We're growing jobs faster than almost every other state in the country. We're first in the nation in student achievement and health care coverage for our residents. And, frankly, at any time - but particularly at a time like this, Michel, a fiscal crisis, in many respects, and financial stress - it seems to me we ought to be turning to each other and not on each other.Īnd as I say, that difference in approach is the reason why we have delivered four budgets now that were responsible, balanced and on time. PATRICK: The showdown is not about the budget, certainly not in Massachusetts, because we have shown that we can make the hard decisions and make them wisely by bringing people together. So is your assessment that the showdown really isn't about the budget? MARTIN: You actually appeared in person at a public employee rally at the state House in Massachusetts - which is, in part, held in solidarity with the people in Wisconsin - to say: I'm here to deliver the message that we don't need to attack public sector workers to make change for the people of the commonwealth. Our thing is about solving problems, not demonizing anybody. They don't like everything that we're having to do, to be sure, the union leadership, but they understand and I understand that we're all in this together. We worked with the public employee unions to fix the pension system and to - get concessions and wages to reform the education system so there was more flexibility and accountability in the classroom. We're the only state in the nation to have done so. Our bond rating has remained high, and, in fact, gotten stronger. But we have joined with the public employee unions, and as a result, they have helped us close that budget gap now.Īnd our budget is now balanced. ![]() PATRICK: Well, you know, I guess from where I sit, it's a bit of a sideshow, frankly, Michel, because we have had an accumulated budget gap of $13 billion on an annual budget of $30 billion, and it has meant that we've had to make the same kinds of difficult choices that other governors have made. MARTIN: Now, obviously, we want to talk about what's going on in Massachusetts, but I did want to get your take on the confrontations that started in Wisconsin, and then have spread to Ohio and Indiana between public employee unions and the governors. Governor DEVAL PATRICK (Democrat, Massachusetts): Michel, thank you for having me. Welcome, and thanks so much for your time. And I also want to mention that we spoke with him before the meeting with President Obama. Massachusetts's governor Deval Patrick was there, and he's with us on the line. It's the first meeting of that bipartisan group since last November's elections. So it's no surprise that the protests spreading around the country after beginning in Wisconsin a couple of weeks ago are in the minds of those who have been attending the National Governors Association meeting here in Washington, D.C. ![]() Most are wrestling with huge budget deficit, so there are calls for deep spending cuts, cuts that for some may threaten the livelihoods of workers and the unions that serve them. Along with the rest of the nation's governors, he was invited to a White House meeting with the president to talk first and foremost about the economy and jobs. That's coming up.īut, first, a Newsmaker interview with the governor of Massachusetts, Deval Patrick. We will ask two prominent women activists from the region for their perspective. I'm Michel Martin, and this is TELL ME MORE, from NPR News.Īs the protests in North Africa and the Middle East continue, we ask again how those protests might affect the fight for more rights and freedom for women.
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