>> AREA VISITORS' BUREAUS LIKELY OWE STATE SENATOR ERIC LESSER A
DEBT THIS WEEK AFTER A BOSTON GLOBE OPINION PIECE ABOUT THE
REGION AND HIS PRIORITIES FOR IT CAUGHT THE ATTENTION OF MANY
THE HEADLINE “THE SOLUTION TO BOSTON'S HOUSING AND CONGESTION
CRISIS?
WESTERN MASS.”
WHY SHOULD OTHERS GET ON-BOARD WITH THIS IDEA?
SENATOR LESSER SAT DOWN IN THE STUDIO WITH ME TO EXPLAIN.
>> THE BIG TAKEAWAY OF THE PIECE IS THAT OUR REGIONS ARE ACTUALLY
COMPLEMENTARY, THAT YOU CAN UTILIZE THE WHOLE STATE TO SOLVE
EACH PART OF THE STATE'S DIFFERENT CHALLENGES.
SO, FOR EXAMPLE, THE SINGLE BIGGEST CHALLENGE YOU'VE GOT IN
THE METRO BOSTON AREA IS NOBODY CAN AFFORD TO LIVE THERE.
THE COST OF HOUSING IS SKY-ROCKETING.
RENTS ARE SKY-ROCKETING.
AND NOBODY CAN GET AROUND.
THE TRANSPORTATION IS BREAKING DOWN, THE T. IS IN A TERRIBLE
STATE AND THE TRAFFIC IS JUST GETTING WORSE AND WORSE AND
WORSE.
WE ACTUALLY OFFER A COMPLEMENTARY CHALLENGE.
OUR CHALLENGE IN WESTERN MASS IS IN MANY WAYS THE OPPOSITE.
WE'VE GOT GREAT QUALITY OF LIFE, WE'VE GOT A LOT OF AFFORDABLE
COST OF LIVING, BUT WE DON'T HAVE THAT FAST GROWING ECONOMY
THAT'S ATTRACTING PEOPLE AND ATTRACTING NEW JOBS AND NEW
OPPORTUNITIES SO LET'S WORK TO CONNECT THE TWO REGIONS AND YOU
SOLVE BOTH ISSUES AT ONCE.
WESTERN MASS GETS ACCESS TO THE FAST-PACED JOB MARKET IN BOSTON
AND BOSTON GETS ACCESS TO THE GREAT QUALITY OF LIFE AND THE
AFFORDABLE COST OF LIVING HERE IN WESTERN MASS.
IT LIFTS BOTH REGIONS AND BY THE WAY, INITIATIVES LIKE RAIL
SERVICE WOULD TAKE TENS OF THOUSANDS OF CARS OFF THE ROAD.
IT WOULD PROBABLY BE THE SINGLE BIGGEST REDUCTION IN GREENHOUSE
GAS EMISSIONS THAT OUR STATE COULD EVER UNDERTAKE AND IT
WOULD CREATE THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF JOBS IN THE PROCESS
SO I THINK REALLY THE THRUST OF THE PIECE WAS, YOU KNOW, THERE'S
SO MUCH COMMENTARY RIGHT NOW, ESPECIALLY IN THE BOSTON AREA
AROUND WHAT DO YOU DO ABOUT THE CONGESTION ISSUES?
WHAT DO YOU DO ABOUT THE PRICE OF HOUSING?
AND ONE OF THE THINGS I'VE JUST BEEN TRYING TO GET ACROSS TO
REALLY EVERYONE AROUND THE STATE IS LET'S THINK ABOUT THESE
ISSUES IN A COMPLEMENTARY WAY.
THE SOLUTIONS TO BOSTON'S CHALLENGES COULD ACTUALLY BE
FOUND NOT THAT FAR DOWN THE MASS PIKE SO TO SPEAK HERE IN WESTERN
MASS.
>> AND IN THE ARTICLE, IT TRENDED ONLINE FOR AT LEAST 24
HOURS.
IT WAS VERY WELL READ AND THERE'S THIS GREAT GLOBE
ILLUSTRATION WHERE IT LOOKS LIKE YOU'RE DRIVING A TRAIN OR BEING
HIT BY IT DEPENDING ON THE PERSPECTIVE.
