Tuesday, I toured Myles Standish Industrial Park in Taunton – the biggest industrial park in the state – with Mayor Tom Hoye and former Mayor Bob Nunes. Encompassing more than eight hundred acres of high-tech, manufacturing, and distribution facilities, Myles Standish Industrial Park is a shining example of development and innovation for Greater Taunton and all of Southeastern Massachusetts.

On our tour, I got the chance to witness the beginning stages of phase IV in the park’s development, which expands the park and increases its capacity to create jobs for the region. After that, Phase V involves construction of a new Life Sciences Center, which will join projects like the new bio park at UMass Dartmouth and help make the southern part of this district a leader in the innovation industries we need to power future economic growth.

Afterwards, I visited the state-of-the-art headquarters of foodservice supplier Perkins, where I spoke with company leadership about ways we can support businesses and ingenuity across the district. Perkins is a third-generation, family-run business that employs more than 600 people in the Taunton area. Its success is a true testament to the powerful combination of time-honored traditions and innovative, cutting-edge practices.

The success of Myles Standish proves that smart, creative partnerships between government, private industry, and local stakeholders can bring businesses, investments, and jobs to the region. I believe that government and businesses must work together to maximize opportunities for entrepreneurship, incentivize development, and create the sort of well-paying, middle-class jobs that will drive our future growth.

As I travel across the 4th District, the issue I hear about most is jobs. There’s no better way to find answers to our economic challenges than talking to businesses large and small that employ people in the district and drive our local economy. Notes from the 4th is where I share with you what I hear, what I learn, and what I believe government can and should be doing to help with employment growth and opportunity.

On Monday, I had the opportunity to visit the Draper Mill complex in Hopedale, a vacant historic structure in the heart of the town. I spoke with local leaders like Rep. John V. Fernandes, Judge Francis Larkin, and Barry Feingold, the president of the Milford Area Chamber of Commerce, about their town’s economic development efforts. Touring the facility, I saw firsthand the massive size of the structure – more than one million square feet – and its incredible capacity to be an engine of growth in the community.

I believe that we need creative partnerships between businesses, government, and local stakeholders to spearhead revitalization projects and create jobs for their communities. Smart, strategic investments in local resources like Draper Mill have the power to revitalize our towns and put this district back to work. Draper Mill has the potential to spur commerce and growth in Hopedale – bridging the gap between the town’s storied, industrial past and its future prosperity.

As I travel across the 4th District, the issue I hear about most is jobs. There’s no better way to find answers to our economic challenges than talking to businesses large and small that employ people in the district and drive our local economy. Notes from the 4th is where I share with you what I hear, what I learn, and what I believe government can and should be doing to help with employment growth and opportunity.

With rising gas prices continuing to hit middle-class families at the pump, energy independence has been a key focus of this campaign. That’s why I was excited to sit down last week with clean energy leaders from across the 4th District and the Commonwealth. Our roundtable discussion was co-sponsored by the New England Clean Energy Council and took place at General Compression in Newton – a nationally-recognized pioneer in green technology that has developed methods to store and transform wind energy into a consistent, cost-effective source of power.

I believe that ending our addiction to foreign oil, supporting our renewable industries, and creating clean, quality jobs at home should all be at the forefront of our economic and national security agendas. We must adopt a comprehensive national energy policy that incentivizes smart consumption habits, raises fuel efficiencies, and encourages the development of alternative sources of energy, such as wind, solar, geothermal, hydro-power, and biofuels. We also need to support efforts to maximize our domestic resources in smart, responsible ways.

Committing seriously to a clean energy future will generate the sort of high-skilled, quality jobs that fuel a 21st century economy. Last year, there was an 11% increase in clean energy jobs—there are over 70,000 people employed in green industries in Massachusetts alone. Clean jobs are the jobs of the future, and they are the jobs we need to bring to the 4th District.

I will fight tirelessly to support these job-creating green businesses. The Ryan Budget, which my opponent supports, would stifle burgeoning renewable industries by cutting funds for energy research and development.

