Investing in our communities

Think about a time when you wrestled with making a decision to purchase something that you considered an investment that could ultimately improve your standard of living.

Early on, perhaps it was a set of tools, a camera or computer. Later on, perhaps it was your first business, an advanced degree or your first home. You learned that wise investments help to achieve a better future.

Fortunately, our commonwealth has a CEO who has lived that lesson and who has proposed a vision and a means to improve our long-term health and competitiveness. Indeed, if viewed in the appropriate light, Governor [Deval L.] Patrick has proposed a remarkable “jobs bill” for consideration by the legislature.

Businesses need efficient transportation systems for goods, services and employees. The employees need a world-class education and means to access those jobs to compete globally.

Patrick realizes that the best plan to provide for the long-term benefit of our citizens is investing in the health and education of our children – our future workforce – and building a supportive infrastructure for our businesses. Such an investment commands a serious review of funding.

While being the personification of possibilities, Governor Patrick is aware of and sensitive to current economic realities. As changes in programs such as public pensions and health care benefits can attest, Patrick has delivered on his promise to address “reforms before raising revenue.”

So now, he is asking to fund investing in our future in a fair way, much like what was discussed in our recent presidential and senate elections. Many others in the commonwealth share this vision of incorporating the critical need for long term planning and investment with equitable funding mechanisms.

Campaign for Our Communities (CFOC) is a broad-based coalition effort to pass tax reform legislation that raises significant new revenue while doing so in a way that holds down increases for low- and middle-income families.

It is a group of concerned residents, civic leaders and activists, nonprofits, advocates and union members who have banded together to ensure that Massachusetts continues to support the kind of communities we all value. That means communities where our students can thrive, where health care is within everyone’s grasp, and where we all have a stake in each other.

Please join us in endorsing this vision and have your organization sign on to the growing list of groups that want to provide the means for Massachusetts to move forward. Visit www.ourcommunities.org and contact your legislators to express your support and urge them to vote for progressive legislation.

Let people know you are for good jobs and good wages, well-maintained roads, solid public transit systems, excellent healthcare, outstanding schools and safe neighborhoods. Let people know you support tax reforms that raise revenue in a way that is fair and holds down increases on middle-income families.

Sincerely,

Neil F. Clarke, CFOC Member
85 Orchard St.
Lee, MA 01238

Posted by Staff Reports on February 14, 2013. Filed under Letters to the Editor,Opinion. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry