July 30, 2009 : Charlie Baker on his gubernatorial run

>> Rooney: TONIGHT ON


GREATER BOSTON, HE'S IN


FORMER PRIL GIM HEALTH CHIEF


CHARLES BAKER AND WHY HE'S


RUNNING FOR GOVERNOR.


PLUS, NOISE POLLUTION VERSUS


FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION.


BOSTON'S NEW CRACKDOWN ON


MOTORCYCLES.


AND HOW SOME OF HOLLYED


WITH'S MOST DAZZLING EFFECTS


BEGAN IN CAMBRIDGE.


 Closed Captioning


 brought to you by AFLAC:


 Ask about it at work.


>> GOOD EVENING, IT'S


OFFICIAL, FORMER HARVARD


PILGRIM HEALTH CHIEF CHARLES


BAKER FILED THE NECESSARY


PAPERS YESTERDAY PUTTING HIM


IN THE HUNT FOR THE STATE


HOUSE CORNER OFFICE.


RUNNING AS A REPUBLICAN


BAKER JONES THE RACE FOR


GOVERNOR ALONG WITH


CONVENIENT STORE MAGNET


CHRISTIE MILES, ALSO


REPUBLICAN.


AND THE POSSIBLE INDEPENDENT


RUN OF STATE TREASURER TIM


CAHILL.


CHARLES BAKER QUICKLY


POINTED OUT WHERE HE


BELIEVED INCUMBENT DEVAL


PATRICK WAS VULNERABLE.


>> THERE WERE A LOT OF


PEOPLE FROM THE DAY HE TOOK


OFFICE WHO SAID THE THING


YOU HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT MOST


IS NOT MAKING SURE THE BUDGE


DOESN'T GET AWAY FROM YOU.


AND IT DID.


>> I WOULDN'T HAVE TRADED


MODEST PENSION REFORM,


MODEST ETHICS REFORM AND


MODs TRANSPORTATION REFORM


FOR A 40% INCREASE IN THE


SALES TAX IN THE MIDDLE OF


THE WORST RECESSION WE'VE


HAD IN MY LIFETIME.


>> ARE YOU SAYING READ MY


LIPS, NO NEW TAXES?


>> YEAH, READ MY LIPS, NO


NEW TAXS.


>> ALL RIGHT, AND CHARLIE


BAKE CERTIFICATE HERE,


WELCOME.


ARE PEOPLE STILL READING


THOSE LIPS PRETTYEE WELL.


>> I SURE HOPE SO.


>> THAT'S A TOUGH ONE TO


PROMISE.


I REMEMBER WHEN PRESIDENT


BUSH ONE DID THAT.


>> I AGREE.


>> AND YOU HEARD THE


GOVERNOR'S RESPONSE TO THAT.


THAT IN TOUGH TIMES, YOU DO


THINGS THAT YOU -- YOU DON'T


WANT TO DO BUT TOO FEEL


FORCED TO DO.


>> I UNDERSTAND THAT.


I AM WORK ON A VERY SIMPLE


PREMISE WHICH IS


MASSACHUSETTS HAS HAD A


TERRIBLE TIME CREATING AND


EXPANDING ITS JOB BASE FOR


ALMOST TWO DECADES.


AND AS A RESULT, WE'VE LOST


A LOT OF KIDS WHO NORMALLY


WOULD HAVE GONE TO COLLEGE


HERE OR GROWN-UP HERE AND


STAYED HERE AND MADE THEIR


LIVES HERE.


AND I THINK THE MESSAGE AT


THIS POINT IN TIME GIVEN THE


STATE OF THE ECONOMY AND


EVERYTHING ELSE THAT WE HAVE


TO SEND TO THE BUSINESS


COMMUNITY AND TO THE


CITIZENRY IS STATE


GOVERNMENT IS GOING TO HAVE


TO TIGHTEN ITS BELT JUST AS


HARD AS THE CITIES AND TOWNS


ARE TIGHTENING THEIRS AND


JUST AS HARD AS BUSINESSES


AND FAMILIES ARE TIGHTENING


THEIRS.


AND I TOTALLY GET -- I WAS


HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES


SECRETARY DURING A RECESSION


THAT WAS PROBABLY AS BAD AS


THIS ONE IN THE


ADMINISTRATION.


I CARED A LOT ABOUT THOSE


PROGRAMS AND THE PEOPLE THAT


WERE INVOLVED IN THEM.


BUT AT SOME POINT YOU GOT TO


PUT A LINE IN THE SAND AND


BASICALLY SEND A MESSAGE.


>> BUT BASICALLY EVERY


PERSON WHO HAS RUN FOR


GOVERNOR CERTAINLY SINCE


I'VE BEEN HERE IN 1979 HAS


ESSENTIALLY SAID THE SAME


THING.