I believe government has a role to play in ensuring our clean energy industry in Massachusetts grows and thrives. We can start by creating a predictable tax structure – by extending incentives such as the federal production tax credit. Many of the business leaders who attended the roundtable discussion said they would gladly trade the size of the subsidy for the duration of the subsidy. They stressed how important it is for prospective entrepreneurs to understand the playing field—people are wary of starting green businesses if they feel like their tax credits are going to expire as soon as they start.

Ultimately, I believe there is ample room for bipartisan efforts on the issue of clean energy. Many of this country’s renewable resources, from wind to solar, are in traditionally red states that need jobs and industry in the same way we do. If I’m lucky enough to serve in Congress, reaching across the aisle on a comprehensive energy plan will be a top priority for me.

If you want to learn more about my energy positions, please take a minute to read my full policy paper.

As I travel across the 4th District, the issue I hear about most is jobs. There’s no better way to find answers to our economic challenges than talking to businesses large and small that employ people in the district and drive our local economy. Notes from the 4th is where I share with you what I hear, what I learn, and what I believe government can and should be doing to help with employment growth and opportunity.

Last week, I stopped by the Franklin facility of Tegra Medical, a medical device manufacturer whose world-class products showcase the wealth of talent and innovation in the 4th District. I toured the factory and met with company leadership, discussing the ways we can work together to ensure that businesses like Tegra have the resources they need to thrive.

Government needs to work side by side with the private sector to unlock the ingenuity of this district and support the industries that will power our future: from advanced manufacturing to clean energy and biotechnology. I believe that means expanding research and development, investing in education and infrastructure, and doing everything we can to help innovation grow and flourish in our cities and towns.

We need to incentivize research and creativity by expanding federal funding from the National Institute of Health and National Science Foundation and increasing Small Business Innovation Research grants. We need to make permanent the R&D tax credit to spur innovation across the country. And we need to invest in a skilled and educated workforce to fill the jobs of a 21st-century economy.

A strong, smart partnership between government and businesses will unleash the talent and creativity of this region and ensure that the 4th District remains a worldwide leader in science, technology, and innovation for years to come.

As I travel across the 4th District, the issue I hear about most is jobs. There’s no better way to find answers to our economic challenges than talking to businesses large and small that employ people in the district and drive our local economy. Notes from the 4th is where I share with you what I hear, what I learn, and what I believe government can and should be doing to help with employment growth and opportunity.

Last Friday, I had the opportunity to visit MassBay Community College in Wellesley where I got the chance to speak with student leaders about the importance of education, college affordability, and job preparedness – three of my priorities in this campaign.

Afterwards, Dr. John O’Donnell, the president of MassBay, gave me a tour of the campus, which included stops at the Engineering Lab, IT Lab, and Academic Achievement Center. I got to see firsthand the high-tech and innovative ways MassBay is preparing its students for entrance into the modern workforce.

The students I met with came from a range of different backgrounds. They spoke about the unique paths that led them to MassBay and the role MassBay has played in their lives. There was Erika, a high school dropout and single mother who is shining in her work as the Student Government President and has started a textbook fund to help future students afford college; Victoria, a victim of domestic violence and a former addict who’s hoping to start a recovery house for women; and Felicia, an orientation leader who’s enrolled in a medical certificate program that will allow her to pursue a career in nursing.

Community colleges such as MassBay not only provide access to higher education for those who might not otherwise have it, but also ensure that our students are equipped with the skills they need to meet the challenges of a 21st century economy. They provide an ideal venue for the kind of specialized training a top-tier workforce requires.

They also serve as laboratories for innovative learning techniques. MassBay is working with local employers to design customized training programs and is spearheading a model for institutions across the 4th District, the Commonwealth, and the country. We need stronger efforts by the federal and state governments to incentivize these sort of creative training models and business partnerships at community colleges.

I believe higher education is a key driver of job growth and economic access. Today the unemployment rate in our country is 4.1 percent for people with four years of college, 6.6 percent for those with two years, 8.8 percent for high school graduates, and 12.0 percent for high-school dropouts.

We need to fully fund and fully value community colleges like MassBay if we want to ensure our students have access to the opportunities that will power our future.

As I travel across the 4th District, the issue I hear about most is jobs. There’s no better way to find answers to our economic challenges than talking to businesses large and small that employ people in the district and drive our local economy. Notes from the 4th is where I share with you what I hear, what I learn, and what I believe government can and should be doing to help with employment growth and opportunity.

