporters for the convention, was still a political newcomer that did not control the party apparatus at the time. So while Ross starts out a little sooner, she's actually much further behind than Gabrieli was to the 15% promised land.

I supported Governor Patrick in 2006 and will almost certainly do so again, enthusiastically. Given the economic realities of the past three years, he's done a remarkable job. From ending bad corporate loopholes, to passing the transportation bond bill in the nick of time (our state's own second stimulus), we've weathered the economic storm better than most and are poised to come out of it much stronger than most -- which runs counter to our history with economic recessions.

I could talk about a dozen other things -- marriage equality, environmental bills, pension and ethics reform -- but it's not going to change my mind: Grace Ross in the primary can't possibly hurt Governor Patrick's reelection efforts. In fact, it could help him. She was a breath of fresh air in 2006, very sharp in the debates, and will force Patrick to work that much harder for votes, that much sooner. Competitive primaries, more often than not, help candidates sharpen their message, grab lots of free media and build their ground efforts -- so when they get past the primary, they're best poised to win in the general. So, despite the fact that this blog will almost certainly oppose Grace Ross's candidacy, it certainly welcomes her heartily to the race.

Deval Patrick Podcast

LeftAhead Internet Radio, a podcast I'm a co-host of, had Governor Patrick on yesterday. Lots of interesting and frank talk occurred -- including some new themes that, I hope, will be appearing frequently on the campaign trail. We focused on budgetary issues and the (sometimes heated) dynamics of Beacon Hill between the Governor and legislative bodies, as well as what the Governor plans to do should he be reelected for a second term. Patrick was on for the first half hour of the show, then the co-hosts discussed the upcoming race.

Readers can listen in on this site's sidebar, at the LeftAhead link up above, on iTunes (searching for LeftAhead) or at www.blogtalkradio.com/lefties.

Deval Patrick to appear on LeftAhead podcast this Tuesday

He'll be coming on LeftAhead this Tuesday to take questions from Lynne, Mike and myself. We haven't pinned down the exact time, but it'll probably be an hour or two earlier than our normal 2:30 start time. As always, when we're finished doing the live show, the recording will be available on LeftAhead.com and iTunes to listen or download, or on this site's sidebar.

If any readers have questions they'd like asked, I will consider them, but they have to be serious and respectful in phrase. Mere partisan attacks are obviously unacceptable.

Baker's Political Farsightedness

BMG posted about Baker's awkward pre-state-of-the-state attack on Governor Patrick, which Doug Rubin admirably took on on BMG, but I wanted to make one comment about it, as well.

Baker, like Mitt Romney, is going to try to convince Massachusetts voters that he "saved" something. Instead of the Olympics, it'll be Harvard Pilgrim. It's BS.

While I'm sure Baker's done an admirable job at Harvard Pilgrim, he did not save it. The Commonwealth of Massachusetts, when Harvard Pilgrim was in the midst of a death spiral, gave the company a massive bailout to keep the company alive -- mostly to save all its costumers. More than anything, that's what "turned around" Harvard Pilgrim.

As far as I'm concerned, Charlie Baker should be thanking voters at every stop and on every video for saving his company -- and providing him with the chance to go from making a middling state salary to becoming a millionaire CEO of that company. Maybe Baker's so close to the company that his vision of what happened is a bit fuzzy? And what would he then say about "big government spending," when that spending saved his very own company?

The Real Cha-Ching

It is almost a travesty that there's a giant portion of our state without broadband or cable internet access. This is costing those regions jobs, keeping the kids in those schools in the digital stone age (dial-up). From Governor Patrick's daily briefing:

Governor's Briefing
November 5, 2009

Expanding Broadband

Wrapping up a two-day trip to Washington, DC, Governor Patrick meets with President Obama today after visiting with Massachusetts's congressional delegation to discuss jobs, the economy, and health-care reform. The Governor met with Commerce Secretary Gary Locke yesterday to secure stimulus funds that will help expand high-speed internet across the Commonwealth and spur economic development in every corner of the state. Learn more here.

