Dec 1, 2008 4:53 pm US/Eastern
Patrick, Governors To Meet With Obama
BOSTON (WBZ) ―
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Sen. Barack Obama, Gov. Deval Patrick, Diane Patrick, Sen. John Kerry, Teresa Heinz Kerry celebrate during a rally at the World Trade Center Boston in February.
Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
In times like these, it helps to have a friend in the White House.
No doubt Mass.
Gov. Deval Patrick does have unique access to our next president. In fact, our governor will be part of a smaller group who will meet with President-Elect Barack Obama Tuesday morning in Philadelphia. And the recession will be topic number one.
At the State House Monday, Patrick told reporters he is monitoring the state's economy.
"I am updated regularly and I am watching it very closely."
Patrick has already made one round of budget cuts and isn't ruling out another if revenues don't meet expectation in January. And those expectations have already been lowered twice.
"I think we have done what we need to do...but we are prepared to do more."
As this state's economy continues to sputter along -- the governor will meet with Obama in Philadelphia as part of the
National Governors Association.
First on the agenda is getting the entire economy moving again.
"What we are going to be talking about, and I think this is public, is what the elements of an economic stimulus bill might be early on in the administration. And together with other governors, we will be talking about infrastructure investments."
The governor would like to see some of those investments right here in Massachusetts, where the
unemployment rate has jumped to 5.5 percent.
Patrick says he intends to lobby an
Obama administration to support federal legislation which will benefit local industries such as clean energy and life sciences.
He also wants to see additional money to rebuild roads and bridges and improve pubic education.
"We will talk about what he has in mind and then we will advocate. I think there is actually more alignment than you might think."
Patrick says the next step is prompt action by the Congress.
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