Cambridge, Mass, July 22, -– Weeks after a strong showing at the Massachusetts Democratic Convention, Cambridge City Councillor and candidate for Lieutenant Governor Leland Cheung has released a policy paper calling for the abolition of the Governor’s Council. The Lieutenant Governor chairs the Council, which consents to gubernatorial appointments.
Leland Cheung announced his campaign for Lt. Governor with his family earlier this year (file photo).
“Residents across the Commonwealth have asked me why I would choose to run for the office of Lieutenant Governor – a role that only matters in the absence or the death of the sitting Governor. Other than that, the only constitutional function is to preside over the Governor’s Council – an antiquated vestige of our colonial days that’s become a waste of taxpayer money,” Cheung remarked.
Cheung’s policy paper is entitled ‘Rebooting the Lieutenant Governor’s Role for Massachusetts’ and focuses on codifying the changing role of the Lieutenant Governor. In the paper, Cheung suggests that the State Senate approve judicial nominations to allow the Lieutenant Governor to focus on economic development and job creation.
“I propose that the Lieutenant Governor serve as the Chief Operating Officer of our Commonwealth – a forward-focused position that works with state agencies, local leaders, mayors, managers, non-profits, cities and towns with the common goal of building one Commonwealth that creates opportunity for every resident. As Governor Patrick’s appointee to the board of the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative, one of our economic development agencies, I’ve come to see that the siloing of projects into disparate entities is not the most efficient or effective way to give everyone access to careers in the economy of tomorrow,” Cheung said.
Cheung’s proposal suggests naming the Lieutenant Governor as an appointee to all Massachusetts state agencies focusing on economic development to foster collaboration and a coordinated approach to solving challenges. The Lieutenant Governor would convene regular meetings of representatives of each group to a single board with the goal of moving Massachusetts forward.
First elected to the Cambridge City Council in 2009, Leland Cheung has been a leader in growing the innovation economy, creating jobs, and making Cambridge more progressive. Before assuming his role as City Councillor, Leland worked at a Cambridge-based venture capital firm focusing on digital media, mobile, and internet infrastructure.
Cheung is a graduate of the Harvard Kennedy School of Government and MIT Sloan School. Leland currently lives in Cambridge with his wife and infant daughter.
You can read the full policy paper here: www.lelandcheung.com/reboot