Over the past several weeks, I’ve had the pleasure of meeting and talking to small business owners across the district. Recent stops in Taunton and Foxborough have highlighted the commitment and the ingenuity that allows these businesses to continue to drive our local economies, despite tough times.

In Taunton, several of the shop owners I met are actively involved in Taunton’s Downtown Business Improvement District (BID). Founded in 2010, the Taunton BID is comprised of over 50 local businesses that opt into membership by paying an annual fee. That money is then invested back into the neighborhood, going directly to revitalization efforts like infrastructure improvements, maintenance services, security enhancements and other measures aimed at supporting and encouraging business growth. That so many local shops have chosen to be active, invested stakeholders in their community is a testament to what is truly unique about small business: their commitment to the cities and towns that support them.

The efforts in downtown Taunton are an example of partnerships within the community supporting growth at the local level. It’s a model government could and should follow – as partners, rather than adversaries, in economic development efforts.

While organizations like the BID work to support local businesses, there is more that can be done to encourage their growth. In this economy, small businesses owners often struggle to access the capital necessary to maintain their businesses. During another small business visit in Foxborough, I met a local deli owner who put it succinctly: “I’m not trying to get rich. I’m trying to get by.” He described the boom months of summer, followed by the slower winter months and said that without access to capital, the ups and downs of his profit margin constantly threatens to take him under.

The uncertainty facing our small businesses continues to hinder recovery. In order to open access to capital, we must preserve a strong Small Business Administration, which can provide crucial grants, loans and technical assistance to our small businesses. On a macroeconomic level, the only thing that will truly clarify the markets and get businesses big and small hiring again is a comprehensive budget plan to reduce our debt and our deficit; a plan that would get banks and venture capitalists off the sidelines and investing in the industry and innovation that will drive our economic future.

At the end of the day, the role of small businesses in the cities and towns of the 4th extends beyond our economy. Whether through the services they provide or the contributions they make – these hardworking men and women strengthen and define the very fabric of our communities.

As I travel across the 4th District, the issue I hear about most is jobs. There’s no better way to find answers to our economic challenges than talking to businesses large and small that employ people in the district and drive our local economy. Notes from the 4th is where I share with you what I hear, what I learn, and what I believe government can and should be doing to help with employment growth and opportunity.

Recently, I took part in a small business roundtable discussion at Rika Denshi, an international semiconductor manufacturer whose US headquarters is located in Attleboro. The businessmen and women in attendance were a terrific cross-section of the companies that drive the 4th District’s economy. There was Nancy, currently passing her family’s jewelry store on to its seventh generation; David, a dairy owner whose family-owned shop manufactures ice cream for major distributors across New England; and Tim, the head of an emergency-vehicle manufacturer whose company has custom designed life-saving equipment in North Attleboro for more than 30 years.

Small businesses are the heart of our local economies, and I believe that supporting them is a crucial part of our efforts to rebuild this country and put our men and women back to work. At the roundtable we discussed issues ranging from education and healthcare to the tax code and macroeconomic growth. It was a great opportunity to hear directly from them about how government and business can work in partnership towards economic recovery.

Creative leadership has helped these companies survive tough economic times. For example, faced with rising health care costs, David’s dairy initiated a job-swapping arrangement with a local oil company. He employs several drivers during the summer, when his business is busiest, and the oil company employs them in the winter, when they need them most. Together these two companies share their employees’ health care costs and keep them fully employed.

We also discussed the changing nature of jobs in this country and what that means for future generations. Chuck, who owns a metalworking manufacturing shop, stressed that manufacturing is no longer “pressing a button,” but requires highly-skilled technical training. Investing in our education system and promoting the STEM disciplines of science, technology, engineering and math from an early age is crucial to ensuring we have the workforce to compete in the 21st-century. High-skilled manufacturing is an essential part of the innovation that will drive our district’s future. We need to align the needs of local businesses with vocational training programs at our public schools, community colleges, and universities.

Many of the people around the table were concerned about the burden of rising health care costs, and their direct impact on the ability of businesses to hire. I fully support the path set forth by the Affordable Care Act, partly because it contains several important cost-containment measures, but I know there’s still work to be done. There are some immediate things we can do, like transitioning to electronic records and realizing savings through bulk purchasing of prescriptions. But we also need to change the incentive structure in our system to focus on the quality of care delivered, rather than the number of procedures prescribed. That means focusing on wellness and preventative medicine rather than care for chronic, preventable conditions which are draining our system.