YOU GOT TO SHAKE UP BEACON


HILL.


YOU HAVE TO TIGHTEN THE


BELTS.


GOVERNOR DEPAL -- DEVAL


PATRICK GOT IN THERE AND


SAID ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT


REDUCING THE WORKFORCE.


HE SAID IF YOU LAID OFF


EVERY SINGLE STATE EMPLOYEE,


THE STATE WOULD STILL BE A


BILLION DOLLARS IN THE HOLE


SO IT'S NOT ALWAYS JUST


ABOUT DOING THE OBVIOUS


WHICH IS --


>> NO, IT'S NOT, AND I AGREE


WITH THAT.


BUT WHAT I ALSO SAID WAS


SOMEBODY ASKED ME WELL,


WHERE WOULD YOU GO FIRST.


I SAID I WOULD GO EVERY


WHERE.


I THINK IF THIS IS IN FACT


THE WORST FISCAL SITUATION


WE'VE SEEN AS IT'S BEEN


PORTRAYED IN 50 YEARS, THEN


WE SHOULD GO EVERYWHERE.


WE SHOULD GO PERSONNEL.


WE SHOULD GO PROGRAM.


WE SHOULD GO CONSOLIDATION,


WE SHOULD GO REAL ESTATE,


ASSET SALES.


I MEAN I DON'T UNDERSTAND, I


MEAN I WAS A LOCAL OFFICIAL


AS WELL.


I WAS ON THE BOARD OF


SELECTMAN IN SWAN SCOTT


WHICH WAS A WONDERFUL


EXPERIENCE IN TERMS OF


GETTING THE OTHER SIDE OF


THE TELESCOPE IN TERMS OF


HOW THE STATE RELATES TO THE


CITIES AND TOWNS IT.


AND YOU KNOW, I SEE CITIES


AND TOWNS, FURLOUGHING COPS


AND FIREFIGHTERS, LAYING OFF


TEACHERS, RENEGOTIATING


UNION AGREEMENTS,


IMPLEMENTING HIRING FREEZES.


SAME THINGS I SEE BUSINESSES


DOING.


AND I THINK THE STATE OUGHT


TO BE DOING ALL THAT AND


MORE.


SETTING THE EXAMPLE FOR


EVERYBODY ELSE THAT THIS IS


JUST A AS BIG A PROBLEM FOR


THEM.


>> YOU LOSE SUPPORT OF WHOLE


GROUP OF PEOPLE OR TEACHERS


OR LAW ENFORCEMENT THE.


LET'S SAY IF YOU COLLAPSED


THE STATE POLICE AND PUT


THEM WITH ANOTHER AGENCY.


WE HAVE ALL THESE DIFFERENT


LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES.


SUDDENLY YOU LOSE SUPPORT


AND IT CHANGES --


>> YEAH, OKAY, I DON'T


DISPUTE THAT BUT YOU, YOU


KNOW, LIKE I SAID, I WAS IN


STATE GOVERNMENT ONCE BEFORE


DURING A VERY DIFFICULT


PERIOD OF TIME, IN A VERY


COMPLEX SET OF AGENCIES.


I HAVE A LOT OF FRIENDS AND


A LOT OF COLLEAGUES FROM THE


HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES


WORLD.


BECAUSE I MADE CLEAR TO THEM,


LOOK, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO


MAKE SOME REALLY DIFFICULT


DECISION.


PIE DOOR IS WIDE OPEN.


I'M WILLING TO ENGAGE IN THE


PROCESS.


BUT WHAT I'M NOT WILLING TO


DO IS PRESUME WE CAN PUT OFF


TOMORROW, UNTIL TOMORROW OR


THE DAY AFTER THE PAIN THAT


WE ALL HAVE TO FIND OUR WAY


THROUGH TODAY.


AND THAT'S EXACTLY AT


APPROACH WE SHOULD BE TAKING


HERE.


I THINK IF WE, IF WE DON'T


DRAW A LINE IN THE SAND AND


SAY YOU KNOW FROM HERE ON


OUT WE'RE GOING TO BE


PREDICTABLE AND STABLE


FINANCIALLY AND THERE'S TO


THE GOING TO BE THIS ONGOING


YEAR AFTER YEAR CUT HERE,


CUT THERE, TAX THIS, RAISE


FEE THAT.


I THINK WE'RE, UNLESS WE


SEND A MESSAGE LIKE THAT,


OUR ECONOMY IS NOT GOING TO


GET BETTER.


PEOPLE AREN'T GOING TO GET


BACK TO WORK AND WE'RE GOING


TO CONTINUE TO HAVE THE


KINDS OF PROBLEMS IN TERMS


IT OF PROVIDING OPPORTUNITY


FOR PEOPLE THAT WE HAVE


RIGHT NOW.


