Deval and the Biotech Devils

Deval and the Biotech Devils

Deval Patrick lost touch with reality. His moonbat base may believe his
allegation that his $1 billion boondoggle is "critical for Massachusetts to help
biotech, pharmaceutical and other life-sciences companies - or firms will be
lured away."(Jay Fitzgerald and Scott Van Voorhis, "Gov: Bio-bill delay costly,"
Boston Herald, October 31, 2007) Novartis, Biogen etc., landed in Cambridge
because of access to academic researchers at MIT and Harvard. They are not going
anywhere.
Stealing more money from the poor taxpayer to give to the wealthy biotech
industry is not necessary. Deval sounds more and more each day like the Harvard
corporate lawyer that he is.

Roy Bercaw, Editor ENOUGH ROOM

Gov: Bio-bill delay costly
Slams pol on Novartis loss
By Jay Fitzgerald and Scott Van Voorhis
Boston Herald
Wednesday, October 31, 2007 |

Gov. Deval Patrick yesterday blamed the Legislature’s lack of action on his $1
billion life-sciences bill for Novartis AG’s decision to build a new biotech
facility in Singapore, not Massachusetts.

Patrick, who has been critical of the slow pace of legislative action on a
number of his proposals, told lawmakers at a State House hearing yesterday that
it’s critical for Massachusetts to help biotech, pharmaceutical and other
life-sciences companies - or firms will be lured away.

He said some biotech companies have decided to expand operations here, partly
because of state economic incentives offered to them.

“But not everyone is convinced that we mean it,” he told the Joint Committee on
Economic Development and Emerging Technologies.

“One large company - Novartis - was prepared to invest hundreds of millions of
dollars in over 700,000 square feet of lab and office space creating over 400
new, well-paying jobs. But our inaction on this proposal over many months caused
them to abandon those plans here and focus instead on other states.”

Patrick was referring to Novartis’ decision to build a new major plant in
Singapore, after looking at sites in Massachusetts.

After the hearing, Patrick declined to give details about what Novartis wanted.
But he reiterated that the Legislature’s failure to quickly pass his bill had an
impact.

“Inaction sends a message,” said Patrick.

In the past, lawmakers have bristled at Patrick’s criticism of the slow pace of
work at the State House, suggesting the first-year governor doesn’t understand
the legislative process. A handful of key lawmakers have also questioned whether
the biotech industry should get so much extra money from the state.

Jeff Lockwood, a spokesman for Novartis, declined to comment on whether the slow
legislative progress was behind the company’s decision to expand in Singapore.
He said the move was based on a “multitude of factors.”
Article URL:
http://www.bostonherald.com/business/general/view.bg?articleid=1041566