Executive Order focuses on economic development and job creation
BOSTON – Wednesday, June 20, 2007 – In an effort to promote economic development and help create new jobs across the Commonwealth, Governor Deval Patrick today signed an Executive Order formally establishing his Development Cabinet.
The key to the Commonwealth’s economic success is the full and effective coordination between state agencies. The Development Cabinet facilitates that coordination by bringing together the Lieutenant Governor, the Secretary of Administration and Finance, the Secretary of Energy and Environmental Affairs, the Secretary of Housing and Economic Development, the Secretary of Labor and Workforce Development, the Secretary of Transportation and Public Works.
Chaired by the Governor, the Cabinet meets twice monthly to identify opportunities where Secretaries can work together on projects that will expand the economic opportunities throughout the Commonwealth. Cabinet activities are overseen by Director Ron Marlow, who was appointed by Governor Patrick last month.
“Our success in advancing an agenda of economic growth, business development, job growth and infrastructure projects will depend on the close collaboration between various agencies,” Governor Patrick said. “Business benefits when roads are easy to travel, talented teachers are in our schools, and when their workers and their families are healthy. Understanding those links will help us ensure that we, as a Commonwealth, prosper and compete on a global level.”
Under the Executive Order the Cabinet is responsible for coordinating the economic development policy-making process; ensuring coordination between and among state agencies on priority economic development projects; providing advice on economic development policy to the Governor; ensuring that economic development policy decisions, projects, and programs are consistent with the stated goals of the Administration; and monitoring implementation of the Governor's economic development agenda.
The Governor and Lieutenant Governor are committed to creating over 100,000 new jobs during their 4-year term by streamlining the government approval processes and investing in pro-growth initiatives like education, health care, stem cell research, infrastructure and workforce housing.
Since first convening in January, the Development Cabinet has assisted the Governor in crafting a number of proposals to improve the state’s business climate.
During the last five months, the Governor has announced initiatives to improve efficiency and effectiveness of environmental regulation; appointed the state’s first-ever permitting ombudsman to help spur economic growth by speeding approval time from two to three years to just six months on development projects; announced plans to begin modernizing and reforming the state procurement process to simplify how businesses participate and to expand the pool of companies who compete to provide Massachusetts with goods and services; expanded the Massachusetts Office of Business Development sales force to help businesses grow in size and strength, to encourage large companies here to remain here and to encourage new ones to make the Commonwealth their home.
The Governor also announced a $1 billion life sciences initiative, calling for investment in stem cell research and technology and a public-private partnership to spur life sciences innovation and job creation.
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