Tag: Politics

BOSTON – Tuesday, January 22, 2013 – One day after President Obama’s inauguration for his second term, Governor Deval Patrick officially swore in Andrea Cabral and John Polanowicz as Secretary of the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security and Secretary of Health and Human Services respectively. They were among the four new cabinet members that Gov. Patrick announced in December 2012 for the last two years of his second term as Governor of Massachusetts.

Andrea Cabral, the First Female Sheriff of Suffolk County

Andrea Cabral is a leader in the field of public safety and as the first female in the Commonwealth’s history to hold the position of Sheriff of Suffolk County, she brings an extensive background in criminal justice and public safety to the Patrick-Murray Administration.

Governor Patrick swears-in Andrea Cabral as Secretary of Public Safety (Photo Credit: Eric Haynes/Governor’s Office)
(more…)

By David Li, bostonese.com

BOSTON, Jan. 5, 2013, — US Senator Elizabeth Warren held a reception and ceremonial swearing-in this afternoon at Roxbury Community College. Hundreds of her supporters showed up for this event.

(more…)

By David Li, bostonese.com

In the afternoon of Dec. 31, 2012, President Obama held a news conference in the White House. Obama told reporters that a deal that would prevent taxes going up for 98% of Americans on Jan. 1, 2013 is “within sight” while also stayed that he would have preferred a larger deal to deal with the nation’s budget deficit and mounting debts. Obama didn’t take any questions from reporters.

CNN’s webcast of the news conference.
(more…)

BOSTON – Thursday, December 13, 2012 – Continuing his efforts to recruit top talent to state government, Governor Deval Patrick today announced the appointment of four highly-regarded leaders from the worlds of finance, education, health care and public safety to positions in his Cabinet. The Governor also commended outgoing Secretaries Jay Gonzalez, Paul Reville, JudyAnn Bigby and Marybeth Heffernan for helping achieve key Patrick-Murray Administration priorities: economic growth and prosperity; responsible fiscal management and government innovation; closing the achievement gap and community college reform; expanding access to affordable, quality health care; and building stronger, safer neighborhoods.

“Glen, Matt, John, and Andrea are the real deal. They come to their new positions with the expertise, the talent, the respect and the vision to achieve our bold agenda over the next two years,” said Governor Patrick. “Time is of the essence, and I have a team of leaders to take on the challenges and seize the opportunities we all know are on the horizon.”

“Jay, Paul, Judy and Marybeth were instrumental in achieving the cornerstones of an agenda that is making a difference,” said Governor Patrick. “This is bittersweet for me because in addition to being my wise advisors, they are my friends. I will miss them and I am proud of them. On behalf of the public we all serve, I thank each for their expertise, their dedication and their keen understanding that policy only matters at the point where it touches people.”

“The Cabinet has helped to execute a strong and effective agenda over the last six years, and we plan to build upon that great work to support long-term sustainability across the Commonwealth,” said Lieutenant Governor Murray, who joined the Governor and Cabinet Secretaries at a State House press conference today. “We thank each secretary for their dedication and commitment to serving our Commonwealth, and we look forward to further tackling an ambitious agenda that includes jobs, infrastructure, innovation, and education.”

Glen Shor will replace Jay Gonzalez as Secretary of Administration and Finance. Shor, a graduate of Yale University and Harvard Law School, currently serves as the Executive Director of the Commonwealth Health Insurance Connector Authority, the state’s official public health insurance exchange. Gonzalez has been a senior member of the Patrick-Murray Administration since January, 2007 and has been responsible for not only the state budget but also key initiatives in health care and reforming the way state government does business. (Please see full bios of all Secretaries below.) Jean Yang, the current Chief Financial Officer at the Health Care Connector, will replace Shor in January.

Matt Malone will replace Paul Reville as Secretary of Education. Malone, who holds a master’s degree and PhD from Boston College, is currently the Superintendent of the Brockton School System. A passionate advocate for closing the achievement gap, he led turnaround efforts in Boston and San Diego. Reville, the Commonwealth’s first Education Secretary, successfully integrated the state’s education agencies and led the Governor’s efforts to pass the most comprehensive education reform law in twenty years. Reville will return to the faculty of the Harvard Graduate School of Education.

John Polanowicz will replace JudyAnn Bigby as Secretary of Health and Human Services. Polanowicz serves currently as the President and CEO of St. Elizabeth’s Medical Center. Prior to that, the West Point graduate and Stanford MBA served for eight years as the President of Marlborough Hospital. Dr. Bigby has led the largest agency in state government for the past six years and is universally regarded as a tireless advocate for those who often have no one to advocate for them.

