WRKO Gubernatorial Debate - Part 3

Listen WRKO worry talking to the candidates for governor. And lead so start we Tim Cahill is used to leave soon tuned to make another appointment. The the federal government is trying to kidnap the ability of states to control education by shifting to a national standards model. Now this is particularly unfortunate for us in Massachusetts which has amongst the highest standards in the country. How do you feel about weakening -- how do you feel about losing local control would you support what. -- Barack Obama's pushing.

I would not I think we have the best system and the governor do -- a deserves a lot of credit for this we have the best system public education system statewide I think in the nation we've got the high standards. And I think what we've proved and under Tom -- RN in the legislature back in the ninety's when Charlie -- sort of go well if you set heist in -- the students in the teachers and administrators were right C occasion. I'm not in favor of weakening MCAS I think we should strengthen it I mean we should at a US history portion to MCAS I think our students should know history here in Massachusetts in the country. Because if you don't know what I I I would be their I would do nothing about what the president is trying to get us to do I don't think the national like health -- I don't think one size -- saw. We're leader here in Massachusetts and education both public and private education higher in -- twelfth and I think we worked hard we spent a lot of money. Foreign teachers are an education north certification and all those kind of things. And take a step backwards to go to some national model that may work in Illinois it may work in in Washington DC. But it's not gonna keep us in the front we lose our advantage because education is one of our competitive advantages we have here mistake we lose it if we water -- so I'm not in favor. The national model. Whether the teachers' unions -- and -- whether teachers want that I think that we have to keep pushing our students they rise syndication.

Charlie you and take a swing at that night. Completely agree with -- the with Tim and I want I was on the board of education when we put those standards in place and we created the frameworks and there's tremendous amount of pushing and shoving in response to that and I still believe it was the right thing to do. And I'm scared to death frankly for the kids in Massachusetts ruling here chatter and talk coming out of a board of education in the secretary of education in the governor's office. That we may change the way we do this and stop being the national leader look we are. We finish in the lowest ten across almost every single category you can think of in terms of the cost of everything in Massachusetts. From a competitive point of view the one place we -- There's an education and we should maintain we should do everything our power to maintain our position with regard to that because it's fundamental to our success is a state. I was brought to high school a couple of weeks ago. Then Brockton high school has some of the best. MCAS scores in the state it's an urban school system. They graduated about 90% of the kids who start ninth grade their 98% of the kids who graduate going to higher education. And they basically said point blank to me that MCAS and their performance and -- ten years ago which was awful. Was a warning bell for them the alarm bell sounded and they worked over the court teachers administrators everybody over the course of the next decade. To dramatically improve what they expected from their kids and and and they got the performance they were seeking -- I think the last thing we should do is walk away from that -- and I also think frankly that. We are falling behind the number of other states and number other categories as well in terms of holding. They're using teacher evaluations and tying those -- to student performance and creating a better link between student performance in teacher valuations. But I think there -- a lot of things. We should be doing to continue to drive this issue as hard as we possibly can because. Because it is in many respects. The great opportunity to giving disadvantaged did an opportunity for the future if you do good job of giving him a good that you Hemmer good education and it is in many ways one of our great. Sort of competitive advantages is the state. Governor.

First -- I think this may be one area where we agree and I -- of them the curiously. Clear up. Charlie's. Assertion that there's chatter coming out of he had governor's office that we walk away from and cancer or high standards and very. Proud of our standards I'm proud of our leadership nationally so you're gonna resist the national standards and then not be on board now I would have cinema city what I said the secretary of education as the national standards are at least. As. Ambitious is hours than we would support them. If they are not we won't for what that's where they -- and by the way will and by the way -- pull out it's the -- that complicated now and that's why why we're about the sovereignty over that's that's why we love because the whole nation needs to raise it's standards we are not a sovereign nation. We are part of a national community. And it's just as education is our calling card. To the whole world here in the in the commonwealth the nation needs to raise its it's standards so. What I said to the to the secretary and to the president when asked about it is that we as the standard leader. Would support national standards provided they are gonna know -- tie this up.

