Governor's Podcast

Governor Deval Patrick announces his plan to authorize the opening of three resort casinos throughout the Commonwealth.

Secretary Ian Bowles discusses steps we're taking to move clean energy initiatives forward in the commonwealth.

Governor Deval Patrick talked about the achievements of the just finished legislative session at a press conference in the State House.

On July 31, 2008, Governor Patrick signed a bill repealing a 95-year-old statute that prevented out-of-state same-sex couples from marrying in Massachusetts, as well as a MassHeath equality bill which grants married same-sex couples in Massachusetts equal access to Medicaid benefits.

On Tuesday, July 8, 2008, Governor Patrick traveled to Armory Park in Salem for the first stop in his summer Town Hall Meeting Tour, a five-week tour of 11 town hall-style meetings across the Commonwealth. During the meeting, which was open to the public, residents talked directly to Governor Patrick about issues they care about most, such as education reform, health care and the economy. Learn more about the Town Hall Tour and find the one near you at www.mass.gov/governor/townhall.

On July 13, 2008, Governor Deval Patrick signed into law a $28.1 billion FY 2009 state budget -- which includes $122.5 million in vetoes - as a part of a five-point plan aimed at ensuring long-term fiscal stability during a time of national economic uncertainty. In addition to vetoed spending in the FY 2009 Budget, the Governor is filing a companion budget package that includes expansion of emergency 9C powers to prepare for a potential decline in state tax revenues and increasing stresses in some areas of the budget as well as a number of targeted amendments to health care reform law to place this national model on more sound financial footing.

On Wednesday, July 2, 2008, Governor Deval Patrick traveled to the Museum of Science in Boston to sign the Green Communities Act. The act is a comprehensive energy reform bill that resulted from close collaboration with House Speaker Salvatore DiMasi and Senate President Therese Murray. The bill, which sets a new national standard in energy policy, was filed by Speaker DiMasi in 2007.

On Tuesday, July 1, 2008, Governor Deval Patrick announced the details of a unique state-sponsored, low-interest loan fund for developers to buy abandoned and at-risk properties, and get them quickly reoccupied with new homeowners or renters. The fund, consisting of $17 million from private lenders and another $3 million from private non-profit foundations, is part of the Patrick Administration's comprehensive response to the foreclosure crisis in Massachusetts.

On June 30, 2008, Governor Deval Patrick travelled to Jamaica Plain to announce that the City of Boston will receive a $3.1 million Massachusetts Opportunity Relocation and Expansion (MORE) jobs grant to improve the streetscape and public way for the Jackson Square Development project in Roxbury and Jamaica Plain, generating 131 new jobs and boosting the local economy of these two neighborhoods.

On June 25, 2008, Governor Deval Patrick unveiled the final portions of his Education Action Agenda – the state’s blueprint to move Massachusetts through its next phase in education reform by 2020 – focused on improving access to higher education for all Massachusetts residents, and unleashing innovation to spur long-term system change in the state’s public education system. The announcement, made at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library, preceded the historic first-ever joint meeting of the state’s newly formed education boards: the Board of Early Education and Care, the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, the Board of Higher Education and the University of Massachusetts Board of Trustees.

On Thursday, June 12, 2008, Governor Patrick traveled to the Julia F. Callahan Elementary School in Lynn to announce the start of the MassCleanDiesel: Clean Air for Kids program. The first statewide program of its kind in the nation, MassCleanDiesel will retrofit virtually all diesel-powered school buses in the state with pollution-reduction equipment, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and thereby improving air quality and public health across Massachusetts communities

On Thursday, June 12, 2008, Governor Patrick traveled to the Julia F. Callahan Elementary School in Lynn to announce the start of the MassCleanDiesel: Clean Air for Kids program. The first statewide program of its kind in the nation, MassCleanDiesel will retrofit virtually all diesel-powered school buses in the state with pollution-reduction equipment, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and thereby improving air quality and public health across Massachusetts communities

On Monday, June 16th, 2008 Governor Deval Patrick, joined by Senate President Therese Murray and Speaker of the House Salvatore F. DiMasi, culminating a year-long legislative effort by signing pioneering legislation at the Joslin Diabetes Center as he unveiled for the first time the comprehensive, innovative Massachusetts Life Sciences Law. The legislation, a 10-year, $1-billion investment in the industry, will secure and expand Massachusetts’ life science supercluster. “With this initiative we take our rightful place as a global leader in the life sciences,” said Governor Patrick.

On Monday, June 16th, 2008 Governor Deval Patrick, joined by Senate President Therese Murray and Speaker of the House Salvatore F. DiMasi, culminating a year-long legislative effort by signing pioneering legislation at the Joslin Diabetes Center as he unveiled for the first time the comprehensive, innovative Massachusetts Life Sciences Law. The legislation, a 10-year, $1-billion investment in the industry, will secure and expand Massachusetts’ life science supercluster. “With this initiative we take our rightful place as a global leader in the life sciences,” said Governor Patrick.

On Monday, June 9, 2008, Governor Patrick joined state and regional officials and local fishermen to announce the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has approved the state’s plan to distribute $13.4 million in federal disaster relief to the Commonwealth’s struggling commercial groundfish fleet – delivering aid to fishermen harmed by federal restrictions on groundfish harvesting by the end of August. In the following recording are Governor Deval Patrick, Lt. Governor Tim Murray and Senator John Kerry.

On Thursday, May 29, 2008, Governor Patrick signed into law a $1.275 billion bond authorization – the state’s largest investment ever in housing and community development projects throughout the Commonwealth. The speakers in this podcast, in chronological order, are Governor Deval Patrick, Chairman Kevin Honan, Mayor Thomas Menino, and Senator Steven A. Tolman.

On Wednesday, May 28, 2008, Governor Patrick traveled to the New England Aquarium to sign the Oceans Act of 2008, which will require Massachusetts to develop a first-in-the-nation comprehensive plan to manage development in its state waters, balancing natural resource preservation with traditional and new uses, including renewable energy. The speakers in this podcast, in chronological order, are Governor Deval Patrick, Speaker Sal DiMasi, and Senator Robert A. O'Leary.

On Tuesday, May 13, 2008, Governor Deval Patrick today highlighted the administration’s funding of more than $5.6 million for the YouthWorks summer jobs program this year – an increase of $1.2 million from last year – as part of a comprehensive approach that coordinates education, employment and support services to increase opportunity and development for young people throughout Massachusetts.

On Thursday, May 1, 2008, Governor Patrick delivered a speech to the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce where he presented a comprehensive, ambitious strategy for taking national leadership in clean energy in response to record high energy prices and in recognition of the opportunities for jobs and economic growth in the burgeoning clean energy industry.

On Tuesday, April 29, 2008, Governor Patrick travelled to Northampton City Hall to announce the award of a Workforce Training Fund (WTF) grant to Amherst Woodworking and Supply, Inc. The grant totals $44,000 and will train 44 employees. These grants are part of a total of $18 million in funds that will go to 200 companies to train over 16,000 workers throughout the state, which were announced during the governor's major economic policy address at MIT's Sloan School of Business Management on April 9.