Avi and Charlie Baker

What from the -- Nelson in for Howie Carr can now has published on the line with these Charlie Baker Republican candidate for governor. Charlie good evening to you and thanks you're joining the program. Where I thank you -- journey -- since not everybody knows who you are just yet. The All-Star and move a little bit of your background how would you introduce yourself to voters.

Massachusetts can I grew up in Needham lived there. Let the schools where my parents there I had a mixed marriage will amount to Democrat might go Republican. At a -- scored to appreciate the value of checks from vowed to -- the -- to a Democrat the kitchen table. My family. Everybody -- enough that you should both my Brothers in my in my -- student. But life but I haven't watched go we have street kid. And I spent eight years working in the -- food administrations for your health and human services control -- administration and finance analyst at the last ten years before I got into this straight. -- the field -- program which we mostly turned from pretty much broke into. Blood -- health plans I get into the race -- this past summer because. I was really worried about the direction they were cutting the number especially worried about. The budget I'm especially worried about job. Especially worried about. Well I doubt they're going to be economic opportunities here for the next generation of their care act together he can -- and straighten up.

Well let's start there then no there -- a number of issues of course that is governor it's important to know where you stand but don't let's start with the budget. There's been criticism of the way Patrick has been handling things will surely have economic problems in Massachusetts. What would you do.

Well I think it's -- little to do is is simple -- restructure. If this government the same way. You know -- little plus it is so we'll have a look like. They didn't count deliver looked like. Well feed the state planned by the same rules as everybody else so. I've got prolonged I don't know that I think we need to make big government a lot simpler they all know a lot smaller and that probably means a pretty big reduction in in the number people who work restrict government's.

UC Berkeley Boston Globe courted Jewish saying that you would lay off 5000 state workers.

The I think that's but I -- be further restructuring have.

Thank you also reduce the number of health and human services agencies. And Walsh changed like CBS Wal-Mart and Walgreens to take over some of the transactions. Handled by the registry of motor vehicles how does that work when the pharmacies are taking over what the what the registry is doing.

Well I am thinking about this one -- view that you could there are a lot of other states by the way to use. Those kinds of organizations Wal-Mart actually have a big footprint for a lot of these simple transaction the number of states but. It's a technology based system is digital it's secure. I would like you to do everything and registry but I just think their number of those. Small simple transaction that we should be able to do there's more than just the fourteen or fifteen registry office is we have around the state and I think you know people late ninety minutes to hours to -- half -- He would follow through this tiny little opening that we have electric a lot of those other entities would appreciate the foot traffic might even pay for the equipment might even pay. To have the opportunity to make that -- available in vitro molecular stubborn child now you have a banking. Module available many of them have. I'm other types of services available on the way I think and firmware is when you think differently about this --

Who would you would you think though it's within them apart from these savings of inconvenient truth save the state money.

Well I I can't believe you can get a lot of those folks. Who would be interested in doing was to pay for the price of setting this up by and then. And maybe even some sort of a view operator. Because they'll appreciate having -- come into their facility.

Stephen Crosby was the budget chief for Jane Swift to as a Republican and you know Alicia was acting governor for awhile. Then he. He praised you for considering layoffs but he also pointed out that cutting 5000 workers and in his words is a really seriously draconian stuff. When he says it would be difficult because union rules protect the more senior employees with the highest salaries what's your response.

I think that we face enormous fiscal challenges and I think cities in terms and businesses and families face those challenges as well. And led. Businesses and families and cities and -- figure out a little live with ten or fifteen or 20% less than they used to have. We don't called it draconian we call that realistic. Every time we talk about significantly restructuring state government or reducing the size of state government somehow that's become draconian. Let -- big government -- to lead on this -- and then basically be willing to put those same rules as everybody else I don't believe I have to be draconian I think he can do this sort of way. You end up at the end with a more. Appropriately structured big government and one that I think -- probably actually worked there as well as better than the one we have now. A tremendous amount of overlap duplication and fragmentation in the correlate this state does business. Many many many agencies -- 120 album. The many cases I think we've we've never sort of looked good citizens. Do we really need all these operating a computer and if there's an edge with technology and the Internet everything else could we possibly do this what flash. I think we ought to look really hard -- that in -- and then and then and then -- aggressive about this as most other people have been.

