June 28, 2010: Independent candidate for governor Tim Cahill

>> Emily: TONIGHT ON "GREATER

BOSTON", JOCKEYING FOR POSITION

IN THE GOVERNOR'S RACE.

INDEPENDENT CANDIDATE TIM CAHILL

IS HERE.

BUT IT IS CALLED THE WORLD'S

GAME, WITH THE WORLD CUP

UNDERWAY, HOW SOCCER HAS BECOME

A UNIFYING SOURCE.

AND IS THE INTERNET HURTING OR

THINKING?

NICHOLAS CARR IN HIS NEW BOOK

"THE SHALLOWS".

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GOOD EVENING.

MASSACHUSETTS GOVERNOR'S RACE

HAS ALREADY BEEN HIGHLIGHTED BY

A FEISTY DEBATE AND NEGATIVE

ADVERTISING.

AND THE SUMMER HAS JUST BEGUN.

TONIGHT, WE BEGIN OUR

CONVERSATIONS WITH INDEPENDENT

CANDIDATE, TIM CAHILL.

WELCOME TO YOU.

>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME BACK.

THANKS FOR HAVING ME ON.

AS AN INDPEP DENT SOMETIMES YOU

GET BOXED OUT OF THINGS, PEOPLE

TAKE YOU FOR GRANTED.

NICE TO BE INCLUDED AND BE PART

OF THE DEBATE AND THE RACE.

>> Emily: YOU'RE DEFINITELY IN

THERE WITH THE OTHER PEOPLE.

I'M SURE YOU HAD TO BE A LITTLE

BIT DISAPPOINTED WITH THE POLL

NUMBERS.

THE BAKER EXAM PAIN SAID IF WE

CAN KEEP -- CAMPAIGN SAID IF WE

CAN KEEP CAHILL UNDER 10%, WE

HAVE A SHOT AT THIS.

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

>> THE PEOPLE SHOULD HAVE A

CHOICE.

EVEN THE POLLSTERS OR THE

EXPERTS SHOULDN'T DECIDE WHO OUR

CHOICES ARE.

PEOPLE SHOULD HAVE THE

OPPORTUNITY TO CHOOSE.

I'M GIVING THEM A CHOICE BETWEEN

THE TWO-PARTY SYSTEM.

I HAVE BEEN ELECTED TWICE

BEFORE, I HAVE BEEN A STATE

TREASURER.

I HAVE A MESSAGE THAT'S

DIFFERENT FROM THE OTHER TWO.

I WAS A SMALL BUSINESS MAN AS

OPPOSED TO A CORPORATE CEO.

AND I'M WORKING FOR THE MIDDLE

CLASS, TO GIVE THEM A VOICE IN

GOVERNMENT THAT I DON'T THINK

EITHER OF MY OPPONENTS ARE

REALLY WORKING TOWARDS.

>> Emily: I'M SURE YOU HAVE SEEN

THE SPIN ON THIS, SOME OF THE

BAKER PEOPLE ARE BLOGGING ABOUT

THIS, IT PROF -- PROVES THAT TIM

CAHILL IS REALLY A DEMOCRAT.

>> THEY'VE BEEN SAYING THAT

SINCE DAY ONE.

THEY TRIED TO GET ME TO RUN WITH

CHARLIE BAKER, BUT I GUESS NOW

I'M NOT GOOD ENOUGH TO RUN

MYLES.

IT SOUNDS LIKE CHARLIE BAKER

DOESN'T WANT COMPETITION.

THEY'RE TRYING TO GET ME OUT OF

THE RACE.

WE'D LOVE TO BE THE ONE PERSON

RUNNING AGAINST DEVAL PATRICK

BECAUSE HE'S DONE A TERRIBLE

JOB.

HE WON'T GET A ONE-ON-ONE SHOT,

I WON'T EITHER, AND THE GOVERNOR

IS GOING TO BE ABLE TO SEND HIS

MESSAGE OUT.

IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH ME

TRYING TO HELP PATRICK.

I WANT TO BEAT HIM.

THAT'S WHY I'M RUNNING AGAINST

HIM.

NOT RUNNING TO HELP HIM.

BUT THE REPUBLICANS THEY WANT A

FREE RIDE.

THEY WANT A STRAIGHT SHOT, AND

THEY DON'T WANT TO DEBATE THE

ISSUES.

