Minority Leader Tarr Says Watch for How $4 Billion Jobs Bill Rolls Out

Merrimack Valley Newsmakers

State Sen. Bruce E. Tarr says there are many positives in the recently approved $4 billion economic development bill, but there’s more ahead in January that will shape how the borrowing bill takes effect.

Making an appearance on WHAV’s “Win for Breakfast” program, Tarr explains the next move is that of Gov. Maura T. Healey.

“What I often say is that the legislature writes the menu and the governor decides what she wants to eat, so it’s a two-step process.”

Tarr, who serves as senate minority leader and whose district includes such area towns as Groveland, North Andover and West Newbury, also delivers a word of caution.

“I would remind people that a lot of the money we passed in that bill is bond money, which means that the legislature passing the bill is the first step and the administration deciding which things to spend on is the second step. So, we’ll be looking forward to working with the administration on that. Spending money is part of the equation but cutting costs is another part of the equation, and we’ll be looking in the new year to once again make Massachusetts more competitive so that the investments we make from the bond bill are going into a more competitive and fertile environment for job growth and economic development.”

Tarr recently took part in celebrating the 65th anniversary of Merrimack Valley Planning Commission and 50th anniversary of what has become Merrimack Valley Transit, or MeVa. He notes the Commission and state and federal governments have been working with the Merrimack River Watershed Council.

“To improve the quality of the Merrimack River. Particularly in light of the untreated discharge of effluence from wastewater treatment plants up and down the river. While we’ve made a lot of progress, we still have a lot of distance to go before we get that water quality to where we want it to be reliably, every day, without the episodic influence of those untreated discharges.”

Tarr served in the state House of Representatives from 1991-1995 before being elected to the state senate where he will be starting his 30th year in January. He’s been the senate minority leader since 2011 and says he as seen many changes in the local news landscape.

“You know, it’s unfortunate that we’re seeing a lot of local news outlets succumbing to the changes in the market. We don’t see as many local newspapers, we don’t see as many local radio stations and I, for one, think that’s unfortunate because it is important to have a medium of communication that responds to local priorities. Win, I know you’ve been in the business a long time and I appreciate that you always prioritize that, and that’s why I was so happy to come on this morning.”

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