Worcester Business Journal

28 Worcester Business Journal • February 2, 2015 www.wbjournal.com C harlie Baker has been in office less than a month and has begun to get a handle on what needs his attention most, from dealing with an estimated $765 million budget deficit to tackling a growing problem of opiate abuse. When it comes to the business sector and government finances, nearly two in five voters in our poll for the week of Jan. 19 said the top priority is closing the budget gap. As he begins his new job, what should Gov. Baker's top priority be regarding business and finance? Job 1 for Baker? Close the budget gap Best Advertising Agency Best Web Design Firm Proud Winner of Two 2015 Best of Business Awards COMMENTS: Join the WBJ's LinkedIn discussion group by scanning the code to the left on your smartphone. To scan the code, you need the NeoReader. Visit get.neoreader.com to download it onto your phone. Want to participate in the conversation? I t's now legal in Massachusetts to use marijuana for medicinal purposes. But with activists expected to push to legalize recreational use of the drug in 2016, according to State House News Service, state Senate President Stanley Rosenberg wants to look at how the commonwealth could regulate it ahead of the vote. In last week's Flash Poll, 75 percent of voters agreed with that approach. Should the state be proactive by regulating marijuana before a possible referendum vote in 2016 that would make it legal for recreational use? Regulate marijuana first? Absolutely, voters say COMMENTS: Yes 75% F L A S H P O L L T A L K B A C K Closing the state budget deficit 38% "Reducing spending." No 17% "Regulation (including taxation) only makes sense if pot is brought out of the black market and legalized." Not sure 8% Further containment of health care costs 18% Easing the tax burden for business 17% "I'm certainly not big on regulating everything, but the thought of people driving while high in the future just adds to the increasing danger of being on or near a public roadway." Continuing his moratorium on new regulations LET THE GAMES ABOUT THE GAMES BEGIN! Now that Boston will be the U.S. bid for the 2024 Olympic Games, should Worcester and Central Massachusetts should get a piece of the action, beyond fully booked hotels, that is? That was the focal point of a WBJ editorial in the Jan. 19 edition, and we posted the question in our LinkedIn group as well. "I imagine Lake Quinsig is an option for some of the rowing events. Longer distances would have to take place on the Charles, but Quinsig could handle overflow for some of the shorter distances, even if it's just for prelims." Guy Webb "Another side to look at would be training activities — many opportunities there to provide facilities for athletes and teams (before) medal events." James Patrick Reynolds "The marathon could use the same historic Boston Marathon course. The Olympic committees would probably find honoring and remembering what happened there with the bombings to be symbolic of the Olympic spirit." Greg Aldrich "I applaud regulation that keeps them from using (marijuana) in my presence, but am equally clear that prohibition causes more difficulty than benefit." Other 15% 12% "We must get employers out of the health care business. MA could easily save $10 billion a year by reducing administrative overhead, without affecting care at all." "The Baker administration needs to focus on infrastructure: how to pay for safe, efficient transportation and water infrastructure, while adapting to climate change."

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