public investment

CNN: Hudson River Plane Crash

As people across our state deal with flooding in our communities, I am reminded of the media response to the terrible Hudson River Airplane Crash just over a year ago.

Though the situation was clearly different - a very short-term, localized emergency event - the coverage seems familiar.

Nationwide coverage and popular response focused almost entirely on Chesley B.
"Sully" Sullenberger, the heroic pilot who landed the flight, but in large part, failed to fully-recognize  the carefully-coordinated efforts of private and public employees working together to make sure the safe landing stayed a positive story.

Ferry drivers, Coast Guard and Fire Department members, paramedics, nurses and doctors all followed plans from emergency coordinators with practiced contingency plans - built in advance so that tragic events can go as smoothly as possible.

CNN: Northeast Flooding 2010

Reading through flood coverage - and seeing it covered on both local and nationwide news footage - I see a lot of the same reaction. People on every channel and in every publication are shocked by the road-rivers flowing past homes and are worried about losing power to pumps working hard in their basements. People are shown being rescued from homes and vehicles by emergency workers and checking into their flood insurance policies.

And while all of these are very important stories, not enough people are speaking publicly about the historic causes and long-term planning we need to do to protect our communities for future natural disaster such as these floods. How are we going to repair and maintain the structures in our cities and towns that keep us safe?

While many communities in Massachusetts are cutting services to make up for increasing budget deficits, Randolph voters, who last year passed a Prop. 2 1/2 override, are investing in their public systems and laying the groundwork for economic growth according to an article in today's Patriot Ledger:

Executive Secretary David Murphy said economic development is key to a stable tax rate and stable municipal services. “If you don’t have new investment, you don’t have new revenues. And if you don’t have new revenues, you don’t have money to meet needs when they arise,” he said.

According to the Randolph residents, the investment is paying off.