Martha Coakley, Candidate For US Senate, Unveils Job Creation Plan And Receives Endorsement Of Massachusetts Business Leaders

Press Release

Surrounded by prominent business leaders from the life sciences, high tech, telecommunications, financial services, and real estate industries, Martha Coakley today unveiled her comprehensive plan to create jobs, encourage hiring and grow the economy. Earlier in the day Coakley met with the business leaders for a wide-ranging discussion about the current state of the economy and to share ideas for innovative ways to promote job creation and economic recovery.

"As Attorney General, I have worked to foster a positive business climate in Massachusetts that promotes economic development and job creation, and I know from experience that collaboration with the business community is key to reaching these goals," Coakley said. "I am honored to be endorsed by such an impressive group of business leaders, and I appreciate their thoughtful feedback and suggestions on my plan to grow jobs in Massachusetts. As Senator, I look forward to an ongoing partnership with our business community as we work together to get our economy back on track."

"Martha Coakley understands that the only way to create jobs and pull our economy out of recession is for government and the business community to work together," said Dr. Sylvie Gregoire, President of Shire Human Genetic Therapies. "I support her candidacy for U. S. Senate because I believe that she will be an innovative leader who is not afraid to take on the challenges and do what it takes to help our economy."

Coakley's plan, "Getting America Back to Work: A Jobs Creation Plan," outlines five specific proposals to create jobs and spur economic growth:

* Supporting Traditional Industries and Public-Private Partnerships -- Coakley calls for focusing on traditional local industries, such as local agriculture, health care, and biotech, ensuring that they have the support they need to thrive. Her plan promotes public-private partnerships among these industries to boost the economy, in part by leveraging existing federal resources and programs to maximize the availability of growth funds for local businesses.
* Boosting Green Industries -- Noting that the renewable energy and energy efficiency industries created more than nine million jobs in 2007, Coakley's plan calls for significant investment in the research, development and implementation of green technology in order to provide high paying, quality jobs. Coakley also calls for continued funding for the Green Jobs Act and other training resources to ensure that workers can succeed in green industries.
* Fostering Innovation -- Stressing that innovation is key to economic recovery, Coakley's plan calls for support of innovative start-ups in order to create jobs and contribute to long-term economic growth. Coakley supports making the federal Research and Development Tax Credit permanent, and supports the creations of President Obama's proposed Advanced Manufacturing Fund to identify and invest in the most compelling advanced manufacturing strategies.
* Training and Educating our Workers -- Recognizing that as we develop new technologies and energy sources, our workers will require a new set of skills, Coakley's plan calls for resources for training and education of workers though career and technical education, as well as postsecondary education and training provided through the national system of workforce investment programs. She supports improvements to the Workforce Investment Act in order to meet the needs of the 21st century economy.
* Supporting Small Businesses -- Coakley's plan calls for targeted tax relief and loan opportunities for small businesses, as well as giving entrepreneurs the tools to hire and retain the most qualified workers. She supports the bipartisan HIRE America Act, which will make permanent tax incentives for small businesses to hire new workers, and pledges to support minority and women-owned businesses.

The full plan is available on the Martha Coakley for U. S. Senate website.

Upon taking office as Attorney General in January 2007, Coakley created a Business, Technology, and Economic Development Division (BTED) to lead the office's initiatives to promote economic and technology development in the Commonwealth. One of BTED's signature initiatives has been a joint effort with the Patrick Administration to review regulations of the Commonwealth that are unnecessary, overly burdensome or inconsistent with statutory mandates and serve as undue hindrances to economic investment and development.

During her tenure as Attorney General, Coakley has worked tirelessly to ensure a fair playing field for businesses in Massachusetts by vigorously enforcing the Commonwealth's wage and hour laws and holding accountable businesses who engage in unfair and deceptive practices, thereby putting businesses who play by the rules at an unfair disadvantage. Recognizing the burden that utility costs can place on businesses--and particularly smaller businesses--Attorney General Coakley has advocated for lower commercial energy rates.

