Gov. Baker deserves second term
Gov. Charlie Baker quips that sometimes he feels more like a mayor than a governor. It is understandable, as he’s been a persistent presence in the many municipalities of the commonwealth, tackling the kitchen table issues of housing, education funding, crime, opioids, fishing, business development and so on.
Every single city and town in Massachusetts has partnered with the administration in the Community Compact program, designed to make local and state government more streamlined and effective. Local aid to cities and towns has increased every year under Baker.
He’s been seemingly encamped in the Merrimack Valley since the gas explosions rocked the area in September, shoring up small business, declaring a state of emergency and vowing to keep Columbia Gas on the hook for the losses. His natural acumen as a project manager has yielded results on the issues that matter to people.
His laser focus on the practical, prosaic concerns of his constituents makes him a welcome anomaly in today’s sensational political climate. In an era of unprecedented partisan bickering and record-low faith in government, Gov. Baker has performed the unenviable task of quietly working with supermajorities of the opposing party in both the Massachusetts House and Senate for the benefit of the hard-working residents of the Bay State.
His agenda has been exclusively sensible and constructive.
He has shown dedication to resolving the ongoing opioid epidemic in the state. His heavy investment in education, prevention and recovery has resulted in a decline in opioid-related deaths. Some of what the Baker administration has done locally has been adopted in other states.
The Massachusetts unemployment rate is far below the national average and stands at 3.5 percent.
Public school funding has increased and the Commonwealth Commitment Program offers students an affordable path to a college degree.
In 2015, Baker signed a 50 percent increase in the earned income tax credit that benefited an estimated 400,000 people. This year, he locked the annual sales tax holiday into law as a part of a “grand bargain” with Democratic lawmakers.
Baker is investing in the MBTA, and his administration already has increased spending on the T, earmarking $8 billion for the system over the next five years.
The governor is a loyal supporter of law enforcement and has called for the death penalty for cop killers.
When it comes to health care, he signed into law the PATCH Act, to improve patient privacy.
Gov. Baker represents the quintessential Massachusetts Republican: solutions-oriented, unassuming and pragmatic. He is the reason why the deep blue commonwealth puts its faith in a Republican to run the executive branch.
Charlie Baker has proven that he has the leadership qualities, accomplishments and vision to remain the governor of Massachusetts. The Boston Herald endorses Charlie Baker for governor. We look forward to seeing what he accomplishes over the next four years.