• Increased broadband availability, an important part of Governor Patrick's plan to position the state for long-term recovery, will lead to new jobs, better health care, and better public education services across Massachusetts.

• Internet access is no longer a luxury--it is a necessity. The Governor expects that his move yesterday will help secure more grants to continue his plan to close the digital divide.

• Specific proposals developed carefully by Governor Patrick's administration for Boston and Cape Cod will improve internet reliability, develop more public computing centers, and provide free high-speed internet access in public housing.

• The largest plan for broadband expansion is for the Berkshires. The $107 million project is expected to create up to 3,000 new jobs and bring high-speed internet to 43 towns in Western Massachusetts that currently receive little or no broadband service.

• Governor Patrick's close relationship with the Obama administration has already secured millions of dollars in federal recovery funds for education and emerging sectors like clean energy and biotechnology. Today, Massachusetts is making the long-term investments that will create jobs and lay the foundation for enduring economic growth.

Governor Patrick's relationship with Barack Obama has certainly helped in the stimulus funds department and one can easily see the fruits of the investments these projects are making, both the stimulus money and the money the state had already invested through the bond bills passed a few years ago. As bad as the "Great Recession" has been, Massachusetts, as a state, has fared better than most -- I have to think Governor Patrick's steady hand is part of the reason why, sparing our cities and towns as much as possible, while looking for future growth potential under every rock and pebble, even as we have to make bone-deep cuts.

Aloisi Gone

This is a blessing. Please, please, please, Governor Patrick, get someone who can do this job without writing a gazillion embarrassing emails, who won't piss off everyone who lays eyes on him and who can actually institute some kind of reform. Bonus points for hiring someone who has absolutely, positively no Big Dig baggage. The fate of your next election may just be on the line. Get this decision right.

Big Patrick Victory

From a Patrick presser, something like this should be huge news. Unfortunately, it's overshadowed by all the silly, pesky issues.

BOSTON – July 24, 2009 -- Governor Deval Patrick and legislative leaders announced today that the Commonwealth has saved $190 million in transportation-related costs as a direct result of sweeping transportation reform signed into law less than one month ago. Due to five risky financial transactions – so-called “swaptions” - entered into by the Turnpike Authority in 2001, the Authority was at direct risk of having to pay the financial institution UBS $257 million dollars immediately. The passage of transportation reform improved the Authority’s bond rating to the point of negating the need to pay $190 million of that amount. Today, it was also announced that UBS would extend the July 24th deadline for payment or other resolution of the final swaption – valued at approximately $67 million – to allow for more time for the state to reach a similarly positive result.

DeLeo on Slots

Can't say I don't understand the dynamic. From the State House News Service (sorry, can't link):

DeLEO CALLS RACETRACK SLOTS ‘THE INITIAL THRESHOLD’
An expanded gambling package bringing resort casinos to Massachusetts must include slot machines at the state’s racetracks, House Speaker Robert DeLeo said Friday. “That’s going to be the initial threshold,” DeLeo said during an interview on WBUR, according to the station's transcript. DeLeo has long supported racetrack slots, his district including Revere, home of Wonderland, and abutting East Boston, home of Suffolk Downs. DeLeo, unlike Senate President Therese Murray who issued a supportive statement Wednesday for GOP candidate Charles Baker, also neared the line of endorsing Gov. Deval Patrick, telling WBUR, "I will support the Democratic nominee, which I expect will be Gov. Patrick."

Now, we just have to see if at least 25% of the House will switch their votes this year from last, and if the Governor will violate a long-standing promise to veto any racino bill, because if any slot deal gets through the House, it won't come without racinos. Complete with minimal, noncompetitive licenses that make it impossible to get big ticket licenses on any other casinos or slot parlors allowed in this state. And how many people would vote for such a bottom-dollar, worst-case-for-Massachusetts scenario? It's a long shot.

Deval Wins?

While my head says Sab is right, the numbers look fantastic for Patrick; My heart says "I'm worried."