YOU KNOW, THEY WANT TO BE THE

ALTERNATIVE TO PATRICK, SO THE

ANTI-DEVAL PATRICK VOTE WILL GO

TO THEM.

I THINK THE ONE WHO CAN REACH

THE MIDDLE CLASS AND PROVIDE

HOPE FOR THE ECONOMY GOING

FORWARD, CREATING JOBS IS THE

ONE WHO WILL WIN.

I THINK MY MESSAGE IS BETTER AND

WE'LL FIGHT THAT OUT OVER THE

NEXT FOUR MONTHS.

>> Emily: HAVE YOU THOUGHT ABOUT

GETTING YOURSELF A TEAMMATE?

I UNDERSTAND THAT YOU'RE ELECTED

INDEPENDENTLY, BUT HAVE YOU

THOUGHT ABOUT HAVING SOMEBODY

WITH YOU THAT'S DOUBLE THE

VOICE?

>> WELL, I HAVE A RUNNING MATE

WHO'S A REPUBLICAN.

BUT IT'S DIFFERENT, YOU DON'T

HAVE THE PARTY BEHIND YOU.

THAT'S THE STRUGGLE, YOU KNOW,

YOU HAVE THE -- THE SHOWS ON TV

THAT HAVE A REPUBLICAN OR A

DEMOCRATIC PERSON AND THEY TALK

ABOUT THEIR CANDIDATE.

WE ARE OUTSIDE THE MAINSTREAM,

WHICH IS FINE.

I THINK PEOPLE ARE LOOKING FOR

AN INDEPENDENT VOICE THAT WON'T

BE TOLD BY THE PARTIES WHAT TO

DO.

AND THAT WON'T JUST FOLLOW THE

PARTY DOGMA OR THE DOCTRINE

EVERY TIME A DECISION NEEDS TO

BE.

>> Emily: I'M SURE YOU HAVE BEEN

FOLLOWING IT, ABOUT THE PENSION

SYSTEMS ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND

HOW THIS IS THE NEW HOUSING

CRISIS, THAT THE PENSION PLANS

ARE GOING TO PUT STATE

GOVERNMENTS OUT OF BUSINESS AND

DE FACTO, YOU KNOW, CREATE A

CRISIS FOR EVERYBODY, THE

FEDERAL GOVERNMENT INCLUDED.

WHEN YOU LOOK AT SOME OF THE

THINGS THAT YOU HAVE PROPOSED IN

TERMS OF CHANGING IT, AND TIM

POLITO CAME UP WITH AN IDEA

WHICH IS NEWLY ELECTED STATE

OFFICIALS BACK OUT OF IT, ARE

YOU AGREEING WITH THAT?

>> NO, UNLESS YOU'RE

INDEPENDENTLY WEALTHY.

IF YOU TAKE AWAY ANY

OPPORTUNITIES FOR THEM TO HAVE

SOME OPTION AT A PENSION, THEN

YOU'RE GOING TO LOSE A WHOLE

STRATA OF PEOPLE THAT SHOULD BE

PART OF THIS.

OUR PENSION FUND --

>> Emily: PENSIONS ARE VERY

GENEROUS.

>> THEY ARE.

SOME PEOPLE TAKE ADVANTAGE OF

THE SITUATION.

THAT'S WHAT WE FOCUS ON,

ESPECIALLY THE MEDIA, THEY FOCUS

ON THOSE WHO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF

THE SYSTEM.

THE AVERAGE STATE PENSION IS

$26,000 A YEAR.

MOST PEOPLE ARE GETTING A

PENSION BETWEEN 15 AND 50 OR

$60,000.

THERE ARE A FEW FOLKS, LIKE THE

BULGERS WHO GOT OUTLANDISH

PENSIONS.

>> Emily: MOST PEOPLE DON'T GET

A PENSION.

>> BUT STATE EMPLOYEES PAY INTO

THE PENSION FUND.

UNLIKE CALIFORNIA OR THE OTHER

STATES WHERE THE TAXPAYERS WHERE

THE ONLY ONES.

OUR SYSTEM IS 75% FUNDED.

IT HAS BEEN WELL RUN, WELL

MANAGED.

PARTIALLY BY ME AND MY

PREDECESSORS AS TREASURER.

IT WON'T BREAK THE SYSTEM AS

LONG AS WE DON'T GET GIVE OUT

GENEROUS BENEFITS GOING FORWARD

AND WE DON'T ALLOW THE PEOPLE TO

GAME THE SYSTEM OR RETIRE

YOUNGER.

