In her first State of the State address, acting Gov. Jane Swift said last night the state of the economy and the security of the Commonwealth are facing far different obstacles than they were a year ago.
“The challenges we face tonight were unimaginable a year ago. But so are the opportunities,” Swift said in her address, held in the House Chamber.
Among Swift’s main concerns was the issue of economic stability.
“While state government alone cannot solve the problems of recession, we can lead the way to recovery,” she said.
Swift aggressively defended the voter-approved tax cut lowering the state income rate to five percent.
“Two years ago, the people’s tax cut was a matter of fairness and sound fiscal policy,” Swift said. “Now is not the time for government to take more money out of family budgets and small business balance sheets.”
Swift emphasized the importance of tax cuts and tax break incentives in creating more jobs. She announced that she would file legislation to triple tax breaks for businesses that expand into lower income and high unemployment areas, which would cost the state an additional $10 million.
“While the tax policy can help save jobs, it can also help create them,” Swift said.
In addition to using tax breaks in creating jobs, Swift pushed to continue programs designed to provide extra academic help to students struggling to pass the MCAS test and proposed increased spending on adult education programs and education funding.
Swift’s educational efforts also include filing legislation to overhaul the state’s current bilingual education system. The new legislation would give cities and towns more flexibility to determine their own bilingual requirements.
“My plan doesn’t eliminate the current approach. It allows educators a wider range of choices,” Swift said.
One of Swift’s main themes focused on the character and strength of Massachusetts residents. The events of Sept.11 played an important part in increasing national and state solidarity and security, Swift said.
“As a nation and as a Commonwealth, we have endured heartbreaking tragedy, but we have done so with a spirit and generosity unique to the American people,” Swift said. “Perhaps no part of our lives was changed more by the tragedy on Sept. 11 than the sense of our own safety and that of our children.”
Among the issues highlighted by Swift was the formation of a new bioterrorism council made up of public health officials, scientists and academics. The council will work to prepare Massachusetts and the New England area for potential attacks.
Despite early approval from the GOP, Boston University College of Communication professor Tobe Berkovitz said the acting governor’s speech merely met expectations.
“The expectations were low after that truly pathetic speech given in response to the Attack on America,” Berkovitz said. “An average speech would have been a triumph.”
Swift’s strongest political stance appeared to be on tax cuts, Berkovitz said.
“The rest was a political laundry list,” Berkovitz said. “It was a typical political litany.”
Berkovitz said Swift didn’t attack any real issues. He said Swift had wanted to position herself as a leader in the Commonwealth with political and social values that she wanted to communicate to voters; however, she failed to accomplish this, he said.
“She came across as an average politician,” Berkovitz said.
Berkovitz said Swift’s main problem was her oratorical style.
“She doesn’t know how to move from a stylistic conversational style to an emphatic style. When she tried to be emphatic, she was yelling and raising her tone,” Berkovitz said. “She harmed her message by overdoing it.”
“She is worse than most oral presentation students at COM,” said Berkovitz. “Many of the students are much better at it.”
Supporters of Swift say they feel she addressed important issues in her address.
David Carl, president of the Boston University College Republicans, said the College Republicans stand behind Swift 100 percent in her positions and her upcoming campaign for reelection.
Carl said college students can greatly benefit from Swift’s proposed taxation policies as well as her defense of the voter-approved tax rollback.
“As college students entering the job market, we will have to pay back bills and loans, and we will need every penny that we spend our hours working for,” Carl said. “Tax breaks create more jobs, which is definitely of interest to students going into the job market.”
The College Republicans also applaud Swift’s decision to overhaul the state bilingual system, Carl said.
“We believe Gov. Swift realizes the necessity to push minority students to learn and to help them speak English,” Carl said. “Those who don’t are ill-equipped to succeed in the outside world and have an inability to communicate with those around them.”
Carl said members of the BUCR have already helped out with Swift’s campaign by volunteering and helping to raise funds and will continue to support Swift in her campaign.
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