Patrick seeks federal aid for state
Has $3.4b list of projects for Obama economic team
The financial industry got its federal bailout. Car manufacturers are close to securing theirs. Now Governor Deval Patrick is emerging as a key player as states scramble to win a burst of federal aid that could boost local government spending during the economic downturn.
Patrick and Governor Jim Doyle of Wisconsin are expected to meet today in Washington with members of president-elect Barack Obama's team in their lobbying effort, which kicked off last week at a meeting between Obama and members of the National Governors Association.
Their mission: find ways to help states avoid massive budget cuts and keep money flowing for public works projects that could provide jobs and stimulate local economies.
While it is still unclear how much Massachusetts could receive in any bailout, state officials have already compiled a list that contains $3.4 billion in spending on everything from a new science building at Framingham State College to improvements to the Nantasket Beach seawall. Among the big-ticket items on the governor's list is a proposal, potentially costing hundreds of millions of dollars, to make state and municipal buildings across Massachusetts more energy efficient.
"A crisis is a terrible thing to waste," Patrick said in a phone interview yesterday, echoing a catchphrase that is getting widespread use among Obama officials and governors during the transition.
"We've got a great opportunity here with an administration that is actually interested in domestic policy and investing in people, and in our infrastructure."
Patrick planned to meet today with Rahm Emanuel, Obama's chief of staff, and several of the president-elect's economic advisors. He also is planning to meet with US Representative David R. Obey, a Wisconsin Democrat and chairman of the House Appropriations Committee.
In a meeting with governors last week in Philadelphia, Obama committed to helping state governments as part of a federal stimulus he wants to sign shortly after taking office Jan. 20. The overall stimulus bill could exceed $500 billion, though it is still unclear what portion states would get and how federal officials would decide to dole out that money. But Obama has talked of crafting a plan akin to President Roosevelt's New Deal, which put people to work through publicly financed projects.
Patrick said he and other governors have been urging the Obama administration to make the investments quickly, to help create jobs and alleviate the pain created from state budget cuts.
"The investment in infrastructure should be bold and broad," Patrick said. "There should be projects ready to go."
When asked if he was concerned whether the Big Dig, lampooned for being long delayed and over-budget, would hurt the state's chances of getting federal money for public works projects, Patrick said, "No, I'm not worried."
"I have my Massachusetts-specific asks, you can be sure of that," Patrick said when asked what he'll bring up today with Emanuel. "But I'm not getting into what those are."
The state has a list of dozens of projects that could begin within six months after federal money is appropriated, according to a source briefed on the document. There is another list of projects that could begin within two years.
The list of short-term projects includes construction at universities - such as a power plant roof at the Boston campus of the University of Massachusetts and repairs to the HVAC system at Bristol Community College - as well as a parking garage facility in North Leominster, improvements to the Connecticut River freight line, and repairs to the Charles River Dam in Boston.
One of the more ambitious plans, which the governor wanted to mention today in his meetings with federal officials, would be to allow states to spend federal dollars to make public buildings more energy efficient.
Ian Bowles, the secretary of energy and environmental affairs, said the state annually spends about $250 million on energy costs for its buildings, while municipalities spend about $500 million. Bowles said the plan, which would also include installing solar panels on more public buildings, would cut annual energy costs by 20 to 30 percent and would generate about 10,000 jobs.
"If you had a large federal investment, you could see something on that scale," Bowles said.
Matt Viser can be reached at maviser@globe.com. 