YEAH, BUT ONE OF THE POINTS IS THAT WITH HIGH-SPEED RAIL PLUS A
MAJOR ATTITUDE ADJUSTMENT, WESTERN MASS COULD BE GREATER
BOSTON'S NEW HOT NEIGHBORHOOD, THAT WAS KIND OF THE
SUBHEADLINE.
AS YOUR OFFICE RECEIVED PUSHBACK ABOUT THAT?
I CAN SEE RESIDENTS READING AND LOOKING AND SAYING WE LIKE THE
SLOWER PACE AND THE AMOUNT OF CONGESTION THAT WE HAVE THAT'S
NOT ALL THAT BAD.
>> I'M GLAD YOU ASKED ABOUT THAT.
THAT'S NOT WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO AT ALL.
THE GLOBE HEADLINE REALLY AND THE PIECE IF YOU READ THE STORY
IS NOT ABOUT MIMICKING ANY ONE PLACE.
WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS ON THE SHOW BEFORE.
THE GOAL HERE IS NOT TO TURN WESTERN MASS INTO BOSTON.
THAT'S THE LAST THING WE WANT TO DO QUITE FRANKLY, NOR IS THE
GOAL TO TURN BOSTON INTO WESTERN MASS.
EACH REGION HAS A DISTINCTIVE IDENTITY AND IT SHOULD STAY
DISTINCTIVE BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT MAKES EACH PLACE UNIQUE.
BUT WE DO HAVE SOME REALLY SERIOUS CHALLENGES THAT IF WE
DON'T THINK CREATIVELY ABOUT TAKING ON, WE'RE GOING TO --
WE'RE GOING TO BE IN A TRAJECTORY THAT'S VERY BAD.
WE'RE LOSING POPULATION IN WESTERN MASS.
WE'RE LOSING OUR YOUNG PEOPLE.
THEY'RE LEAVING BECAUSE THEY CAN'T FIND GOOD JOBS.
THEY CAN'T FIND THE GOOD PLACES TO WORK.
WE'VE GOT TO REVERSE THAT TREND.
SO IT'S ABOUT LEVERAGING WHAT WE'VE GOT, WHICH IS GOOD
PROXIMITY TO SOME REALLY HIGH-GROWTH AREAS AND ALSO, YOU
KNOW, A REALLY GREAT HOME-GROWN TALENT POOL RIGHT HERE.
SO THAT'S WHY IT'S NOT JUST RAIL.
IT'S ALSO REMOTE WORKING, LEVERAGING REMOTE WORKING
ACCESS.
IT'S ALSO INVESTING IN OUR MANUFACTURING SECTOR, CLOSING
THE WAITING LISTS AT OUR LOCATIONAL EDUCATIONAL SCHOOLS,
FILLING THE GAPS IN THE JOBS THAT ARE ALREADY HERE.
IT'S ABOUT INVESTING IN THE LIFE SCIENCES CLUSTER SO THAT WE HAVE
RESEARCHERS AND BIOLOGISTS AND ACADEMICS RIGHT HERE IN WESTERN
MASS STAYING HERE AND DOING THEIR RESEARCH HERE RATHER THAN
GOING TO BOSTON OR GOING SOMEWHERE ELSE.
SO I THINK THAT'S A MISPERCEPTION.
THE GOAL HERE IS CERTAINLY NOT TO MAKE US LIKE ANYWHERE ELSE OR
ANYWHERE ELSE LIKE US.
WE'VE GOT A DISTINCTIVE IDENTITY HERE, BUT WE'VE GOT TO BE
CREATIVE ABOUT CONTINUING TO BUILD JOBS AND OPPORTUNITY.
>> BUT SPEAKING TO THAT IDENTITY IT'S KIND OF A DOUBLE-EDGED
SWORD AS SHE POINTS OUT IN HER OPINION PIECE.
AND DON'T THINK OF IT AS A MERCY MISSION, THINK OF IT THE WAY
LESSER DOES AS AN INTRODUCTION TO THE LAND OF OPPORTUNITY.
SO I THINK THE SUBTEXT THERE IS THAT MANY PEOPLE IN THE EASTERN
PART OF THE STATE SORT OF WRINKLE THEIR NOSE AT THE IDEA
OF COMING THIS FAR WEST.
>> I THINK THAT THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT, LOU SHERIDAN HAD A
QUOTE IN THE ARTICLE AS WELL WHERE HE TALKED ABOUT THE SINGLE
BIGGEST CHALLENGE WE'VE GOT IS PERCEPTION.
