Cahill woos chamber with talk of being 'a fixer'

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Treasurer and gubernatorial candidate Tim Cahill addresses the North Shore Chamber of Commerce yesterday morning at the Danversport Yacht Club. Mark Lorenz

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September 9, 2010

By Ethan Forman Staff writer The Salem News Fri Sep 10, 2010, 11:45 AM EDT

This article has been corrected since publication. To read the correction, please click here.

DANVERS — State Treasurer Tim Cahill told the North Shore Chamber of Commerce yesterday morning that he is running as an independent to give voters a choice among three "equally qualified candidates."

"I'm not a reformer," Cahill told business leaders gathered in the main ballroom of the Danversport Yacht Club, "I'm a fixer. I don't like to just move the deck chairs around."

Cahill was fresh from Tuesday evening's gubernatorial debate with Democratic incumbent Gov. Deval Patrick, Republican challenger Charlie Baker and Green-Rainbow Party candidate Jill Stein.

"Last night, we had a debate, and contrary to what was written in the Boston newspapers, I was there," Cahill said.

Cahill added he tried to remain above the fray while Baker and Patrick sparred.

Patrick is scheduled to speak at the chamber's next breakfast forum Oct. 6 at the Crowne Plaza Boston North Shore.

"As a business organization, we generally espouse the business point of view," said chamber Chairman-elect John Hall, senior vice president of Salem Five Bank, before introducing Cahill.

Cahill, a former Democrat, said he is running as an independent to help separate "the warring parties" on Beacon Hill.

"You need someone who is an honest broker, who sees both sides of the fight," said Cahill, adding, "I know I'm not Charlie Baker's favorite person."

Cahill said he has been seen as a spoiler pulling votes from Baker, but Cahill noted he worked with Baker to get a new high school built in Swampscott, where Baker served as selectman for three years.

Cahill also noted that Patrick likes the three-way race, but he decided to break from the governor when Patrick refused to heed his warnings about a looming budget shortfall as the housing market crashed. Patrick, Cahill said, instead raised taxes and spent more.

Cahill said that if elected, he plans to replicate the success he's had reforming school construction statewide to reform other parts of state government, including health care and transportation projects.

"I want to take what we've done with schools and I want to apply it all across the state, especially with health care," said Cahill, the chairman of the Massachusetts School Building Authority.

Cahill said that under his watch, the authority has dealt with all but eight out of a backlog of 428 school projects and helped save cities and towns $2.3 billion in borrowing costs.

Cahill did this by putting a moratorium on new school construction for three years while working out a way to pay for projects — by earmarking about 20 percent of the state's sales tax for new school construction.

Cahill cited the merger of Essex Aggie, North Shore Technical High and Peabody's high school vocational programs and the planned construction of a $133 million "megavoke" in Danvers as something he kept a close eye on, given its complexity and its importance to jobs in the region. He singled out Senate Majority Leader Fred Berry, D-Peabody, for his leadership, which the chamber members applauded.

Cahill, a former high school wrestling coach, also spoke about his experience as a business owner when he ran the Handshakes Cafe in his hometown of Quincy for 12 years. He told business leaders he can sympathize with their plight of trying to grow a business while making ends meet.

"You want to make sure government lives within its means, as you all do," Cahill said.

In an interview, Cahill proposed eliminating income, sales and unemployment taxes for startup businesses of up to five people for the first three years to help them get off the ground.

"I think he's saying the right things," said Pete DiNardo of Topsfield, an insurance agent with Provider Insurance Group of Needham. However, Cahill has an uphill battle. "He has a challenge as an independent," DiNardo said.

Cahill arrived late to the forum because of traffic from thunderstorms during the morning commute, he said.

Chamber officials estimated there were 200 business leaders present, though there were empty seats at many of the tables. Those officials in attendance included state Rep. John Keenan, D-Salem; Danvers Town Manager Wayne Marquis; and Danvers Selectman Dan Bennett, an Essex Aggie trustee and Republican challenger for the state representative seat held by Danvers Democrat Ted Speliotis.

Staff writer Ethan Forman can be reached at 978-338-2673 or eforman@salemnews.com.