Date: 2/16/2017
This letter is to express public gratitude and commendation to Sen. Eric Lesser. In an August 2016 letter-to-the-editor in The Reminder it was claimed “we cannot afford Lesser.” Not only did the citizens and voters strongly disagree, it is important to understand Sen. Lesser’s political agenda is economically spot-on for Western Massachusetts, the Commonwealth, and the country!
Like myself, professional economists across the country, from Harvard’s Larry Summers, to UC Berkeley’s Brad Delong, Yale’s Jacob Hacker, UMass’s Jerry Friedman and Robert Pollin, and thousands more, have been urging for a dramatic increase in infrastructure spending to stimulate economic growth, which will simultaneously increase incomes and decrease individual tax burdens.
Locally, Sen. Lesser has been making political arguments and political legislation to bring these benefits of infrastructure spending directly to Western Massachusetts. Sen. Lesser has tirelessly fought for ambitious infrastructure projects such as high speed railways connecting Springfield, Worcester and Boston, along with support for South Coast Rail. These projects would bring significant business activity and economic growth to Greater Springfield, Worcester, Fall River and New Bedford, cities which are all in great need of an economic boost. In addition high-speed rail offers the possibility for citizens working in Greater Boston to have their primary residency in Western and South Coast Massachusetts, increasing the tax base of these areas, along with increased economic spending for local businesses.
Sen. Lesser has further supported a dramatic increase in job-training programs. Fifty-three percent of recent college graduates are underemployed and buried in student loan debt. The manufacturing sector is modernizing and growing, creating a wealth of well-paying, highly skilled jobs, while spending on vocational education has decreased. The economic data is clear. We are in desperate need of a dramatic increase in job training across the country. Most of these jobs are attainable without an expensive four-year degree. Young people simply need programs to offer them the vocational training.
Particularly in Massachusetts we need job training programs to facilitate the making of wind turbines, manufacturing, medical devices, circuit boards, laser marking, assembly, engine production, etc., etc. Cities and towns such as Springfield and Holyoke would experience the greatest economic impact because of the manufacturing and job markets these cities currently support. Without job-training programs, new manufacturing firms are likely not to produce in Massachusetts and some companies my leave the Commonwealth for states with robust job-training programs.
Sen. Lesser has realistic specific ideas on how to pay for these programs. With the economic growth and the increased tax base from new jobs, along with decreases in unemployment compensation and welfare payments, Massachusetts would find itself with a fiscal surplus.
We cannot afford not to have Eric Lesser as our state senator.
Hans G. Despain
Longmeadow
