House likely to OK life sciences bill; Money for Worcester gene therapy center
BYLINE: John J. Monahan, TELEGRAM & GAZETTE STAFF
DATELINE: BOSTON
House Speaker Salvatore F. DiMasi, D-Boston, said he expects the House to pass a $1 billion, 10-year life sciences development bill tomorrow that includes money for a major new gene therapy research center in Worcester and a variety of incentives for expansion of the life sciences industry.
"I believe it will have overwhelming support," Mr. DiMasi said of the vote expected on the legislation, first proposed last year by Gov. Deval L. Patrick as a major initiative in his economic development program.
It would authorize $500 million in state bond funds, $250 million in tax incentives and $250 million in direct state appropriations for life sciences research, construction of facilities, job training programs and startup and expansion assistance for businesses over the next decade.
Mr. DiMasi said the bill includes "tax credits to keep biotech jobs and companies in Massachusetts, and expanded grant funding to keep the best and brightest working here in our laboratories."
He said it takes "a targeted approach to growing our already first in the world life science cluster," and promises to add thousands of jobs to the 65,000 existing jobs in the state in the fields of biotechnology and life sciences.
Jobs and development, he said, are not the only benefits. "I am equally excited about the treatments and cures that are possible through biotech and life sciences," said Mr. DiMasi, who oversaw revisions to the governor's bill to produce the legislation set to go before the House for approval.
"We have the opportunity to expedite the eradication of worldwide diseases. We also have the opportunity to address some of the real growing health concerns in Massachusetts, including diabetes, Alzheimer's disease, and cancer," Mr. DiMasi said.
State Rep. James J. O'Day, D-West Boylston, said he plans to vote for the legislation and strongly supports the initiative.
Provisions for a $90 million state contribution to an advanced gene therapy research center to be built at the University of Massachusetts Medical School in Worcester will leverage $200 million in other funding for the project, he said. It is also expected to create about 700 permanent jobs and 5,000 construction jobs.
"I think there can be an unbelievable impact. It's great for Central Massachusetts and Worcester and the whole commonwealth," he said. "We have a real nucleus in Worcester that we can spin manufacturing off of and there are a whole host of different businesses associated with this. In the long run it is going to generate so many great jobs for our families in Central Mass., it is something we have to do," said Mr. O'Day, whose district includes part of Worcester.
He and Mr. DiMasi attended a meeting at the Statehouse yesterday
highlighting the Massachusetts Biotechnology Education Foundation, which uses $750,000 in state funds and $450,000 in biomedical industry contributions for local high school grants that pay for teacher training, laboratory equipment and professional advisers to gear up biomedical classes.
Mr. O'Day said the program allows participating high schools to begin preparing students for possible career paths in the life sciences and medical fields. "What is so exciting about it is we have UMass in our backyard and we have the biotech park in our backyard," Mr. O'Day said.
He said the value of the classroom work is enhanced by the growing number of good paying jobs in biotechnology around the Worcester area. "This gives kids a lot of impetus, that if they really study hard and really get into this area, there are jobs waiting that pay some pretty significant amounts of money," Mr. O'Day said.