He should win. He deserves to win. I'll work my ass off to help make him win, but I'm not going to be overconfident. This is going to be a hard-fought race, probably no matter who runs. There are too many issues at stake for the race to be anything else. As tough as Patrick's first victory was, Round 2 will be much harder.

Too Early to Tell

I honestly have no idea whether or not Tim Cahill running as an independent will hurt or help Deval Patrick. Some seem to think it helps him (assuming Baker's in), others seem to like Cahill's chances. Sab just seems to think everyone loses.

I could think of reasons why it could hurt and help -- this far out, it's honestly pure conjecture. We have no idea how Cahill will act as a candidate (I can't imagine competently), nor what his impact will be on the race. We don't know if continual chicken-candidate Charlie will actually grow a spine and run this time, or if he'll be a competent candidate should he decide to do so.

Here's what I know, though. The Democratic Party stands for something. It takes courage and ideas to win a primary. It's very easy to turn away from courage and ideas; it's very hard to win a General Election without the backing of the Democratic Party. We don't know if Cahill will help Deval win reelection or help get the Republican in office, but at the very least we'll have a new state Treasurer. Perhaps we'll have someone who knows what they're doing.

Deval's Economic Development

Good news.

Governor Deval Patrick’s administration will spend hundreds of millions of dollars this summer building roads and highway ramps for at least five struggling private developments - from the former Naval air station in Weymouth to Somerville’s Assembly Square - in hopes of jump-starting construction and the local economy.

The money, a combination of federal stimulus money and state funds, will not go directly to the private developers, but rather for public works that Patrick aides said they expect will make it easier for companies to arrange financing in otherwise tight credit markets. That, in turn, would kick off construction of the planned office parks, shopping centers, housing, and hotels that will create new jobs.

The better news is just where these projects are proposed -- these are places ripe for job growth, many of which have a particular need for good jobs.

Although more projects may be chosen later, the ones already approved include not only SouthField in Weymouth and Assembly Square, but a new business park in Fall River that will recruit biotech companies, the Westwood Station project, and Waterfront Square at Revere Beach.

I'm particularly excited about the Fall River and Revere projects. Revere's project will be right across the street from Wonderland. There's a Blue Line station right there and plenty of further development opportunity, quite likely in Wonderland itself (it is closing, after all), which may be spurned on by these investments. Fall River is just an economically depressed city - the family median income is around $25k. It needs those jobs desperately. The thing about Fall River (and New Bedford) that makes it a great place for entrepreneurs is that the property there is dirt cheap - way cheaper than the rest of the Massachusetts, cheaper than the Tri City area in NC that's been siphoning off some biotech jobs. It's also close enough to the Boston area that it still has access to recruiting the top talent in the US for biotech or other high-tech jobs, not to mention a great university next door (UMASS Dartmouth), as well as plenty of Universities in Rhode Island, in and near Providence.

Here's hoping two years from now we can see tangible results from these major economic developments. It's just a start, but it's an illustration of the fact that Deval Patrick and his administration are serious about making sure the economic success that Boston's enjoyed over the years will finally be distributed throughout the state, in all our gateway and former mill cities that have been struggling for decades.

My State Convention Videos

are now 90% posted. There's one or two I still need to post -- and I have to double check my camera to make sure I haven't missed any -- but what you see right now is what you've probably got.

Amongst them:

A clip from David Plouff

Deval Patrick's speech

An Interview with anti-slots blogger Gladys Kravitz

Watch these videos, as well as all that I've posted, on my youtube channel. Additionally, because the Deval video goes beyond 10 minutes, I broke it down to clips or you can watch it on my blip.tv account. Extra bonus points for watching it on blip because I get ad revenue on any ads you accidentally click ;)



Note: Some of my videos may be processing for another 5-10 minutes. Be patient.

Techy Future for Gateway Cities?