>> WHEN I SAW YOU BACK IN


APRIL, I THINK IT WAS AT


IRVIN IMPROVE.


>> WHICH WAS PRETTY FUN,


ACTUALLY.


>> YEAH T WAS FUN.


YOU SAID, YOU SAID EMILY,


EVERYBODY WAS ASKING YOU,


HELLO WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO


GET.


>> HE I WILL BE HONEST IF


THE VOTE WAS IN MY FAMILY


FOR MY WIFE AND KIDS THE


ANSWER WOULD BE NO.


WHAT TURNED THEM AROUND IF


IT DID.


AND WHAT MADE YOU DECIDE TO


MAKE THE LEAP?


>> I SPENT A LOT OF TIME


TALKING TO HARVARD PILGRIM


CUSTOMERS ABOUT THEIR


BUSINESSES.


AND THE MESSAGE WITH RESPECT


TO MASSACHUSETTS WAS PRETTY


GLOOMY.


AND IN TERMS OF THE ABILITY


TO GROW BUSINESSES HERE AND


START, START BUSINESSES,


PEOPLE SAID YEAH, YOU CAN


START A BUSINESS HERE BUT


IT'S REALLY HARD TO SCALE


IT.


IT'S A VERY TOUGH


ENVIRONMENT.


SO I STARTED LOOKING AT SOME


OF THE JOBS DATA AND CAME TO


THE CONCLUSION THAT WOW, WE


REALLY HAVEN'T CREATED NEW


JOBS IN NET BASIS OVER THE


TEN YEARS AN ONLY A FEW OVER


THE LAST 20.


THEN I LOOKED AT THE


DEMOGRAPHIC DATA AND IT


BASICALLY SAID OUR


POPULATION IS FLAT TO A


LITTLE DOWN.


OUR OVER 45 POPULATION HAS


BEEN GROWING AND WILL


CONTINUE TO GROW.


AND OUR 18 TO 45 POPULATION


HAS BEEN FALLING FOR TEN


YEARSNESS 'S LOSING A


CONGRESSPERSON.


>> WE WON'T -- I WANT MY


KIDS TO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY


TO GROW UP AND TO MAKE A


LIFE IN MASSACHUSETTS JUST


LIKE I HAD.


AND WHEN I GIVE THIS SPEECH


TO PEOPLE OUT THERE ASIF'S


BEEN DOING FOR THE PAST


COUPLE OF WEEKS, INEVITABLY


SOMEBODY COMES UP TO ME AND


SAYS I HAVE THREE KIDS, NONE


OF THEM LIVE IN


MASSACHUSETTS.


OR I JUST GRADUATED FROM


COLLEGE, I HAVE TWO JOB


OFFERS BUT NONE IN


MASSACHUSETTS.


WE'VE GOT TO TAKE THIS WHOLE


NOTION OF CREATING


OPPORTUNITY NOT JUST FOR US


BUT FOR OUR KIDS AND


CREATING A JOB BASE THAT IS


SUSTAINABLE.


THAT HAS TO BE LIKE OUR


NUMBER ONE PRIORITY.


I KNOW THERE'S A MILLION


DIFFERENT THINGS PEOPLE WANT


TO DO.


BUT WE JUST, WE WON'T BE THE


KIND OF PLACE WE'VE ALWAYS


BEEN IF WE CAN'T FIND


OPPORTUNITIES AND CREATE


OPPORTUNITIES FOR KIDS TO


BUILD A LIFE HERE.


>> Rooney: THAT'S VERY


ALTRUISTIC.


>> IT'S NOT ALTRUISTIC T IS


ABSOLUTELY CRITICAL.


>> Rooney: BUT ONE OF THE


ISSUES, ONE OF THE THINGS I


ASKED YOU ABOUT WAS THE


KIDS.


I MEAN YOU ASSUME A BURDEN


NOW FROM, THE GUN HAS GONE


OFF FROM NOW FOR THE NEXT 15


MONTHS WHATEVER IT IS.


>> YUP.


>> Rooney: YOU'RE UNDER


FIRE.


ALREADY THERE IS THIS WEB


SITE, BIG DIG BAKER.COM.


>> I THOUGHT ABOUT WAS AN


ICE CREAM SITE, BIG DIG


BAKER.


>> Rooney: THEY'RE ADDING,


BURDENING YOU WITH THE BIG


DIG.


>> YEAH.


>> Rooney: OVERSIGHT THING


DURING THE WELD


ADMINISTRATION.


YOU WERE ADMINISTRATION IN


FINANCE.


I MEAN IT STARTS FROM THE


GET-GO.