Sheriff Andrea Cabral will replace Marybeth Heffernan as Secretary of Public Safety and Security. In ten years as Suffolk County Sheriff, Cabral has been lauded for reforming prisoner reentry programs and modernizing the county’s correctional facilities. A graduate of Boston College and Suffolk Law, Cabral is also the first woman in the Commonwealth’s history to serve as Sheriff. Heffernan leaves the administration after six years as Undersecretary and Secretary. She helped secure passage of long-sought reforms to the Criminal Offender Record Information System and led the administration’s efforts to reform the Probation Department.

These transitions will take place next month as the Patrick-Murray Administration prepares for the beginning of the 2013-2014 legislative session.

2013-2014 Cabinet

Glen Shor, Secretary of Administration & Finance

Glen Shor brings proven fiscal management to the Executive Office of Administration & Finance at a time when uncertainties stemming from the fiscal cliff and a slower-than-expected economic recovery are creating budget challenges for the Commonwealth. He spent the last two-and-a-half years as the Executive Director of the Commonwealth Health Insurance Connector Authority, the state’s official public health insurance exchange. Shor has overseen the successful re-procurement of the Commonwealth Care program for low-to-moderate income adults, leveraging a 12 percent decrease in rates over two years while maintaining comprehensive, affordable coverage for members. Shor served as a key member of the team that crafted the Commonwealth’s health care cost-containment law the Governor signed in August 2012. Previously, Shor served as an Assistant Secretary for Health Care Policy and Deputy General Counsel within the Executive Office of Administration and Finance. There he played a critical role in overseeing the early policy decisions of the Health Connector and the financing of health care reform. Before serving in the Patrick-Murray Administration, Shor was a senior policy director and Assistant Attorney General in the Office of the Attorney General of Massachusetts, a senior policy aide and counsel to former U.S. Representative Martin T. Meehan and U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer, and a public interest attorney defending the constitutionality of our nation’s campaign finance laws in U.S. Supreme Court litigation. Secretary Shor is a graduate of Yale University and Harvard Law School. Shor currently resides in Needham with his wife Ellen and daughter Lila.

Matthew Malone, Secretary of Education

Matthew Malone assumes the role of Secretary of Education after serving as Brockton Superintendent of Schools since 2009. He brings real-world experience managing the fourth largest school district in the state and a keen understanding of the challenges facing Gateway City schools to his new role. He previously served as Superintendent of Schools in Swampscott for four years. Malone will employ a passion for improving urban education and a keen understanding of the value of educating the whole child – from early education through higher education. He has been credited with turning around failing public schools as a headmaster in Boston and as a special assistant to the Superintendent in San Diego, California. His career began as a paraprofessional and substitute teacher in the Boston public schools in 1993. He holds a doctorate degree from Boston College and currently resides in Roslindale. He is the parent of two public school students.

John Polanowicz, Secretary of Health & Human Services

John Polanowicz brings equal parts management experience and understanding of the important missions of the Executive Branch’s largest secretariat – serving the most vulnerable, providing strong industry oversight and consumer protection and innovating to reduce costs and deliver services efficiently – to his new position. He has served as President of St. Elizabeth’s Medical Center in Brighton since 2011, overseeing the largest Steward hospital with 272 beds and approximately 2,000 employees. He brings expertise in running a high-quality community health care system under an accountable care organization. Polanowicz joined St. Elizabeth’s from Marlborough Hospital, where he served as president and chief executive officer for eight years. While at Marlborough Hospital, Polanowicz bolstered patient care by establishing new service lines, building relationships with physician groups and investing in emerging technologies. He also led a financial turnaround that resulted in five straight years of positive financial results. Polanowicz has previously served as vice president of operations at UMass Memorial Medical Center and the University of Massachusetts Medical Center. Polanowicz is a former Commander in the US Army. He is a graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point and holds a MBA from Stanford University. Polanowicz resides in Northborough.

Andrea Cabral, Secretary of Public Safety & Security

Andrea Cabral is an unrivaled leader in the field of public safety, and joins the Patrick-Murray Administration as we plan to revisit comprehensive sentencing and re-entry reforms in the next legislative session. As the first female in the Commonwealth’s history to hold the position of Sheriff of Suffolk County, she brings an extensive background in criminal justice and public safety to the Patrick-Murray Administration. In her ten-year tenure in the Sheriff’s Office, Cabral has been responsible for the operation of the House of Correction, the Suffolk County Jail and the Civil Process Division. Cabral’s 26-year career in public service includes her role as the Director of the Roxbury District Court Family Violence Project and Chief of District Courts and Community Prosecutions. She is a graduate of Boston College and Suffolk University Law School.