Additionally, several of the attendees pointed to uncertainty in the broader market as one of their greatest barriers to hiring. Small business owners put everything they have into their companies and bear the entirety of the risk associated with their investment. We need to ensure greater certainty around both our tax code and our entire economic future if we want them to feel like they can start hiring and growing again. That means a simpler, fairer tax code that takes into account what each of us can actually afford – through measures like the Buffet Rule and a real, bipartisan budget plan to get our debt and deficit under control. Such a plan would help entice venture capitalists and other investors to stop sitting on the sidelines and start investing in the economy once again.

We should also ensure the continuation of an active Small Business Administration to help companies with financing and technical assistance, and, on the tax side, allow businesses 100% expensing on their investments in new equipment to spur growth.

Throughout the district, small businesses have also expressed concern about the burden of regulations and examples of regulatory agencies seemingly more interested in playing “gotcha” to find problems rather than work together to reach solutions. We need to simplify and clarify regulations that are necessary and eliminate those that aren’t.

What struck me most at the end of the day was the unique commitment of these small businesses to their communities. They don’t just create jobs and stir the local economy — they are a part of the everyday fabric of our cities and towns, which is something few big corporations can claim. Tim, the emergency vehicle manufacturer told me: “We’re not necessarily dealing with big executives. We’re dealing with this local guy, where all he’s ever wanted is to be a fireman. And now he’s the fire chief. And he’s just the guy next door. It’s a great part of what we do.”

These are the kind of businesses our system needs to reward. Their growth and success is a top priority for me.

As I travel across the 4th District, the issue I hear about most is jobs. There’s no better way to find answers to our economic challenges than talking to businesses large and small that employ people in the district and drive our local economy. Notes from the 4th is where I share with you what I hear, what I learn, and what I believe government can and should be doing to help with employment growth and opportunity.

As I travel across the 4th District, the issue I hear about most is jobs. From Newton to Fall River, from Taunton to Attleboro, people want to know how to restart the economy and put people back to work. There’s no better way to find answers to our economic challenges than talking to businesses large and small that employ people in the district and drive our local economy. We’ll be spending a lot of time in the coming weeks talking with business owners, managers and employees about the barriers they face, the priorities they see, and the policies they think could be helpful in getting our district, our state and our country back on track. I look forward to sharing with you what I hear, what I learn, and what I believe government can and should be doing to help.

 
Last week I stopped by Parametric Technology Corporation (PTC) in Needham to talk to their leadership about business development and job creation in the 4th District. PTC is a shining example of the kind of innovation and industry that makes Massachusetts world-renowned. Their pioneering Product Lifecycle Management software has transformed the way we manufacture goods from cars, to computers and everything in between. The software helps companies track and manage the entire manufacturing process – from conception to design to sourcing. In their Needham headquarters, they employ over 1000 people, making them one of the largest employers in the 4th District.

While I was there, we discussed this country’s economic recovery efforts and what government can be doing to help – not hinder – the future growth of businesses big and small across the district.

We should be doing everything we can for companies that are not only paving the way for innovation, but are invested in the community and the Commonwealth.

We discussed a range of priorities at PTC including: finding the balance between responsible regulations and allowing our businesses the freedom they need to grow and thrive; tackling the sky-rocketing cost of health care that too many businesses big and small are being crippled by; getting serious about a comprehensive, bipartisan plan to deal with our debt and our deficit; and making the investments we need in infrastructure and workforce development.

PTC is active in their community, supporting STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) education for young people to ensure they have the skills they need to fill the jobs of a 21st-century economy. I believe this kind of workforce development is especially critical for the high-tech, highly-skilled companies our district is home to. Technology companies like PTC also need to see the R&D tax credit extended to help spur further innovation and be allowed 100% expensing of new capital investment to expand their business.

The 4th District has some of the most remarkable innovators and technologies in the Commonwealth. Encouraging and supporting their growth is not only about putting people back to work today, but ensuring that our future generations can compete tomorrow.