And political dynamics in just 49 others amazed me just finish one Alina well I think that's what I'm saying we're the we're the -- so we don't have do well we certainly not gonna step back. And and it's the reason by the way why we didn't win race for the task I disagree that we have we -- races -- my resume as early as I can finish Charlie. The reason we get we union. Raced to the top and the reason we were marked down amazed because we were asked to as of as a condition.

Decide on the standards no one has even seen.

And we should -- is no way we're gonna do that why in the world. Would we jeopardize one of the signature elements of this this education system we were done dot I think 1520. Points in that was the edge.

That was yeah I mean we we lost we lost a bunch of points American governor in many of them had to do things -- specific to Massachusetts beyond testing that was one of many elements and I think. We are losing -- a little bit on this stuff and is a state. We need to continue to be aggressive about pursuing reform. And pursuing. Closing the achievement gap in pursuing. Continued excellence because. There wasn't just about the testament we we miss who have what do we have we have -- 67 points overall and the test was about ten -- a whole bunch of other things whether State's first.

Well I -- I get it I gotta say you you were. -- points are great picture effects and I just I just wrong and we are. We have spent so much time and money and effort and thought. Assuring that our education system continues to move forward in the home market any organization successful organization is continuous improvement. We get the -- reform bill through the -- sweeping and -- billion in seventeen years and was all about trying to address. That achievement gap because for the seventeen years we've been on this path. Improving it the public schools and I think he -- Charlie when that went -- reform was done back in media. In the world they're using and kudos for setting us on this path. But we've also had a persistent. Achievement -- and stuck in that gap are poor children it's totally children with special needs who speak English as a second and why would we really or why did we retrieve them from history -- because you've everybody's on the pace -- a late but nobody's -- is we've -- we delayed it for cost reasons -- was a couple of million dollars wasn't now is a lot. And then a lot more than that well and that the -- just say we gotta get that Tim is right we need day in fact that it civics. As another as another element. We put says science in place that we had that we had to stand dentistry country anyway.

And one of the points and you can get -- all these points a race -- what one of the problems I have is again it goes back to my original point if if we allow the federal government. With a carrot which is hundreds of millions of dollars. To move our stick around you know to make sure that we lower standards or do something that is not in the best instructional and we lose and -- become dependent on them. When sister watching on that path. We lose and I don't think we just competing inside the states I -- competing as other countries I agree with the competing against Israel will convening in Europe we're competing SE Asia.

I finally found a -- point of agreement -- and impose another one where we had talked about doing closing statements that this is gone so well we're running out of time. And you have to go to you governor -- one of your earlier responses to question you talked about the challenges of dealing IDC truck is that you have to go thank -- five as -- thanks for joining -- Dan Patrick JR treasure Astaro is unemployment and lenders will continue with the Governor Deval Patrick thank you know Erica thanks don't -- speak for me okay. How hot hot hot hot hot I I'm not governor at some of the earlier responses given the budgetary challenges the structural deficit. He talked about having cut the the workforce in an earlier that conversation we have in my show months months ago. You acknowledge that a bad practice is paying for employees out of capital account to. I'm looking at the most recent prospectus. Two. Yes secretary of NF in the treasurer's -- people the capital well yeah I mean it it it is more than that. -- Jude of those seven new fresher as a governor about 151700. Employees on those accounts today 20009. Almost 900. The growth of 5000. Jobs of capital cost you acknowledged and in the in the early conversation a horrible fiscal practice to engage in should be cut down has not increased -- you get the numbers just released on June -- say. This is this is astounding and it's I'm just wondering if there's an explanation yeah comfort.

Well the reason we have that we have added on the capital cows is because capital program is an all time high. We have more road rail and bridge projects broadband expansion public and affordable housing. We're investing in a public college and university. I campuses we're building up this broken infrastructure which is creating jobs right now. But also economic value and quality of life out for a long long time and that's a part of our of eight. Recovery strategy we started before there was a stimulus bill and will be able to sustain. After the stimulus bill I completely agree with you that has a long term manner. Having employee and we talked about this before we did having and I employees on the capital county is not desirable. Moving those employees to the operating account. Annan is a very costly thing right now but it is something I think that we need to move to overtime.