Greg Bialecki, Secretary of Housing and Economic Development

Secretary Bialecki will continue as the Governor’s point person on growing economic and housing opportunities through a strategy that emphasizes commercial and industrial innovation. He has been the architect of the Administration’s Growth Districts Initiative, overseen the implementation of the Life Sciences Initiative and the Massachusetts Opportunity Relocation & Expansion (MORE) Jobs capital program and helped cut health care costs for small businesses and individuals through the Division of Insurance. Secretary Bialecki has overseen reforms of the Economic Development Incentive Program, adding clawbacks and tighter focus to tax credits for growing companies, and the Emergency Assistance housing program, which maintains a strong safety net for families while prioritizing homelessness prevention and permanent solutions. Through trade missions with Governor Patrick, Secretary Bialecki has expanded Massachusetts’ position as a world leader in the innovation economy. Locally, targeted investments through the MassWorks program are creating opportunities for economic expansion in communities across the Commonwealth. Moving forward, the Commonwealth’s long-term economic development plan, which was created by a council of advisors led by Secretary Bialecki, outlines strategies to continue to expand economic development and job creation opportunities.

Richard Davey, Secretary & CEO of the Massachusetts Department of Transportation

Secretary Davey has been responsible for the day-to-day management of the transportation organization created by the Transportation Reform legislation signed by Governor Patrick in June 2009. MassDOT began operation on November 1, 2009, governed by a five-person Board of Directors appointed by the Governor and including four divisions – Highway, Rail & Transit, Aeronautics and the Registry of Motor Vehicles. Since becoming Secretary, Davey has been engaged in a public outreach effort to help determine the future of transportation in the Commonwealth. Under his leadership the Commonwealth has been continuously recognized nationally for its Accelerated Bridge Program and Fast 14 bridge project. Prior to his current appointment, Secretary Davey served as MBTA General Manager and MassDOT Rail & Transit Administrator, where he was responsible for managing the MBTA and overseeing the Commonwealth’s 15 Regional Transit Authorities and MassDOT’s rail program. With his energetic leadership style, he was able to implement sustainable and impactful initiatives that improved operations and safety, strengthened customer service, and changed the culture within the MBTA.

Joanne Goldstein, Secretary of Labor and Workforce Development

Secretary Goldstein will continue to address the workforce development needs of businesses and employers as well as provide labor protections for workers around fair wages and safe working conditions. She will remain as chair of the Governor’s Joint Task Force on the Underground Economy and Employee Misclassification. Secretary Goldstein chaired the Municipal Unemployment Insurance Task Force which recently issued its report and recommendations which was received by stakeholders with support and approval. For her entire career as a labor attorney and public servant, she has advocated tirelessly to promote the rights of workers to good jobs, living wages and safe workplaces and to insure that legitimate businesses have a level playing field.

Rick Sullivan, Secretary of Energy and Environmental Affairs

Secretary Sullivan will continue his charge of overseeing one of the most significant clean and alternative energy agendas of any state in America. His assignments include implementation of the Governor’s solar, wind, and biofuel initiatives and enforcement of the state’s environmental laws and regulations. Under Sullivan’s leadership, the clean energy sector in Massachusetts has defied national employment trends. In the last year alone, the industry has seen 11.2 percent job growth. He is also credited with overseeing Massachusetts’ energy efficiency initiatives, which have twice earned the Commonwealth the number one ranking in the nation in energy efficiency. Sullivan’s office includes the Department of Public Utilities, which has regulatory oversight of the Commonwealth’s utilities, and ensures the delivery of reliable and safe energy to citizens of the Commonwealth. Earlier this week the department issued unprecedented penalties against the electric utilities for their 2011 storm response. Sullivan is also charged with implementing some of the most ambitious environmental plans in the nation, including the Clean Energy and Climate Plan and the Global Warming Solutions Act. He has overseen the Administration’s unprecedented commitment to land conservation – not only protecting more than 100,000 acres of land, but also building over 350 parks in urban communities. Under his tenure, EEA is focusing urban park investments on the 24 Gateway Cities, understanding these quality of life improvements drive economic health. Sullivan previously managed the highly successful turnaround of the Department of Conservation and Recreation in the first term.