Joe baker is on line with these Republican candidate for governor. Now one of the problems we have in the state -- with the economic side -- it is with these with pension state pensions. What do you recommend.

the currency reform plan last -- there is a major problem in this state and and the proposal we made was basically. To think about. The the country to commit to parts there's the retirees and people last ten years or more who are fact that in this system right. And then there are people -- less than ten years and when we that we thought about this TrueCrypt guys -- less than ten years. More gonna change the rules and then you can just sort of make a decision about whether that works for you or not if you decided that you can stay at those who decided that it doesn't you can always believed. The most change to obliterate your retirement -- 55 -- sixty cap. -- well you could differ pension of 90000 dollars. To eliminate a lot of jumping around from group to group because time. Currently -- if some -- actually pay out at a higher rate than others said to and to basically I'm -- your pension won't be based on your highest three years -- will be based on what you made over the course of your career adjusted for inflation podium and it will actually be consistent with what you paid yet. -- good for the folks. They have ten years the last they will basically be able to pay for themselves. If we invest intelligently going forward so we'll all be any additional liability to the taxpayers associated with back for a and then for the growth this. Got ten years or more red areas are you retired basically work -- yeah unfunded liability associated with both spoke but it doesn't get any bigger.

Move forward Charlie -- online when -- Republican candidate for younger for what you want dual call with questions 8774694322. Before we leave the economic. And questions share. Okay capping state pensions do and consolidation. We've got what something on the order -- two billion dollar budget gap to your recommendations. Cover that you close the two billion dollar gap.

Well those -- ability you have to do lots of other things still closed. But I do -- the end of the day we need to close the gap so we need to close the gap without raising taxes and where we can't keep cutting local is that just passes the problem are. They are for the city -- and frankly I think this could even have improved have been very. Very aggressive in dealing with their problem and our circumstance or more aggressive in the streets certainly.

The missions to other other issues capital punishment do you support it.

I do. I'm very limited circumstances some believe there should be applied primarily involving. Sort of first degree murder and then. And murder associated with police officers and other law enforcement official.

But you when you say you -- we should first dreamer that's of all the people who are not law enforcement officials to me is that -- Thought okay. You or are you know this she all of a major. Player in the healthcare industry Harvard program right but put.

Lucky -- the very more than my. Don't know just another guy look at version.

well you're spraying should -- and a good position to comment on one of the most important issues that are facing us today as you know there's. Health care reform proposal at the national level. But before we get to that we have a form of universal health care. Operating in Massachusetts you've had a chance to function under how do you think it's doing and would you say it's a blueprint for the rest of the country.

I don't think anything that blueprint for the rest of the country because -- think the states are different I think the notion you can take what you do in Massachusetts and apply it in Texas they're. Virginia or Georgia or Florida. Did -- the fact that you know. United States is fifty different states and there are really different so I always thought the beginning that. Presuming you could blueprint will want to say -- the whole country was probably a bit -- And as far as -- concern -- you know. I think -- like a bird dog tried but I think the biggest problem we -- health scares there's no public visibility. Around pricing and and performance you know there's no it is every other industry you can you can access information about how much stuff cost and how people perform. Except out there I think. The first thing we have to do what we're really going to be curious about costs going forward as we have to start publishing and picking publicly available what people centric services. And how they perform club that's going to be -- world number one.

Let me go to lunch now body -- a question for Charlie Baker.

Yes I do them. Ever I guess so autorad show -- we could cure dared. How we do this statistic about. I want anyone of those areas were restoring loose so many people didn't have to go to work because they were not. And that's they're not a commercial stare right nonessential. And he quoted a statistic I think it was about the MBTA I'm not sure. That there were like 200 -- over 200 individuals they're making more than a 170000. Dollars a year. And no wonder that when Larry read that correctly you're not obviously be MBTA and other agencies are loaded. With the win. Management people that are would be absolutely unnecessary in the private sector to run that kind of operation. Usually your -- Legislature.

Okay well OK good thanks congressman Charlie what done you know just deal with the issue of the and these are non essentials.

I thought yeah I think I think we should. This part of the reason why I think we need to take a good hard look at personnel. You know whether it's the MBTA tour or any other part of state government I mean. This shouldn't sort of staying I mean there's. Everybody else have to do when times get difficult and everybody else is doing it I think it's critical state government -- here and take a critical part look. At its personnel top to bottom all the way across.

Okay who is time for one more are no we do okay. Next is Paul good afternoon Paul. -- question.

Our club western I think I harmful western Massachusetts. Purchase and -- are being -- out here. What my friend does work for the speak at all there's a prevailing wage and he actually forming being overpaid -- it was adorable but like forty dollars an hour. Do you think anatomy. Is specious and considerably in the they've interpreted as a world in -- the ball to.

I think Gelman the hard part of -- wage fraud and purposes it is not one of those things can change administratively. An and I think that the bigger in some respects I think prevailing wages. This sort of a standard. Way to build business particularly in the construction and transportation trades in Massachusetts I'd rather focus Marat. The nature of how we do work rather than how much what -- a prevailing wage to I think there are a lot of things we can do to. To streamline construction process did that type -- thing that -- to take that a sure and still save money.

John Iowa there we're up against a break and -- will not be the last time we have a chance to converse about the gubernatorial race good luck to you thanks for joining us this afternoon. --

Nelson this is AM six UA WRKO and how we car program.