Romney's engaged despite ambitions
ALTHOUGH THE local political focus is on Mitt Romney's apparent plans to run away and join the circus, after a stumble-filled spring the governor deserves credit for stepping up his performance here at home.
With his prospective presidential candidacy much on the public mind, it's easy for critics to dismiss Romney as having lost interest in his day job. Easy but unfair, for even as he's tested the national waters, the governor has demonstrated he's paying close attention to Massachusetts matters.
Take last week, for example. At 6:15 a.m. on Thursday, the day of the London subway and bus bombings -- more than five hours before the federal government upped the security level to Code Orange for mass transit systems -- Romney ordered the MBTA's general manager, Dan Grabauskas, to adopt that level of security precautions on the T and commuter rail system. Shortly after 7, Romney was on WBZ radio, notifying the public of that action. It was a crisp, confidence-inspiring performance by the man who ran the first Olympic Games of the terrorist era.
One day earlier, Romney struck the right tone in polite but pointed testimony before the Base Closure and Realignment Commission as part of the bipartisan effort to save Otis Air Force Base. That appearance was a continuation of the largely successful effort he and Senator Ted Kennedy have led to protect -- and, in the case of Hanscom Air Force Base, expand -- the state's military facilities. Massachusetts hasn't emerged unscathed from the base-closing process, but with a net gain of some 500 jobs, we have fared far better than neighbors like Maine, New Hampshire, or Connecticut. And for that, Romney and Kennedy deserve particular kudos.
Last week, the governor also refreshed his administration's top ranks, naming replacements for three departing Cabinet officials. It's always hard to recruit big-name talent for what looks like a short run. Still, he did pretty well. Tim Murphy, the former senior policy adviser Romney chose as secretary of health and human services, is a talented policy formulator and problem solver. He replaces Ron Preston, an affable but unfocused administrator whose loquacious style had long frustrated healthcare officials -- and whom Romney is said to have nudged toward the door. Similarly, in tapping Tom Trimarco as secretary of administration and finance, Romney picked a conscientious, capable, well-respected administrator who knows his way around state government.
After several years of oil-and-water immiscibility in his legislative relations, Romney is also showing a more collegial side. When former House speaker Thomas Finneran was indicted for perjury by a Republican US attorney, the governor might have declined comment. Instead he offered gracious words about Finneran.
Meanwhile, lawmakers who have groused that Romney is a CEO who won't share credit should be pleased to see that the glossy ''progress report" he recently released features both Senate President Robert Travaglini and House Speaker Sal DiMasi on the cover -- and repeatedly credits legislative cooperation in its pages.
Although it is stances struck with an obvious eye to national politics that have grabbed public attention, Romney is also pushing thoughtful plans on a number of important state issues.
One is his proposal to expand healthcare by facilitating more affordable basic health insurance and then require individuals to buy coverage, with generous subsidies for those of modest means. Considerable skepticism remains about whether Romney can accomplish that with existing healthcare dollars, as he hopes. Still, healthcare experts credit him with crafting a creative and intriguing proposal, one that could be the basis of legislation.
In mid-June, Romney filed legislation to reduce the time it takes to commence development projects by offering incentives for communities that come up with sites that can be OK'd within 180 days. That's hardly sexy, but it is important.
''The lengthy delays in permitting are really the bete noire for economic development," notes Michael Widmer, president of the Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation.
As a competitiveness matter, Romney is also right in his push to trim the state's unemployment benefits so they are closer to the regional average, though such a proposal will probably face tough going in the Legislature.
Coming later, so as not to swamp lawmakers already grappling with several big issues: proposals to improve math and science education and turn around failing schools.
In short, though some may consider the governor a lame duck, he isn't acting like one. Despite Romney's obvious national interests, this is hardly an administration running on intellectual empty.
Scot Lehigh's e-mail address is lehigh@globe.com.