Departing Secretaries

Jay Gonzalez, Secretary of Administration & Finance

Jay Gonzalez has served as Secretary of Administration and Finance since October 2009, and he served as Undersecretary and Assistant Secretary for Capital Finance since January 2007. Secretary Gonzalez responsibly managed state finances through an unprecedented fiscal crisis, established new fiscal policies and secured passage of pension reform legislation. As a result of his work to improve state finances, the Commonwealth now has the highest credit ratings in state history. Secretary Gonzalez also played a key role in driving the Patrick-Murray Administration’s health care cost containment agenda as Chair of the Health Connector Authority, overseeing the Group Insurance Commission and helping to develop and secure passage of the municipal health reform and health care cost control legislation. Secretary Gonzalez has also been the Governor’s point person for driving change in government to improve services and lower costs. His government reform work includes: helping to develop and implement the transportation reform legislation; initiating the implementation of performance management throughout the Executive Branch; overseeing various shared services and consolidation initiatives; and developing the first social innovation financing program in the country.

Paul Reville, Secretary of Education

Secretary Reville is a leading education reformer who served over four years as the Governor’s top advisor on education. He leaves the Administration to return to a faculty role at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. He was the first secretary named to the new post and successfully integrated the reorganized agencies to foster the Commonwealth’s world-class results in student achievement. Secretary Reville played a primary role in the drafting and passage of the Achievement Gap Act of 2010 – the most sweeping education legislation since the landmark Education Reform Act of 1993. He also led the Commonwealth’s Race to the Top efforts in K-12 and early childhood education that secured $300 million in federal funds to advance our school reform efforts. He also played a key role in the Administration’s efforts to establish the UMass School of Law and in the recent release of the Vision Project in higher education. Over the last year, Secretary Reville helped design and implement the Governor’s plan to create a more integrated, effective community college system responsive to both local and statewide employer needs.

JudyAnn Bigby, Secretary of Health and Human Services

Dr. Bigby, a primary care physician and health policy expert, is the Governor’s longest serving cabinet Secretary. Since her appointment in 2007, Secretary Bigby successfully implemented the Commonwealth’s landmark health care reform law that has insured 98 percent of residents, and became a model for President Obama’s Affordable Care Act. This year, she secured passage of historic legislation to lower the cost of health care for working families and small businesses. Secretary Bigby launched the Massachusetts Health Information Exchange, allowing health care providers across the state to share electronic patient health data. She has advanced programs that provide nation-leading benefits for our veterans, and increased access to services for children, youth and families. Secretary Bigby helped open the state-of-the-art Worcester Recovery Center and Hospital, providing revolutionary care for hundreds of mental health patients. She also adopted the state’s Community First initiative to address the long term needs of elders and persons with disabilities in community settings.

Mary Elizabeth Heffernan, Secretary of Public Safety and Security

Secretary Heffernan played a critical role in the Administration’s crime prevention, criminal justice system reforms, homeland security preparedness, emergency and disaster response efforts in the Commonwealth. She was instrumental in securing the passage of reforms to the Criminal Offender Record Information system, and led the Governor’s charge to reform the Commonwealth’s sentencing reform laws, which had not been addressed for decades. She balanced essential public safety priorities during difficult fiscal times, advocating for efficiencies in the criminal justice system, and led the Governor’s effort to reform the Probation Department by merging it with Parole to improve the supervision of offenders in our communities. Heffernan was a strong anti-gang and anti-youth violence advocate, working across Secretariats to implement the Governor’s Safe and Successful Youth Initiative. Her secretariat annually secured millions in federal funding to support critical homeland security infrastructure and effectively managed unprecedented responses to ice and storm events, flooding, hurricanes, tornadoes and other natural disasters.

Supportive Statements

“Glen Shor is a terrific choice for Secretary of Administration and Finance. I have tremendous respect for his leadership, and look forward to working with him in his new post,” said former Health Connector Board member Richard Lord, President and CEO of the Associated Industries of Massachusetts, Inc.

“Governor Patrick could not have chosen a more qualified individual for this important position than Matthew Malone. I had the privilege of working closely with Matthew on the restructuring and renewal of the Catholic school systems in Brockton and Dorchester, and his passion and collaborative approach to addressing today’s educational challenges made a positive and lasting impact on the entire team, as well as the faculty, staff, students, and parents. I am confident that his vision, leadership, and focus on results will position our Commonwealth’s school system for success today and for future generations,” said John Fish, Chairman and CEO, Suffolk Construction.

“Jay has done a terrific job as Secretary of Administration and Finance, helping to manage the Commonwealth’s finances through an unprecedented fiscal crisis. He has been the point person for the administration on several critical and difficult issues like municipal health reform and healthcare cost containment legislation. Jay’s leadership has helped the Commonwealth achieve the highest credit ratings in state history. He will be truly missed,” said Michael Widmer, President of the Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation.

