Patrick promises "one-stop shopping"
Gov. Deval Patrick this morning said he was creating the state's first approval officer to enable "one-stop shopping" for permits and regulatory approvals.
The governor also said he would begin weekly podcasts on his website to address issues of the week and plans to set up a weblog enabling state residents to weigh in on government policies.
"Massachusetts wants you," Patrick told about 400 people at the annual meeting of the Massachusetts Technology Leadership Council in Boston's Copley Marriott Hotel. "We want your companies, we want your expansion, we want your jobs, we want your growth... We have everything you need to spark that new growth."
Patrick said he recognized that technology executives are fielding calls from economic development officials in other states encouraging Massachusetts companies to set up shop there. To counter these overtures, "we will move the permitting and regulatory process at the speed of business," he promised.
Greg Bialecki, working out of the state office of housing and economic development, has been named approval officer -- the first such dedicated job in Massachusetts history -- to help smooth the process of expansion within the state, Patrick said. He said state officials will try to address everything from fixing roads to ensuring cellphone and wireless Internet service to boost businesses.
Meeting with reporters after his keynote address to the council, Patrick said he would also seek to attract companies from out of state. But he added, "My first priority is to make sure we don't lose what we have.
"One thing I learned in the course of the campaign is there's too little love people in companies here feel from the government," Patrick said.
(By Robert Weisman, Globe staff)