It's Charlie -- look I'm just my view on this is pretty simple witches. -- been -- confirming a year about the fact that we have not as a state got an arms around the budget. You know turnaround start when you plan for the worst budget accordingly and get the budget finds you well that's not what's in Cleveland and he didn't I'm sorry that's just not what you do with the Big -- look. I worked I worked on the Big Dig for. What I never actually worked on the Big Dig off the Big Dig lasted 24 years. Started in the early nineteen news or I was barely got a college that I spent four years is NF secretary at a point in time when. Another big issue is what to do by a federal funding and we came up with a plan to deal with that in the plan frankly governors exactly the same plan. From a structural point of view using with the accelerated road and bridge engineers I don't think that's a bad plan to -- back to my point we have. Still a two billion dollar structural deficit we may have an 800 million dollar 700 million dollar problem in the vice.

It's it's gonna start in two weeks here in Massachusetts. And the big issue we're gonna faces a -- going forward is how are we gonna get out of this fiscal jam that we've been in now for three years and I made very clear. That I have a plan to do this and I'm gonna continue to build on that point US for a billion dollars in. And savings in cuts I've I've proposed a billion amassed her experience as a 600 million. 600 million make chump change the bottom line here is whomever the next governor is is gonna have to be serious about. Going after reforms cutting state spending and getting out of this business of just pushing the problem often of the taxpayers. And under the cities and towns which is what we've been doing for the past couple years well no they won't upset data reforming our reform success in education and if we keep doing that because you know Brockton. Great school system great high school great success is talking about -- off three or 400 teachers because. Of locally cuts and the fact that they don't have any flexibility with regard to what to do with their health insurance plans -- it was designed but I wish you would support any.

If there is fun and an immediate rollback on day one as you have proposed of the sales and -- incoming corporate tax and Broxton will be worse -- as much earlier might be let's be clear that that so so when we talk about about Stewart being state finances refer you don't have to take my word for it. Take the word of the independent rating agencies who have said we have done. A very strong -- any better job than most of the rest of the countries in the midst of the worst economy in living memory yes there are many more difficult decisions ahead. We are gonna have to think about I think fresh way something that I have wanted us to be thinking that is a body politic. For a long time which is what is it we want government to do and not do. And it knocked it. And then what does that actually costs around.

I have a slam and -- what is supposed smarter ways and and I need more will -- be amazing -- a plan and that's a jab at the Clinton actually when you the next securing -- just kick in the -- and we're still basically talking about a huge Donaldson as far into the future you know Charlie I have a lot of respect they have for you -- that the notion that you lifts with your -- fingerprints all over them being -- financing plan. We talk to me out of that same thing here is exactly the same model the year used differences we personal note Vonage added I'm talking about doing.

I really -- excuse me we've got to wrap caucus are running out it's all right some one quick question for because you've been campaigning around the -- discussing the burden of trying to get your message out with the noise that he radio creates and he I was just curious reach.

Let us all year Sosa sitting outside Canada -- got a thin so you really know me you know what do you know what's out there on this notion that. That we have to agree on everything before we can work together on anything. Is part of what is so polarizing down in Washington I think he's been creeping into our our politics and public discourse for a long time and I think we need to get past that. Because as as Charlie and to end and I have all acknowledged and your questions and gotten gotten -- we get some big issues in front of us and not off fiscal they're also values.

retirement music radio. Half past cycles like -- I you something like that you guys have been great -- Tim Cahill who hate you -- grab -- we would like to continue to do this you know we've only scratched the service and I'm not throw bouquets but -- all handled yourself well we've only begun to scratch the surface it is a two to three billion dollar structural deficit. Each of you -- some serious thing in some serious explaining to do to the rest of us. And with that there's.

its then where's the where's you where's the music and heavily allied Colombo Obama I don't next to present. We'll get in central -- and I thought about guarantee I'll -- you -- for having barely got -- thank you very much of presented hale thank you live in here.

Alright guys thanks so listeners for checking in thanks to the candidates also thanks to responses SP ally you know when it comes to life insurance to -- is always easy -- savings bank like insurance. Is the no nonsense -- insurance company and you should visit SP allied dot com today weicker realtors is also a sponsor if you need more space. At white -- they can relay call -- realtors or visit. -- dot com also brought to by the Massachusetts right to repair coalition -- York get it fixed wing you want to.