Yesterday, the Rappaport Institute at the Kennedy School released a set of policy briefs titled Hard Choices for the Next Governor.
It provides specific thoughts and recommendations on ten key issues any new governor will have to contend with:
Each essay is accessibly written by an expert in the field with on-the-ground knowledge of the issues here in Massachusetts. A quick and worthwhile read.
Please share widely!
Federal transportation officials have tried to get Massachusetts to truly reform its transportation decision-making structures for many years. Every other state has more progressive methods for prioritizing projects, but the old boy network doesn’t want to surrender any power to regional decision-makers. Perhaps this is an area for the new Governor (Deval!) to make some changes.
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Housing policy and funding will be an interesting area for experimentation. The string of Republican Governors have done so little to promote housing that we now find ourselves as the only state losing population. The housing boom promoted by the Dukakis administration probably holds lessons on what to do, as well as what to avoid, in housing policy.
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I like the report’s approach to government efficiency, too. It costs nothing to listen to employees. Most of them want to do a good job, and they have ideas they can’t implement because of some rule or some chain-of-command obstruction. Improving employee morale is good for business (even if – or perhaps, especially if – your business is governing.)
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The federal context is beyond the scope of the recommendations, but that should be considered in helping the new Governor to implement solutions. A lot of the rules and funds and policy solutions depend on Washington, D.C.
Despite a (very grudging) nod to energy efficiency, the actual policy proposals cited are all about the supply side. That is just wrong.
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Granted, it is also the conventional wisdom. But it is not what we need.
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Makes me wonder if the other stuff is of the same caliber.