QUITE FRANKLY, IN THE METRO BOSTON AREA PEOPLE DON'T EVEN
KNOW, THEY HAVE NO OPINION ABOUT WESTERN MASS BECAUSE A LOT OF
PEOPLE DON'T EVEN KNOW IT EXISTS.
SO ONE OF THE CHALLENGES AND IT IS A VERY IMPORTANT CULTURAL
CHALLENGE IS SOUNDING THE ALARM SO TO SPEAK AND GETTING THE WORD
OUT ABOUT ALL THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT ARE RIGHT IN PEOPLE'S BACK
DOOR AND I WOULD ALSO ADD WE HAVE TO HAVE SOME CULTURE CHANGE
IN WESTERN MASS, TOO.
I THINK A LOT OF TIMES WE RESIGN OURSELVES TO OUR REGION BEING
SLOWER OR NOT GROWING AS FAST OR NOT HAVING THE SAME
OPPORTUNITIES.
I THINK A LOT OF TIMES OUR YOUNG PEOPLE HAVE RESIGNED THEMSELVES
TO NOT HAVING THE SAME OPTIONS AS A YOUNG PERSON IN A DIFFERENT
ZIP CODE.
THAT ATTITUDE NEEDS TO CHANGE ALSO.
ONE OF THE MESSAGES I TRY TO BRING WHEN WE'RE OUT IN THE
COMMUNITY IS WE NEED TO HAVE SOME SELF-ESTEEM AS A COMMUNITY
AND AS A REGION AND SAY YOU KNOW WHAT?
WESTERN MASS DESERVES THE SAME INVESTMENT, THE SAME ATTENTION
AS EVERY OTHER REGION OF THE STATE AND BY THE WAY, WE HAVE A
LOT TO OFFER TO THAT EQUATION, AS WELL.
AND I'LL TELL YOU ON THE LAND OF OPPORTUNITY, THAT WAS MY
FAMILY -- I WASN'T BORN IN WESTERN MASS.
I WAS BORN IN QUEENS, NEW YORK.
MY PARENTS WERE WORKING THEIR WAY THROUGH THEIR DEGREES WHEN I
WAS YOUNG.
WHEN I WAS SEVEN WE MOVED TO WESTERN MASS WHERE MY PARENTS
BOTH STARTED THEIR PROFESSIONAL CAREERS AND IT WAS AN INCREDIBLE
OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM AND FOR THEIR KIDS AND FOR NOW, MY
FAMILY.
SO WE'VE GOT TO GET OUT THERE AND TELL THE STORY THAT WESTERN
MASS REALLY IS A MAG ISN'T, IT'S NOT A PLACE YOUNG PEOPLE LEAVE,
IT'S A POLICE PEOPLE WANT TO BE.
>> THIS WEEK WHEN GOVERNOR BAKER GAVE HIS STATE OF THE
COMMONWEALTH ADDRESS, HE TALKED A LOT ABOUT TRANSPORTATION,
MONEY FOR THE MBTA.
GOT A LOT OF HEADLINES.
HE DID NOT MENTION EAST-WEST RAIL CONNECTION AT ALL IN THE
SPEECH.
THAT'S THE SECOND YEAR IN A ROW THAT HE HASN'T MENTIONED IT.
ARE YOU CONCERNED THAT THIS IS A BACKBURNER ISSUE FOR THE
GOVERNOR?
>> I AM CONCERNED.
THE GOVERNOR IS HERE TODAY.
HE'S GOING TO BE AT UNION STATION.
IN FACT, I SAW HIM AT THE REST STOP ON THE MASS PIKE ON THE WAY
OVER HERE.
HE'S GOING TO BE AT UNION STATION TODAY ANNOUNCING THE
FINAL PIECE OF THE PLATFORM TO COMPLETE THE RENOVATION OF THAT
STATION.
THAT'S A WORTHY ACHIEVEMENT AND WE NEED TO CELEBRATE THAT
ACHIEVEMENT, NO SMALL THING TO HAVE UNION STATION REOPEN BUT
THE NEXT PIECE OF THIS IS WE NEED TRAINS COMING IN AND OUT OF
UNION STATION OR IT'S NOT GOING TO DO US MUCH GOOD AND I'M VERY
CONCERNED THAT QUITE FRANKLY, IT WASN'T IN HIS STATE OF THE STATE
SPEECH.