WE MAY HAVE TO ADJUST THE SYSTEM

FOR NEW HIRES.

PEOPLE USED TO CONTRIBUTE 5% OF

THEIR SALARY.

NOW THEY CONTRIBUTE 10% OR EVEN

MORE PERCENT OF THEIR SALARY.

HERE IN MASSACHUSETTS, OUR

PENSION FUND IS NOT GOING TO

BANKRUPT US AT ALL.

WE HAVE TO GET CONTROL OF THE

EMPLOYEE BENEFITS BUT NOT THE

EMPLOYEES WHO HAVE BROKEN THE

SYSTEM.

IT'S THE BANKS, IT'S THE BIG

CORPORATIONS.

THEY'RE THE ONES THAT CREATED

THE MESS THAT WE'RE IN.

I DON'T THINK WORKING CLASS

PEOPLE SHOULD BE PAYING ALL OF

THE PRICE.

BUT THAT'S WHAT WALL STREET

WANTS MAIN STREET TO THINK --

IT'S THE WORKERS AND THE WORKING

PEOPLE WHO CREATED THE MESS.

THEY DIDN'T, BUT AS MANAGER AS

THE GOVERNOR, YOU HAVE TO LAY

OUT A BROAD PLAN THAT HELPS THE

PRIVATE AND PUBLIC SECOND OR THE

EMPLOYEE -- SECTOR EMPLOYEES AND

CREATES A BALANCE FOR THE

TAXPAYERS.

>> Emily: BUT DO YOU THINK THEY

DIDN'T PUT FORTH THE PROPOSAL

THAT WILL ALLOW CITIES AND TOWNS

TO DECIDE HOW TO MANAGE

HEALTHCARE PLANS FOR THEIR

EMPLOYEES?

THAT COULD HAVE GONE THROUGH

WITH THE LATEST BUDGET, IT

DIDN'T.

SHOULD IT HAVE?

>> I THINK IT SHOULD OVER TIME.

BUT I THINK IT SHOULD BE

NEGOTIATED.

I THINK UNIONS SHOULD HAVE A SAY

IN WHAT THE HEALTH -- WELL,

STATE EMPLOYEES DID.

THEY OPTED INTO THE CIG.

I THINK IF IT'S SOMETHING THAT

BOTH SIDES CAN WORK OUT.

WE DID IT IN THE CITY OF QUINCY,

WHICH IS A UNION TOWN.

WE'RE NOT SHRINKING VIOLETS

THERE, AND SOME GIVE, SOME TAKE,

NOW THEY'RE IN THE SYSTEM AND I

THINK IT SAVED THE CITY

$5 MILLION THIS YEAR.

OVER TIME I THINK IT WILL WORK.

>> Emily: HAD TO NEGOTIATE EVERY

ONE OF THOSE AND IT COULD HAVE

GONE THROUGH MUCH MORE QUICKLY.

>> IT COULD HAVE.

BUT YOU HAVE THE VOICE, NOT

STRONG ENOUGH LEADERSHIP AND BY

THE STAFF, TO REALLY DRIVE IT

THROUGH.

THE GOVERNOR COULD HAVE MADE IT

HAPPEN, OR AT LEAST SHOWN SOME

MORE LEADERSHIP.

THE LEGISLATURE IS THE

LEGISLATURE.

THEY'RE GOING TO DO, YOU KNOW,

THEY'RE PRESSURED TO DO WHAT

THEY CAN GET AWAY WITH DOING.

IN THIS CASE I THINK THEY

DROPPED THE BALL.

BUT AT THE SAME TIME, I THINK WE

COULD MOVE TO SOMETHING THAT

IS -- GETS US THERE, BUT GETS US

THERE OVER A NUMBER OF YEARS.

WHICH I'M FINE WITH.

I THINK IT WILL WORK WITH.

I BELIEVE AT THE END OF THE

CAHILL ADMINISTRATION YOU WILL

SEE MORE RATHER THAN LESS CITIES

AND TOWNS IN THE PLAN.

BUT I DO BELIEVE WORKERS HAVE A

SAY AND THEY SHOULD HAVE A SAY

IN WHAT HAPPENS GOING FORWARD.

>> Emily: LAST TIME YOU WERE

HERE, I ASKED YOU ABOUT THE

FUNDS AND YOU WOULDN'T HAVE PUT

IT IN THE BUDGET, EVEN THOUGH

THAN 25 OTHER STATES COUNTED ON

IT.