From Governor Patrick:

HOLYOKE – Thursday, June 11, 2009 – Governor Deval Patrick, MIT President Dr. Susan Hockfield, UMASS President Dr. Jack M. Wilson, Boston University President Dr. Robert Brown, Joseph M. Tucci, Chairman, President & CEO of EMC, and John T. Chambers, Chairman & CEO of Cisco Systems today announced a collaboration that will lead to the development of a world-class, high-performance computing center in Holyoke, and a statewide collaborative research program. The center will be powered by a combination of green and cost-competitive energy, making it a cost-effective and environmentally sound facility....

The Patrick Administration, MIT, the University of Massachusetts, Boston University, EMC, and Cisco have signed an agreement committing to work collaboratively over the next 120 days to create an action plan with the ultimate goal of building and opening the new facility and forming the statewide research agenda. The plan will be assisted in part by the John Adams Innovation Institute and local collaboration of Holyoke Mayor Michael Sullivan and the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission, and will seek to identify the operational, capital, environmental, workforce, and academic elements of the project, along with a project timetable, which will be completed in several phases. Other major institutions and private companies are expected to join the collaborative effort.

“This is a cutting edge concept, and its impact on the city will be significant,” said Congressman John Olver. “The Computing Center will dovetail nicely with other big projects underway in Holyoke like the Multimodal Center and the Canalwalk. This is a very exciting time for the city.”

"This is an incredible opportunity for this Gateway City to re-invent itself and Holyoke cannot thank Governor Patrick and his economic development team enough for being our advocates,” said Mayor Sullivan. “I have long spoken to the issue of the ‘Holyoke advantage’, the difference is that Governor Patrick listened and understood how the City and the state could leverage their assets to create something powerful. It is a beautiful day in Holyoke.”

We, as a Commonwealth, need to figure out some way to bring our Gateway Cities the same prosperity that Greater Boston's enjoyed. Lynn tried to do something similar to Holyoke in the late 90s/early 2000s, capturing on the internet explosion. Several startups moved into Lynn and for a while it looked like it would fuel a reemergence of Lynn as being a great place to live and work.

Alas, the internet bubble burst. However, what Holyoke is building, because it's fueled by much more than startups - leveraging state, city, academic and private sector resources - has a much greater chance of finding success. What's more, these things tend to cluster. If this center, when built, is successful, it will fuel startups and expansions nearby. It could just mean hundreds of very good jobs for the area. Now we just need to figure out what to do with half a dozen other Gateway Cities in Massachusetts.

Going Global

• Fake News Alert: Globe can't get past Gov's finances in article about Governor House Hunting. Shocker. The guy hasn't considered his Milton home home since he built the Richmond estate. Swapping the Milton digs for a comfortable condo within walking distance of the State House is a no brainer -- and not a real money-saving move. Luxury condos in Boston by the Commons don't go cheap.
• How does Globe come by the following sentence in Menino charter school article?
  

  Mayor Thomas M. Menino, who for years has expressed deep reservations about one of the most fundamental innovations in public education, abruptly shifted course yesterday and said he wants to turn the city's poorly performing schools into new charter schools.

  What makes Globe writer Michael Levenson or his editors experts in "innovations in public education?" Stick to the facts -- Menino's robbing Flaherty's chief education proposal.
  

• Times taking bids for Globe. I hereby offer my official bid of $.01. Any higher takers?
  

Swift Action

A joint statement from Murray, DeLeo and Patrick:

“The news of yesterday’s indictments and the nature of the charges are deeply disturbing. All three of us have put forth serious proposals dealing with ethics, lobbying and campaign finance reform, the details of which are currently being negotiated in conference committee. In light of the recent developments, we believe it is critical that we stand united in our shared commitment to restoring the public trust. Therefore, we have agreed that ethics reform legislation will be passed and signed into law swiftly that includes the best provisions from all three of our proposals. We owe the people of Massachusetts nothing less.”

Well, if there's some good to come out of this whole DiMasi mess, there's that. At least now we're likely to get the strongest reform out of the three. Maybe this will even reflexively push the strongest, cost-saving reforms on issues surrounding the Pike and MBTA.