WE DO HAVE THE RAIL STUDY GOING ON.
THERE'S -- >> IN WHICH HE SUPPORT MONEY.
>> EXACTLY, WHICH HE'S PUT SIGNIFICANT MONEY OVER $1
MILLION INTO THAT STUDY.
IT DOES LOOK LIKE THE FINDINGS ARE GOING TO BE DELAYED A LITTLE
BIT, WHICH IS CONCERNING AND WE NEED TO PAY ATTENTION TO, BUT,
YOU KNOW, THEY'RE STILL VERY ENGAGED IN GETTING THE RESULTS
OUT.
SO I THINK WE NEED TO PAY ATTENTION AND I THINK WE NEED
FOLKS AT HOME, PEOPLE IN WESTERN MASS PAYING ATTENTION TO THE
PROGRESS HERE TO MAKE SURE THAT IT DOESN'T MOVE DOWN THE
PRIORITY LIST.
>> WHAT'S DRIVING THE DELAY THAT YOU JUST MENTIONED?
>> IT'S A GOOD QUESTION.
WHAT MASS DOT HAS TOLD US, THEY GOT INUNDATED WITH COMMENTS AND
FEEDBACK WHEN THE FIRST SIX ALTERNATIVES WERE PRESENTED BACK
IN JULY SO THEY'VE BEEN WORKING THROUGH ALL OF THAT FEEDBACK.
THEY'VE BEEN WORKING THROUGH ALL OF THOSE COMMENTS THAT ARE NOW
GOING TO TRY TO PRESENT TO US IN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS, THREE
OPTIONS, THEY'RE GOING TO NARROW DOWN THE SIX OPTIONS TO THREE
OPTIONS.
SOMETHING THAT I THINK IS VERY IMPORTANT IS WE REALLY WANT TO
PUSH FOR RAIL, ALL THE WAY THROUGH FROM PITTSFIELD TO
BOSTON THROUGH SPRINGFIELD.
AND THE OTHER THING THAT I THINK IS VERY IMPORTANT IS WE'VE BEEN
PUSHING THEM TO OFFER A ONE-HOUR OPTION.
WHAT WOULD IT LOOK LIKE?
JUST GIVE US A SENSE OF WHAT WE NEED TO DO TO MAKE A ONE-HOUR
TRIP FROM SPRINGFIELD TO BOSTON HAPPEN.
I'LL TELL YOU ONE ALTERNATIVE THAT THEY ALREADY PRESENTED IS
AN 80-MINUTE D 80-MINUTE TRIP.
PEOPLE SHOULD THINK ABOUT THAT.
IMAGINE IF YOU HAD 16 TRAINS A DAY GOING BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN
SPRINGFIELD AND BOSTON.
WHAT DOES THAT DO FOR OUR COMMUNITY?
THINK ABOUT THE JOBS IT UNLOCKS, THINK ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY FOR
YOUNG PEOPLE.
THINK ABOUT THE NEW BUSINESSES IT WILL HELP SPUR.
I CAN'T THINK OF ANYTHING THAT WOULD TRANSFORM OUR REGION MORE.
>> WHEN THE GOVERNOR DID MENTION RAIL IN HIS STATE OF THE
COMMONWEALTH LAST YEAR, IT WAS FOR FALL RIVER AND NEW BEDFORD,
AND HE POINTED OUT, THEN THAT IT TOOK 30 YEARS FOR THAT TO
HAPPEN.
ARE YOU CONCERNED ABOUT THAT HERE?
>> I AM CONCERNED.
YOU KNOW, FRANKLY, RAIL IS SOMETHING PEOPLE HAVE TALKED
ABOUT FOR A LONG, LONG TIME.
BUT IT REALLY, YOU KNOW, IS SOMETHING I CAMPAIGNED ON IN
2014 AND WE JUST PUT -- WE JUST PUT THE HEAD TO THE GRINDSTONE
OR WHATEVER ANALOGY YOU WANT TO USE TO MOVE IT FORWARD.
AND I'LL SAY IT'S BEEN -- IT'S BEEN HARD BECAUSE THERE ARE SOME
STRONG INTERESTS ALIGNED TO BLOCK IT AND FRANKLY, IN WESTERN
MASS, GETTING INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT HAS ALWAYS BEEN HARD,
BUT ON THE BRIGHT SIDE I THINK PEOPLE SHOULD APPRECIATE HOW
MUCH PROGRESS WE'VE REALLY HAD.