ARE YOU READY TO ASSUME ALL


THAT?


>> YEAH, I MEAN IT COMES


WITH THE TERRITORY.


>> Rooney: HOW DO YOU


RESPOND TO THOSE CHARGES, BY


THE WAY, THAT YOU ARE


SOMEHOW RESPONSIBLE FOR


FINANCING AND PUTTING OFF


THE DEBT.


>> YEAH, YEAH, THE BIG DIG A


25 YEAR BIPARTISAN FINANCIAL


HEAD HEADACHE.


I HAD A VERY SMALL ROLE TO


PLAY FOR A VERY BRIEF PERIOD


OF TIME.


I DO THINK IT'S IRONIC THAT


I'M BEING ATTACKED BY THE


ADMINISTRATION FOR WHOM THE


TRANSPORTATION CZAR WAS


PROBABLY A PRETTY


SIGNIFICANT ARCHITECT AND


ENABLER OF MOST OF THE BIG


DIG.


>> Rooney: WHICH ONE.


>> JIM MELRISI, HE WROTE THE


MULTIPLE HIGHWAY, WORKED FOR


THE TURNPIKE.


AND YOU KNOW, THE DEAL,


THERE WAS ONE IN 2000 AND 2


O 001, COMPLEX FINANCING


THAT THE TURNPIKE AUTHORITY


DID.


THAT WAS ONE OF THE THINGS


THAT REALLY PUT THEM OVER


THE CLIFF THAT HAPPENED WHEN


I WAS BUSY TRYING TO FIX


HARVARD PILGRIM.


AND THE OTHER ONE WAS PEAK


CONSTRUCTION WHEN THE


OVERRUNS WERE REPORTED WHICH


WAS THOUSAND.


I LEFT STATE GOVERNMENT IN


1998.


DO I THINK ALL OF US BEAR,


I'M ONE OF THE FEW PEOPLE


WHO IS WILLING TO SAY THAT I


THINK EVERYBODY WHO TOUCHED


THIS PROJECT BEARS SOME


RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE FACT


THAT IT NEVER CAME ANYWHERE


NEAR BEING ON TIME AND


CONSISTENT WITH BUDGETED


EXPECTATIONS.


BUT IN THE GRAND SCHEME OF


THINGS, THERE ARE PLENTY OF


PEOPLE WHO HAVE A LOT MORE


TO ANSWER FOR THAN ME.


>> Rooney: AS YOU SAY THEY


WILL BE OUT THERE.


MAYBE THEY HIRED --


>> I TOTALLY GET THAT.


AND I VIEW THAT AS JUST PART


OF --


>> YOU SAID YOU DON'T WANT


TO SPEND PERSONAL MONEY.


I CAN UNDERSTAND THAT


COMPLETELY.


>> I'M ACTUALLY UNEMPLOYED.


>> Rooney: YOU ARE AS OF


JULY 19th.


>> WHY NOT TAKE MONEY FROM


THE REPUBLICAN PARTY?


WHY NOT?


WHAT'S THE RELUCTANCE.


>> YOU MEAN THE NATIONAL


PARTY.


>> YEAH, THE NATIONAL.


>> WELL, I HAVEN'T MADE A


DECISION ON THAT YET.


BUT MY PREFERENCE TO TELL


YOU THE TRUTH WOULD BE, ONE


OF THE THINGS I REALLY


ADMIRE ABOUT THE OBAMA


CAMPAIGN WAS THEY GOT A LOT


OF PEOPLE TO INVEST IN THAT


CAMPAIGN.


>> Rooney: THEY DID.


>> TO INVEST FINANCIALLY,


EMOTIONALLY, PSYCHOLOGICALLY,


INTELLECTUALLY.


AND I DON'T KNOW IF I CAN


PULL THAT OFF OR NOT BUT MY


VIEW IS I THINK -- I


THINK -- I THINK THAT WAS A


TREMENDOUS ASSET TO THEM


THAT THEY HAD THIS HUGE


GROUP OF SORT OF SMALL AND


MEDIUM SIZED DONORS WHO


BASICALLY SAID HEY, THAT'S


PIE GUY.


>> Rooney: SO DID DEVAL.


>> WELL, I THINK THAT'S A --


I THINK THAT'S A GREAT


STRATEGY.


BECAUSE IT BASICALLY SAYS


PEOPLE ARE BUYING INTO WHAT


YOU ARE SAYING.


>> Rooney: ALL RIGHT,


CHARLIE BAKER, WE WILL HAVE


YOU BACK MANY TIMES.


>> I CERTAINLY HOPE THAT


HAPPENS.


>> Rooney: APPRECIATE YOU


COMING TONIGHT.


>> HAPPY TO DO IT.


>> Rooney: THANKS.


>> THANKS.