“Paul Reville has had an extraordinarily productive tenure as Secretary of Education, which includes stellar leadership on landmark education reform legislation, the successful quest for Race To The Top funding, and most recently sweeping reform of the community college system. Paul has been an important friend to students who need extra help or extra time and has been unwavering in his belief that all children can be successful. All citizens of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, particularly those in the inner cities, should be grateful for his contributions,” said Paul Toner, President of the Massachusetts Teachers Association.

“Secretary Reville has been a great supporter of our efforts to reform and improve our schools. Paul’s leadership was instrumental in creating the 2010 education reform law that allowed districts like ours to open innovation schools and in-district charters. The students of Boston are fortunate to have had him as their advocate on Beacon Hill,” said Carol R. Johnson, Superintendent of Boston Public Schools.

“Secretary Bigby has been a friend of mine for a long time. She is great physician and even better person. She is a fighter for vital issues like health care access and equality, and I wish her the best in the next chapter of her career,” said Mayor Thomas M. Menino.

“Community health centers applaud Dr. JudyAnn Bigby’s service as Secretary of Health and Human Services. Dr. Bigby’s leadership in ensuring access to quality, community-based health care for all Massachusetts’ residents, as well as her efforts to advance health information technology and reduce system-wide health costs have made Massachusetts a model for the nation,” said James W. Hunt, Jr., President and CEO, Massachusetts League of Community Health Centers.

“Marybeth Heffernan has done an outstanding job as Secretary of Public Safety. Her leadership in times of crisis and her management of the state’s response efforts helped protect our communities and quickly address critical recovery needs. As Senate Chair of the Joint Committee on Public Safety and Homeland Security, I have maintained a close working relationship with the Secretary and hold her expertise and professionalism in the highest regard. I wish her the best in her future endeavors”, said Senator Jim Timilty.

“Marybeth Heffernan will be sorely missed. A dedicated and tireless worker, Marybeth has been a good law enforcement partner during her three years as Secretary of Public Safety. I wish her well as she embarks on a new chapter in her life,” said Ed Davis, Boston Police Commissioner.

Friday, December 14, 2012 President Obama on the Shooting in ConnecticutThis afternoon, President Obama made a statement from the Briefing Room on the shooting at an elementary school in Newtown, Connecticut. Watch the video at: Youtube President Obama’s Remarks Read President Obama’s full remarks: This afternoon, I spoke with Governor Malloy and FBI Director Mueller. I offered Governor Malloy my condolences on behalf of the nation, and made it clear he will have every single resource that he needs to investigate this heinous crime, care for the victims, counsel their families. We’ve endured too many of these tragedies in the past few years. And each time I learn the news I react not as a President, but as anybody else would — as a parent. And that was especially true today. I know there’s not a parent in America who doesn’t feel the same overwhelming grief that I do. The majority of those who died today were children — beautiful little kids between the ages of 5 and 10 years old. They had their entire lives ahead of them — birthdays, graduations, weddings, kids of their own. Among the fallen were also teachers — men and women who devoted their lives to helping our children fulfill their dreams. So our hearts are broken today — for the parents and grandparents, sisters and brothers of these little children, and for the families of the adults who were lost. Our hearts are broken for the parents of the survivors as well, for as blessed as they are to have their children home tonight, they know that their children’s innocence has been torn away from them too early, and there are no words that will ease their pain. As a country, we have been through this too many times. Whether it’s an elementary school in Newtown, or a shopping mall in Oregon, or a temple in Wisconsin, or a movie theater in Aurora, or a street corner in Chicago — these neighborhoods are our neighborhoods, and these children are our children. And we’re going to have to come together and take meaningful action to prevent more tragedies like this, regardless of the politics. This evening, Michelle and I will do what I know every parent in America will do, which is hug our children a little tighter and we’ll tell them that we love them, and we’ll remind each other how deeply we love one another. But there are families in Connecticut who cannot do that tonight. And they need all of us right now. In the hard days to come, that community needs us to be at our best as Americans. And I will do everything in my power as President to help. Because while nothing can fill the space of a lost child or loved one, all of us can extend a hand to those in need — to remind them that we are there for them, that we are praying for them, that the love they felt for those they lost endures not just in their memories but also in ours. May God bless the memory of the victims and, in the words of Scripture, heal the brokenhearted and bind up their wounds. The President also issued a proclamation honoring the victims of the tragedy, ordering U.S. flags to be flown at half-staff until sunset on December 18. Stay Connected Facebook Twitter YouTube Flickr Google+ The White House • 1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW • Washington, DC 20500 • 202-456-1111