All is well in the Commonwealth–or so the state’s political leaders would have everyone believe. Certainly there is a lot to crow about compared to five years ago, when CommonWealth published its first issue: Incomes are up, unemployment is down, the real estate market is booming, and the citizenry is, for the most part, content, if not complacent. “People take politics more seriously in bad times,” says pollster Lou DiNatale. “Weld won [his first governor’s race] on real voter dicontent. The anger, literally, has drained out of the system from 1990 on.” But all is not rosy. Many pockets of Massachusetts have still not felt the economic good times. And how healthy is our civic life when the politician with the highest popularity ratings is Boston Mayor Tom “Pothole” Menino, and the least popular politician statewide has just ascended to the governor’s office? So take a look at a few not-entirely-random comparisons between then and now. Decide for yourself: Are we better off today than five years ago?
| WHAT | THEN | NOW |
| Most popular politician |
Tie(within margin of error): US Sen. John Kerry Gov. William Weld |
Mayor Thomas Menino (Favorability rating 76 percent Unfavorability rating 11 percent) |
| Least popular politician | Former Mayor Ray Flynn (Favorability rating 34 percent Unfavorability rating 41 percent) |
Lt. Gov. Jane Swift (Favorability rating 21 percent Unfavorability rating 63 percent) |
| Republicans in the Legislature | 35 in House (22 percent) 10 in Senate (25 percent) |
23 in House (14 percent) 6 in Senate (15 percent) |
| Governor’s salary | $90,000 | $135,000 |
| Newton school superintendent’s salary | $100,000 | $155,000 |
| Average salary of human service workers who care for the elderly, mentally ill, mentally retarded, and disabled | $17, 260 | $19,607 |
| Unemployment statewide | 4.3 percent | 2.6 percent |
| Unemployment in New Bedford | 10.5 percent | 6.5 percent |
| AFDC caseload in Massachusetts |
87,945 families |
42,929 families (99,157 people total) |
| Annual state spending | $16.85 billion | $22.2 billion |
| Total state debt | $10.1 billion | $12.3 billion |
| State rainy-day fund | $425.4 million | $1.6 billion |
| Big Dig price tag | $7.8 billion | $14.1 billion |
| Median home sale price Middlesex County Hampden County |
$172,500 $90,000 |
$240,384 $96,000 |
| Comments on the public image of the House of Representatives |
“I would ask the members to reflect on our public image, and the need to bring about the diligent rehabilitation of that image.” –House Speaker Thomas Finneran |
“We’re heading toward this rule–whatever Tommy wants, whenever Tommy wants it.” –House Minority Leader Francis Marini |
| Sources: Media reports, the University of Massachusetts Poll, Newton school department, Massachusetts Council of Human Service Providers, state Division of Employment and Training, state Department of Transitional Assistance, Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation, Warren Information Services. | ||