The Platform of the Massachusetts Democratic Party
PART IV: ECONOMIC GROWTH, JOBS & SECURITY

Expanding Opportunity.

We support initiatives that promote healthy growth, stimulate opportunity, heighten our competitiveness in the global marketplace, and aid in the continuing transition to a knowledge-based economy. We know that our Commonwealth depends on the energy and skill of our private sector to create jobs and prosperity, and that government has an important role in expanding opportunity, assuring necessary infrastructure, and helping dislocated workers manage through transition. We advocate vigorous efforts, including through establishment of a Jobs Creation Commission, to promote increased employment at high wages and with good benefits.

Workforce Training.

We support initiatives that invest in the skills of the working men and women of the Commonwealth. We are aware that one out of three workers in this state need additional skills to maintain their employment in today’s changing economy. We recognize the challenges faced by employers trying to recruit a skilled workforce; and faced by workers applying for living wage jobs who lack requisite skills. In the face of a global economy and advanced technology, workers need ongoing skill development and job training.

We support increased public and private funding for business and labor to address the Massachusetts skills gap.

A Healthy Business Environment.

We support monitoring the costs of doing business in the Commonwealth, so that companies can grow and compete while still meeting their obligations to workers and the community. We endorse reasonable, flexible, user-friendly regulations and recognize the role incentives play in creating, attracting, and keeping jobs. To remain competitive and help in areas of high unemployment, the state must be prepared to offer incentives for companies to retain and add good paying jobs. We support tax incentives for business when accompanied by commitments to good corporate citizenship and enforceable terms assuring continued investment in Massachusetts.

Supporting Small Businesses.

We recognize small businesses as vital to economic growth and prosperity in the Commonwealth, both through job creation and the opportunities of ownership. We favor policies that support the growth and health of small businesses, and which are responsive to their unique needs and concerns. We recognize that regulations and other important elements of public policy must be sensitive to the differences between large and small companies. We recognize the importance of continued strong federal funding for the U.S. Small Business Administration. We support public efforts to ensure full and fair participation by women and people of color in the workforce and in business ownership.

Competitive Advantage and a Global Economy.

We believe the extraordinary depth and breadth of the knowledge-based sector of the Massachusetts economy is a key competitive edge in the global market. We champion strong federal research & development funding programs, and assistance to smaller companies and startups seeking to commercialize promising technology. We encourage open global trade that promotes fair employment and sound environmental standards by our trading partners. We support state and federal efforts to promote Massachusetts exports.

Growing Tourism.

We recognize that tourism is among our largest exports and we acknowledge the vital importance of tourism and business convention travel to communities and regions across the Commonwealth. Cognizant of the stiff competition we face from other states and countries, we advocate more aggressive efforts to promote the Commonwealth as a tourism destination to both domestic and international visitors. We support construction of a world-class convention center that will accommodate the lucrative and important larger meetings which now bypass Boston because of our inability to meet their needs. We must also safeguard the rich and diverse physical and cultural heritage of the Commonwealth, which enhances our state’s ability to attract tourism.

Transportation.

We support a well-planned commitment of state resources to ensure that our transportation infrastructure remains accessible, affordable, safe and reliable for all residents, whether living and working in urban, suburban or rural regions. We restate our pledge to keep public transportation public. We call for state and federal funding and transportation management policies that ensure full and timely completion of the Central Artery project, while allowing for needed repairs, reconstruction and maintenance of roads, bridges, and other public works elsewhere in the Commonwealth. We promote the development and use of public transportation and commuter and intercity rail systems as a convenient, efficient, and environmentally sound means of moving people and cargo. We oppose the Cellucci/Swift Logan Runway Expansion Proposal. We support creative and courageous leadership that understands the importance of alternatives such as the expanded use of regional airports, demand and gate management techniques to reduce over scheduling, and the development of a community-oriented multi-model transportation network.

Farming, Fishing and Aquaculture.

We recognize the importance of agriculture to our Commonwealth, as a source of top quality fresh foods for our residents, an engine of economic prosperity, and a preserver of land and open spaces. We encourage diversification, value-added processing, organic farming, and applied research partnerships among our universities, farmers, and farm businesses. We renew our pledge to fight for our fishing industry, to support its efforts to market and export valuable and alternative species, and to protect it from international overfishing. We recognize the importance of aquaculture in our Commonwealth. We call for aggressive and creative approaches to ensure maximum possible markets for the fish and farm commodities of the Commonwealth.

Supporting the Transition from Welfare to Work.

We seek to help welfare recipients successfully find and keep jobs. We advocate increased job training and educational opportunities, and we must ensure that support systems in child care, transportation, and health insurance are in place to enable people to work and to advance into more highly paid jobs. We are committed to ensuring a safety net to members of our families in times of need. We recognize that for some, that transition may take a lifetime. We support measures that reduce, not increase, the number of children living in poverty.

Privatization Accountability.

We support the modernization of public systems and recognize that the private sector can offer some solutions. We assert and recognize, however, that it is the public sector, not the private sector, which has the distinct capacity to deliver efficient, high quality services in many areas. We oppose misguided privatization schemes that place quality and continuity of service at risk and impose hidden costs in the form of reduced wages and benefits as well as an increased opportunity for corruption in the form of waste and fraud. We recognize that serving the public interest involves maximizing efficiency and productivity without sacrificing the quality of services delivered to our citizens.