WE DIDN'T GET IT AND NOW THAT

THE WAY THEY'RE BALANCING THIS

IS STAKING AWAY HEALTHCARE

SERVICES FOR ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS

WHICH COMES TO $700 MILLION.

WOULD YOU APPROVE OF THAT?

>> I WOULD DO WHAT I HAVE TO DO.

I THINK THAT'S ONE OF THE CUTS

THAT THE LEGISLATURE ACTUALLY

MADE.

I DON'T KNOW IF THE GOVERNOR

WILL VETO IT OR NOT.

HE VETOED IT LAST YEAR OR TRIED

TO WORK IT OUT.

DOESN'T ACCOUNT FOR IT ALL.

WE HAVE BECOME TOO DEPENDENT ON

FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.

SO THE NEXT GOVERNOR WON'T HAVE

THE OPTIONS THAT THIS GOVERNOR

HAS.

I WOULD NEVER IN MY BUDGET PUT

MONEY IN THERE UNLESS I

ABSOLUTELY WAS POSITIVE THAT WE

HAD IT.

YOU'RE MUCH BETTER OFF PREPARING

FOR THE WORST AND THAT WAY IF

THINGS GET BETTER YOU CAN ADD AS

OPPOSED TO -- YEAH, THIS

GOVERNOR HAS PREPARED ROSIER

PROJECTIONS AND THEN HAD TO COME

BACK AND CUT AND CUT.

THAT MAKES IT TOUGHER ON PEOPLE

THOSE WHO HAVE HEALTHCARE ISSUES

OR CITIES AND TOWNS THAT THEN

HAVE TO GO BACK AND TRIM THEIR

BUDGET, SIX, EIGHT, NINE MONTHS

INTO THE FISCAL YEAR.

YOU HAVE TO START OFF MORE FIRM.

AND MORE CONSERVATIVE ON THE

FINANCIAL STUFF.

AND THEN IF THE REVENUE COMES

IN, YOU GIVE IT BACK TO THE

PEOPLE OR ALLOW THE GOVERNMENT

TO USE IT IN THE BEST WAY

POSSIBLE.

>> Emily: YOU SAID YOU'RE A

SUPPORTER OF SOME FORM OF

GAMBLING, BUT WHAT ABOUT THE

MOVE TO MAKE AN EXCEPTION ON THE

NO SMOKING RULE FOR CASINOS THAT

WOULD ALLOW SMOKING IN CASINOS?

>> WELL, YOU KNOW WHAT, THERE'S

A LOT OF POLITICAL BACK AND

FORTH AND ESPECIALLY IF THERE'S

NO LEADERSHIP FROM THE EXECUTIVE

OFFICE AND I FEEL LIKE THERE'S

NO LEADERSHIP.

YOU HAVE BOTH BRANCHES, ALL 2

WHAT00 MEMBERS PUTTING -- 200

MEMBERS PUTTING IN THEIR

FEELERS.

I THINK IT'S A WAY TO SABOTAGE

CASINO GAMBLING FOR THOSE WHO

DON'T WHAT WANT IT.

SMOKING OR NONSMOKING, IT'S --

IT DEVALUES --

>> Emily: SHOULD SMOKING BE

ALLOWED?

>> I DON'T THINK THEY SHOULD

MAKE THE DECISION RIGHT NOW.

>> Emily: PROMOTE ONE VICE

WITHOUT THE OTHER?

SMOKING, DRINKING, GAMBLING?

>> IT'S CRAZY.

YOU WANT TO COMPETE WITH THE

CASINOS THAT PEOPLE ARE GOING TO

NOW.

TO DO THAT AT THIS POINT IN THE

GAME JUST IT MAKES IT A MOCKERY.

I THINK THAT'S WHY THERE'S NO

LEADERSHIP RIGHT NOW ON BEACON

HILL.

YOU NEED TO PROVIDE THAT AND BE

STRONG.

IF WE'LL DO IT, WE NEED TO DO IT

RIGHT AND DO IT TO COMPETE WITH

THE NEIGHBORS ON THE SOUTH.

>> Emily: ALL RIGHT, TIM CAHILL,

ALWAYS A PLEASURE HAVING YOU

HERE.

WHEN WE CONTINUE, THE WORLD CUP

AND WHY IT'S SUCH A BIG DEAL FOR

SO MUCH OF THE GLOBE.