Martha Coakley became Massachusetts' first female Attorney General in January 2007. Since then, she has established herself as a leader on a variety of issues affecting Massachusetts residents, including addressing the foreclosure crisis that has plagued families in Massachusetts. As part of her Cyber Crime Initiative, Coakley revolutionized the tools available to prosecutors for fighting crime in the 21st century, ensuring that Massachusetts is on the cutting edge of public safety.

Coakley, 56, was raised in North Adams. She is a graduate of Williams College in Williamstown, MA, where she was a member of the first class admitted to the college that included female students. She received her law degree from Boston University School of Law in 1979. Coakley resides in Medford with her husband, Thomas F. O'Connor, a retired police Deputy Superintendent.

Below is the full list of business leaders who endorsed Coakley's candidacy for U.S. Senate today.

Business Leaders for Martha Coakley

Dr. John J. Alam
Distinguished Fellow, Center for Biomedical Innovation, MIT
Former Executive Vice President, Medicines Development & Chief Medical Officer, Vertex Pharmaceuticals
Cambridge, MA
life sciences

Peter R. Chase
President & CEO
Chase Corporation
Bridgewater, MA
advanced manufacturing

Larry Ciulla
Owner & Operator
Gloucester Seafood Display Auction
Gloucester, MA
fishing/retail

Howard Cohen
CEO
Beacon Communities LLC
Boston, MA
real estate

Jack Connors, Jr.
Chairman Emeritus and former CEO
Hill Holliday
Boston, MA
communications

Donna C. Cupelo
Region President
Verizon New England
Boston, MA
telecommunications

Paul T. Dacier
Executive Vice President & General Counsel
EMC Corporation
Hopkinton, MA
information technology

Fay Donohue
President & CEO
DentaQuest
Boston, MA
dental benefits

Karen E. Duffy
President & CEO
Worcester Credit Union
Worcester, MA
financial services

Sylvie Grégoire
President
Shire HGT
Cambridge, MA
life sciences

Ron Homer
President and CEO
Access Capital Strategies LLC
Boston, MA
investment advising

Jon B. Hurst
President
Retailers Association of Massachusetts
Boston, MA
retail

Dennis Kanin
Principal
New Boston Ventures LLC
Boston, MA
real estate

James J. Karam
President & CEO
First Bristol Corporation
Fall River, MA
real estate

Trish Karter
CEO
Dancing Deer Baking Co.
Boston, MA
food industry

Brian Kavoogian
President
Charles River Realty Investors, LLC
Newton, MA
real estate investment management

Hugh Kelleher
Executive Director
Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors Association
Danvers, MA
plumbing

Jeff LaFleur
Executive Director
Cape Cod Cranberry Growers Association
East Wareham, MA
agriculture

Ted MacLean
General Manager
Microsoft Corporation
Cambridge, MA
high-tech

Dennis V. Maguire
President
Maguire Company, Inc.
Newton, MA
plumbing, heating and mechanical

Ralph C. Martin II
Managing Partner, Boston Office, Bingham McCutchen LLP
Former Chair, Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce
Boston, MA
legal

Mary E. McLaughlin
Area Vice President
Comcast Cable Communications
Boston, MA
telecommunications

Cathy E. Minehan
Managing Director, Arlington Advisory Partners
Former President & CEO, Federal Reserve Bank of Boston
Boston, MA
Board of Directors advisory services

Thomas N. O'Brien
President, The HYM Investment Group, LLC
Chairman, The Greater Boston Real Estate Board
Boston, MA
real estate

Joseph O'Donnell
CEO
Boston Culinary Group, Inc.
Cambridge, MA
foodservice management

Joshua Ostroff
President
Virtual Media Resources
Natick, MA
information solutions and analysis

Drew Rockwell
CEO
Martin Dawes Analytics
Boston, MA
software

Micho Spring
President
Weber Shandwick -- New England
Boston, MA
communications

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