WAKEFIELD — Local elected officials and business owners discussed the current state of affairs in the commonwealth Tuesday morning during a legislative breakfast organized by the Wakefield Lynnfield Chamber of Commerce.
The aim of the event, which was held at the Four Points by Sheraton Hotel in Wakefield, was to bring the community back together after the pandemic, appreciate everyone’s hard work, and set goals for the future.
“We are in one of the most innovative places on the planet,” said Massachusetts Housing and Economic Development Secretary Mike Kennealy, who was the keynote speaker for the event.
“Massachusetts today is the world leader of science and software, and we also lead in all those exciting industries like digital health, cybersecurity, and robotics,” he said. “The questions for us now are how do we maintain our leadership, and what the next era for us is.”
Kennealy said communities across the commonwealth could retain their leadership positions through maintaining competitiveness and equitable opportunities for all.
“Recognizing that the pandemic had a disproportionate effect on a certain number of people and communities, how do we create a context where every citizen and every community has an opportunity?” said Kennealy. “We must produce a lot more affordable housing.”
Kennealy said the state’s affordable housing crisis — which he said started long before the COVID-19 pandemic — is its major obstacle in working toward a brighter future for its residents. In the past 30 years, he said, the state has produced less than half the number of houses it had produced in the 30 years prior to that time period.
The housing crisis that is seen right now is a direct result of that phenomenon, he added, noting that this is an example of what happens when supply falls and demand rises. The affordability issue has a wide-ranging impact on communities throughout the commonwealth and the local economy, Kennealy said.
“This has a dramatic effect on our households, on our families, and individuals,” said Kennealy. “And it also affects our ability to compete economically.”
Kennealy said the commonwealth also needs to work toward creating a qualified workforce, providing a better transportation system, improving mental health care and overall health care, and addressing climate change to remain competitive and provide equitable opportunities for its residents.
The event was also attended by state senators Brendan Crighton (D-Lynn) and Jason Lewis (D-Winchester); state representatives Bradley Jones Jr. (R-North Reading), Donald Wong (R-Saugus), Michael Day (D-Stoneham), Kate Lipper-Garabedian (D-Melrose), and Richard Haggerty (D-Woburn); and the Wakefield town administration.
“We appreciate the work that our local chambers of commerce have done to assist our small businesses and our community nonprofits throughout the pandemic,” said Lewis. “At the state level, throughout the pandemic, my colleagues and I have been focused on working very closely with the many stakeholders to do everything we can to try to protect the public health and also to mitigate the economic effects.
“We will mostly continue to stay focused on supporting our recovery from the pandemic in months and years ahead,” he said.
Wakefield Lynnfield Chamber of Commerce Executive Director John Smolinsky said Tuesday’s event was an opportunity to meet with state, town and business leaders to discuss items of vital importance to the local economy.
“And through this sharing of information, this event opens doors and opportunities for the businesses to continue to grow and for the towns and the communities to continue to prosper,” said Smolinsky.
The event was well attended, and its participants appeared to be enjoying themselves. Sean Reid, Crighton’s chief of staff, said “we are all trying to figure out this post-pandemic world.
“And, as someone who represents the government, I just wanted to see our role and how we can support economic development, small businesses, and the businesses that really help the community,” said Reid.
Director of Client Experience at the Winbrook/PROMO marketing company Mike Champoux said the event provided an opportunity for businesses to reinvent themselves and figure out what the new market looks like in the post-pandemic world.
“From a business perspective, and also from the community and municipal perspective, we are looking for the ways and opportunities to continue to bring ourselves back into production,” said Champoux.
Massachusetts Growth Capital Corporation President Lawrence D. Andrews said the breakfast was a great way to address ongoing efforts to recover from the pandemic and move forward. He said everyone has work to do in order to recover from the effects of COVID-19.
“A lot of help and money is continuing to unfold, not only with the legislature, but also with the administration, and we need to get them into the hands of those that really need help to move forward,” said Andrews.
Despite this necessary work and the obstacles that need to be overcome in order to achieve this recovery and equity in the commonwealth, Kennealy concluded his speech to the community leaders on a positive note.
“Our future is incredibly bright in Massachusetts,” he said.