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The Platform of the Massachusetts Democratic Party PART IV: ECONOMIC GROWTH, JOBS & SECURITY Expanding Opportunity. We support initiatives that promote healthy growth, stimulate opportunity, heighten our competitiveness in the global marketplace, and aid in the continuing transition to a knowledge-based economy. We know that our Commonwealth depends on the energy and skill of our private sector to create jobs and prosperity, and that government has an important role in expanding opportunity, assuring necessary infrastructure, and helping dislocated workers manage through transition. We advocate vigorous efforts, including through establishment of a Jobs Creation Commission, to promote increased employment at high wages and with good benefits. Workforce Training. We support initiatives that invest in the skills of the working men and women of the Commonwealth. We are aware that one out of three workers in this state need additional skills to maintain their employment in today’s changing economy. We recognize the challenges faced by employers trying to recruit a skilled workforce; and faced by workers applying for living wage jobs who lack requisite skills. In the face of a global economy and advanced technology, workers need ongoing skill development and job training. We support increased public and private funding for business and labor to address the Massachusetts skills gap. A Healthy Business Environment. We support monitoring the costs of doing business in the Commonwealth, so that companies can grow and compete while still meeting their obligations to workers and the community. We endorse reasonable, flexible, user-friendly regulations and recognize the role incentives play in creating, attracting, and keeping jobs. To remain competitive and help in areas of high unemployment, the state must be prepared to offer incentives for companies to retain and add good paying jobs. We support tax incentives for business when accompanied by commitments to good corporate citizenship and enforceable terms assuring continued investment in Massachusetts. Supporting Small Businesses. We recognize small businesses as vital to economic growth and prosperity in the Commonwealth, both through job creation and the opportunities of ownership. We favor policies that support the growth and health of small businesses, and which are responsive to their unique needs and concerns. We recognize that regulations and other important elements of public policy must be sensitive to the differences between large and small companies. We recognize the importance of continued strong federal funding for the U.S. Small Business Administration. We support public efforts to ensure full and fair participation by women and people of color in the workforce and in business ownership. Competitive Advantage and a Global Economy. We believe the extraordinary depth and breadth of the knowledge-based sector of the Massachusetts economy is a key competitive edge in the global market. We champion strong federal research & development funding programs, and assistance to smaller companies and startups seeking to commercialize promising technology. We encourage open global trade that promotes fair employment and sound environmental standards by our trading partners. We support state and federal efforts to promote Massachusetts exports. Growing Tourism. We recognize that tourism is among our largest exports and we acknowledge the vital importance of tourism and business convention travel to communities and regions across the Commonwealth. Cognizant of the stiff competition we face from other states and countries, we advocate more aggressive efforts to promote the Commonwealth as a tourism destination to both domestic and international visitors. We support construction of a world-class convention center that will accommodate the lucrative and important larger meetings which now bypass Boston because of our inability to meet their needs. We must also safeguard the rich and diverse physical and cultural heritage of the Commonwealth, which enhances our state’s ability to attract tourism. Transportation. We support a well-planned commitment of state resources to ensure that our transportation infrastructure remains accessible, affordable, safe and reliable for all residents, whether living and working in urban, suburban or rural regions. We restate our pledge to keep public transportation public. We call for state and federal funding and transportation management policies that ensure full and timely completion of the Central Artery project, while allowing for needed repairs, reconstruction and maintenance of roads, bridges, and other public works elsewhere in the Commonwealth. We promote the development and use of public transportation and commuter and intercity rail systems as a convenient, efficient, and environmentally sound means of moving people and cargo. We oppose the Cellucci/Swift Logan Runway Expansion Proposal. We support creative and courageous leadership that understands the importance of alternatives such as the expanded use of regional airports, demand and gate management techniques to reduce over scheduling, and the development of a community-oriented multi-model transportation network. Farming, Fishing and Aquaculture. We recognize the importance of agriculture to our Commonwealth, as a source of top quality fresh foods for our residents, an engine of economic prosperity, and a preserver of land and open spaces. We encourage diversification, value-added processing, organic farming, and applied research partnerships among our universities, farmers, and farm businesses. We renew our pledge to fight for our fishing industry, to support its efforts to market and export valuable and alternative species, and to protect it from international overfishing. We recognize the importance of aquaculture in our Commonwealth. We call for aggressive and creative approaches to ensure maximum possible markets for the fish and farm commodities of the Commonwealth. Supporting the Transition from Welfare to Work. We seek to help welfare recipients successfully find and keep jobs. We advocate increased job training and educational opportunities, and we must ensure that support systems in child care, transportation, and health insurance are in place to enable people to work and to advance into more highly paid jobs. We are committed to ensuring a safety net to members of our families in times of need. We recognize that for some, that transition may take a lifetime. We support measures that reduce, not increase, the number of children living in poverty. Privatization Accountability. We support the modernization of public systems and recognize that the private sector can offer some solutions. We assert and recognize, however, that it is the public sector, not the private sector, which has the distinct capacity to deliver efficient, high quality services in many areas. We oppose misguided privatization schemes that place quality and continuity of service at risk and impose hidden costs in the form of reduced wages and benefits as well as an increased opportunity for corruption in the form of waste and fraud. We recognize that serving the public interest involves maximizing efficiency and productivity without sacrificing the quality of services delivered to our citizens. Mass Scorecard Home Page Mass Senate Scorecard Mass House Scorecard Describe all Senate votes Describe all House votes Mass Scorecard Videos Mass Democratic Party Platforms
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The Platform of the Massachusetts Democratic Party PART IV: ECONOMIC GROWTH, JOBS & SECURITY