11/14/2014
Boston Globe
By Frank Phillips
Charlie Baker’s Transition Advisers are Diverse
Frank Phillips
Governor-elect Charlie Baker is turning to a diverse group of transition leaders that includes a former Democratic congressman, a former Indianapolis mayor, officials from the Weld administration, and corporate and community leaders, according to a list released Thursday by the Baker transition office.
The makeup of the transition team, which highlights his calls to bring private sector innovations to government management, does not include any leaders of unions — most of which backed his rival, Attorney General Martha Coakley — but does list several major Massachusetts corporate executives, community leaders, and charter school advocates.
“Consistent with our bipartisan and idea-driven campaign, the transition team is tackling hugely important and specific policy areas vital to the success of Massachusetts as a Commonwealth,” said Lieutenant Governor-elect Karyn Polito who is chairing the team.
Polito said the transition team will name “policy committee members” in the coming weeks. Baker aides said that those panels will include union representatives and other groups not included in the leadership team.
Among the 16 transition leaders are four African-Americans and six women. There are no leaders from the gay community, nor are there any specific team leaders for areas of public safety, criminal justice, and the environment.
Its structure is unusual. Previous governors-elect aligned their teams along the Cabinet secretariats. But the teams cited in the Baker list are: “State of the State,” “Human Resources,” “Better Government,” “Community,” “Schools,” “Healthcare,” and “Jobs and Economy.”
Baker spokesman Tim Buckley said the teams are designed in a broad way to “reflect the thrust of his campaign.”
“So many of these issues are interrelated,” he said.
The leadership team is made up of Baker campaign supporters, fiscal conservatives, public administrators, and several community leaders.
He included Robert Lewis Jr., a key player from Boston’s African-American community whose endorsement of Baker was critical to his gaining support in minority areas. Lewis, who will co-chair the “Community” panel, gained his reputation working with urban youth to combat violence.
Baker’s transition team for “Schools” reflects his diverse approach. Former US representative Martin T. Meehan Jr., a liberal Democrat who is chancellor of the University of Massachusetts Lowell, will co-chair the education committee with a charter school executive, Beth Anderson. She founded and serves as chief executive of Phoenix Charter Academy Network, which operates schools in Lawrence, Springfield, and Chelsea.
Another transition team leader is Stephen Goldsmith, a Harvard professor who was Republican mayor of Indianapolis and was known for allowing private firms to compete for public services. He is co-chair of the “Jobs and Economy” team.
The release by the Baker transition office describes Goldsmith as a “nationally recognized expert on government management, operational efficiency, and innovation.” Baker backs changing a state law, passed at behest of public sector unions, that has effectively ended much of the private contracting for work now being done by state workers.
But Peter Ubertaccio, an associate political science professor and associate dean at Stonehill College, said the Baker transition team does not reflect an antigovernment philosophy.
“These are not antigovernment people by any stretch of the imagination,’’ Ubertaccio said. “The focus is clearly on making government work.”
“These are good, solid, and in some cases quite innovative managers who are going to help the new governor put a focus on issues of public management and growth,’’ he added.
Other members include two major business leaders: Karen Kaplan, the chief executive of the Hill Holliday advertising agency and a longtime Baker friend; and Roger Crandall, chief executive of Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance of Springfield.
Two colleagues from the Weld administration are also on the team. Linda Carlisle, a Democrat, served under Baker when he was secretary of human services, heading the child welfare system that has been embroiled controversy this year. Richard Taylor, one of three co-chairs of the “State of the State” panel, was transportation secretary in the Weld years, the first African-American to fill the Cabinet position.
Taylor said the group has not received its marching orders yet. But he expects there to be public meetings where residents, community groups, and policy organizations can address issues of importance to them.
Taylor said those leading the state-of-the-state part of the transition are not narrowly focused on any one thing.
“We bring our experience and our antenna to this task,” he said. “The governor-elect has been very creative in getting away from the typical silo committee [structure]. Our job is to look across Cabinets and look across boards. I’m looking forward to rolling our sleeves up.”