In the News

HOLYOKE -- Disputes like the recent federal government shutdown highlight divisions in Washington that are unlikely to change soon, U.S. Rep. Richard E. Neal said Wednesday at a Chamber of Commerce event.

"It's hard to do a reset to get back to talking about what's serious...," said Neal, D-Springfield.

Republican President Donald Trump's public approval ratings hover around the mid-30-percent range but remain in the 70's among his base of supporters, Neal said.
A third of the Democrats in Congress are from Massachusetts, New York and California. The Democratic Party used to be a "big tent" but its base increasingly is tailored to the coastal regions, he said.

"The heartland is where many of these elections are now decided," Neal said.

Neal and Spiros Hatiras, president and chief executive officer of Holyoke Medical Center, spoke at the Greater Holyoke Chamber of Commerce Candidates and Elected Officials Reception at Gary Rome Hyundai, 150 Whiting Farms Road.

The goal of the yearly event is to introduce elected officials to business people to help the city, organizers said.

"We look forward to working with you," said Kathleen G. Anderson,  president of the Chamber and of the Greater Holyoke Chamber Centennial Foundation.
The event included members of the Holyoke City Council and Holyoke School Committee. The variety of others ranged from Bennett W. Walsh, superintendent of the Holyoke Soldiers' Home, to Donald T. Sanders, executive artistic director of the nonprofit Massachusetts International Festival of the Arts (MIFA). The organization is working on renovating the Victory Theatre.

Neal discussed the strength of the national economy, shortcomings that keep the economy from being even stronger and the importance of keeping in mind the other guy's needs in a negotiation.

Hatiras spoke of Holyoke Medical Center, the city's largest employer, as Holyoke's economic engine, and said heading the hospital is the best job he's ever had.

Neal also thanked Anderson for her work, lauded Gary Rome's marketing and devotion to Holyoke (the $10 million Gary Rome Hyundai dealership opened in the shadow of the Holyoke Mall at Ingleside in 2016) and didn't miss a chance to praise Holyoke.

"You are sturdy people by history and nature," Neal said.

A dispute about federal spending and immigration between Democrats and Republicans in Washington, D. C. that shut down the government over the weekend ended with a deal on a a short-term spending bill on Monday.Trump tweeted: "Big win for Republicans as Democrats cave on Shutdown. Now I want a big win for everyone, including Republicans, Democrats and DACA, but especially for our Great Military and Border Security. Should be able to get there. See you at the negotiating table!"

Make no mistake, Neal said: Congress is a reflection of how divided the American people are.

"That's the challenge," he said.

DACA refers to Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, certain people who came to the United States as children.

The economy is undoubtedly strong, Neal said. The national unemployment rate is at about 4.1 percent, meaning millions of people are working, with nearly 63 percent of the workforce employed.

But it's been strong since before Trump took office a year ago, this being the 89th straight month of economic growth in America. The stock market has been up since March 2009, he said.

Amid such positives are signs where more effort is needed, such as that six million jobs nationwide are unfilled. That includes 18,000 precision manufacturing jobs in New England that offer yearly salaries of $67,000 with full benefits, he said.

Two-million people addicted to opioids are unable to work, he said.

"So shame on all of us that we can brag about a part of the economy that's going so well but another part of it, it reminds us of the nature of the challenges we face," Neal said.Making deals to position government to help people is about compromises made among decision-makers, he said.

"Try to find people that might listen to your argument and then you try to close the deal," he said, expanding on that at a later point, "Figure out what they need in the end and what you have to give to get it."

In a representative Democracy even in good economic times like now, he said, "You need some give and take."

Yet the recent tax reform package was established in five weeks without one public hearing and no witness testimony. In contrast, the work on the 1986 federal tax reform went on for two years and included testimony from 450 people at 30 public hearings, Neal said.

Hatiras thanked Neal for his help in securing funding in the form of new market tax credits for the $25.3 million emergency room that opened at the hospital in June at 575 Beech St.

The hospital provides not just health care to the community but revenue and jobs. The facility generates over $150 million in revenue a year, which is up over $30 million from the $120 million when Hatiras took over in 2013, he said.

Over 1,200 people work at Holyoke Medical Center, including 200 jobs added since 2013, he said."It really is a tremendous economic engine and I wanted to thank all of you for being extremely supportive....I've said to my staff, this is the best job I've ever had. I'm extremely proud to be working there," Hatiras said.