By Bonnie Adams, Managing Editor
Westborough – Karyn Polito, the commonwealth’s recently installed lieutenant governor, was the opening speaker at the Jan. 29 annual legislative breakfast meeting of the Corridor Nine Area Chamber of Commerce. The event, held at the Doubletree Hotel, was attended by nearly 200 local business professionals.
Polito started off her talk by noting what she said was surely on everyone’s minds: what was it like in the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency Headquarters bunker during the blizzard that hit the state earlier in the week?
“It was an incredible experience, a real learning experience to see the preparedness, coordination and cooperation,” she said.
“I am thankful for all those professions [who assisted] and especially those who did the ‘heavy lifting’ such as the departments of public works,” she added.
Although she and Gov. Charlie Baker have only been in office for three weeks, she said, the administration had already hard at work. Baker had declared a hiring freeze and asked agencies to do a “top to bottom” review, she said. He had also released $100 million in Chapter 90 funds, which are monies that are used to reimburse cities and towns for costs incurred for eligible transportation projects.
“It was a promise made and a promise fulfilled,” Polito said.
Polito also noted that as a Shrewsbury resident, she would help bring an “outside of Boston” perspective to the administration. As such, she was also going to be chairing the new “Community Compact Cabinet,” as a way to establish better ties with municipal leaders across the entire state.
Other issues the new administration would be tackling were dealing with homeless citizens, especially families in a more “compassionate and responsible” way and the growing crisis of opiates addiction.
As she ended, Polito reiterated that she would not forsake her central Mass. roots, now that she was working on Beacon Hill.
“You will always have me championing this area,” she promised.