Eighty-seven business leaders from across Massachusetts have signed a letter in support of Governor Patrick’s proposed $131 million in new investments in early education and care. They “urge the Legislature to approve the Governor’s recommended FY14 budget package for early education and care and the revenue to fund it.” (Read the letter.)
Signatories include Josh Bekenstein, managing director, Bain Capital, LLC; Jack Connors Jr, chairman emeritis, Hill, Holliday, Connors, Cosmopulos, Inc.; John Cullinane, the Cullinane Group, Inc.; Steve Fischman, president, New England Development; Arnold Hiatt, former president, chairman and CEO, the Stride Rite Corp.; Peter S. Lynch, co-founder, the Lynch Foundation; Paul O’Brien, president, The O’Brien Group, Inc., and former CEO, New England Telephone; Robert Pozen, former chairman, MFS Investment Management; Kitt Sawitsky, director, Goulston & Storrs, Counselors at Law; Tom Schwarz, former president, Dunkin’ Donuts, and former chairman, Grossmans; Stephen Silverstein, founder and CEO, Not Your Average Joe’s Restaurants; Jed Swan, founder and managing partner, Drydock Ventures; and Karen Walsh, senior vice-president and general manager, John Hancock Personal Financial Services.
“As business people, we want the skilled well-educated workforce our enterprises need to prosper and the commonwealth needs to compete in an increasingly sophisticated global economy,” the letter states. “Governor Patrick’s proposal is a thoughtful, comprehensive plan focused on three critical outcomes – increasing school readiness, improving third grade reading and closing the achievement gap. The bottom line is that investing in young children is one of the most cost-effective uses of the public dollar.”
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