FOR THE FIRST TIME, THE STATE OF MASSACHUSETTS IS DOING A REAL
FEASIBILITY STUDY WITH A REAL BLUEPRINT FOR HOW TO MAKE RAIL
BETWEEN WESTERN MASS AND BOSTON A REALITY.
THAT IS A BIG DEAL AND IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT HAS HAPPENED
EVER, AT LEAST IN MY MEMORY.
THERE HAVE BEEN KIND OF PERIPHERAL STUDIES, THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT HAS DONE SOME STUDIES BUT FOR THE STATE TO STEP AND IN
SAY THIS IS SOMETHING WE'RE GOING TO PUT A BLUEPRINT
TOGETHER TO MAKE HAPPEN IS A VERY BIG DEAL, AND IT'S GOING TO
BE ON ALL OF US COMMUNITY MEMBERS, BUSINESS COMMUNITY,
EVERYDAY PEOPLE GOING OUT THERE AND SAYING WE WILL BE VOTING
BASED ON THIS ISSUE.
THIS IS IMPORTANT.
WE NEED THE INVESTMENT.
WE NEED THE RAIL.
AND ALSO VERY IMPORTANTLY, AND I THINK THE GLOBE ARTICLE GOT TO
THIS IS THIS IS IMPORTANT FOR BOSTON, TOO.
THIS IS NOT JUST A PROJECT FOR WESTERN MASS BECAUSE FRANKLY,
BOSTON IS GOING TO HAVE PROBLEMS IF THEY DON'T GETS THE
CONGESTION ISSUES AND HOUSING PRICE ISSUES UNDER CONTROL.
RAIL IS GOING TO HELP BOTH ENDS OF THE STATE.
IT'S GOING TO LIFT EVERYONE AND THAT'S WHY YOU'RE SEEING
MOMENTUM.
>> WE HAD OUR POLITICAL CONSULTANT ON EARLIER AND HE WAS
SPEAKING ABOUT HOW THE DAY AFTER THIS ARTICLE WAS DROPPED, HE HAS
HEARING FROM MANY PEOPLE IN THE TRANSPORTATION SECTOR LIKE TESLA
AND OTHERS REPRESENTING THOSE TYPES OF BUSINESSES.
HOW DO YOU LEVERAGE SOMETHING LIKE THAT?
>> I MEAN, THERE'S IMMENSE OPPORTUNITY.
IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT, WE'RE REALLY AT A HINGE MOMENT IN
TERMS OF TRANSPORTATION, IN TERMS OF TECHNOLOGY.
SO MANY THINGS.
IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT, JUST A FEW YEARS AGO NOBODY EVEN KNEW
WHAT UBER WAS AND NOW, IT'S SOMETHING THAT EVERYBODY --
EVERYBODY KNOWS.
YOU KNOW, THERE'S SO MUCH OPPORTUNITY.
YOU THINK ABOUT LAST MILE CONNECTIVITY, RIGHT?
SO IF YOU HAVE THE TRAINS COMING IN AND OUT OF UNION STATION,
WHICH IS A FEW STEPS FROM WHERE WE SIT RIGHT NOW, WELL NOW ALL
OF A SUDDEN, YOU'VE OPENED UP ALL THESE OPPORTUNITIES FOR RIDE
SHARING SERVICES, FOR ELECTRIC VEHICLES, FOR THE ELECTRIC
SCOOTERS, FOR BIKE SHARING.
YOU NAME IT. AND I WOULD ADD THE NEW NUMBERS
THAT ARE COMING OUT OF THE CONNECTICUT RAIL SERVICE SHOW
THE DEMAND, OVER 1 MILLION RIDES ON THE C.T.
RAIL, WHICH IS NEW HAVEN TO SPRINGFIELD.
IMAGINE IN A FEW YEARS IF YOU HAD EAST-WEST CONNECTIVITY GOING
FROM SPRINGFIELD TO BOSTON INTERSECTING WITH NORTH-SOUTH
SERVICE UP AND DOWN THE CONNECTICUT RIVER FROM
GREENFIELD ALL THE WAY TO NEW HAVEN AND INTO NEW YORK.
THAT IS TRULY A GAME CHANGER FOR US.
♪ ♪