Governor Rendell Praises Budget Secretary for Work Overseeing PA's Finances; Wishes Him Well in New Philly School District Post
HARRISBURG, Pa., May 28 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Governor Edward G. Rendell today congratulated Budget Secretary Michael J. Masch for being selected to be the School District of Philadelphia's new chief business officer.
Masch, who will become a key member of the district's management team, has been the Governor's top budget advisor since the Governor took office in 2003. "I have had the pleasure of serving in government with Mike Masch, first, for almost eight years in Philadelphia and, now, more than five years as Governor of the Commonwealth," Governor Rendell said. "Mike has been a tremendous asset to the citizens of Philadelphia and to the citizens of this state. I believe he has been as good a budget secretary as any who have served in this role for the commonwealth.
"The fact that the commonwealth is one of few states running a budget surplus while other states are grappling with billion-dollar deficits is a tribute to his wise stewardship. And, unlike almost any other state, due to Mike's creativity and discipline we have driven down the cost of operating the government by more than $1.5 billion, with most of these savings coming from groundbreaking new ways to manage our Medicaid and related welfare resources," he said. "But, Mike has been more than just a budget secretary. He was integral to framing the initiatives of this administration, which have invested in the growth of the commonwealth and which have produced impressive results. "His help in designing and launching the economic stimulus program has been key to the success of this effort, which contributed to reaching the historically high level of jobs in Pennsylvania. From the stimulus program, to Growing Greener II, to the strategies we have put in place to reform public education, Mike has been a key player at the table helping get these key programs enacted and underway. All of these plans were developed with the guidance and leadership of Michael Masch. "I know that Michael will bring all these qualities to his new role at the school district and he will do the same superb job for the district on behalf of the children in the city as he did for us. "No large urban district can achieve progress without strong fiscal discipline and a creative approach to seemingly intractable problems. Mike has these qualities and more to offer to the school district," the Governor said. As the leader of the Office of the Budget, Masch has had the overall responsibility for preparing the Governor's budget and implementing it after legislative enactment. He has also been responsible for maintaining Pennsylvania's accounting, payroll, debt issuance and financial reporting systems and programs. Masch and his staff have carried out special analyses on all aspects of fiscal policy for the Governor and he has provided other senior officials of the commonwealth with the information they need to evaluate the impact of current and possible new policies and programs on the finances of the state. Also as budget secretary, Masch has served on a number of boards and commissions, including the Pennsylvania Convention Center Authority, the Pennsylvania Infrastructure Investment Authority, the Pennsylvania Employees Benefit Trust Fund, the Commonwealth Financing Authority, the Tobacco Settlement Investment Board, the Intergovernmental Cooperation Authority for the City of Philadelphia, and the Intergovernmental Cooperation Authority for the City of Pittsburgh. Masch is no stranger to the School District of Philadelphia. He was named to the Philadelphia Board of Education in 2000 by then-Mayor John F. Street. He served as chair of the board's finance committee until December 2001 when the Philadelphia school board was replaced by a new state-local School Reform Commission that was established by the Governor of Pennsylvania and the Pennsylvania Legislature. In 2002, Masch was appointed by then-Governor Mark Schweiker and Mayor Street to serve as one of five members of the new commission. While Masch will be missed, Governor Rendell said the commonwealth will continue to benefit from his leadership and the fiscal path he created during his time in Harrisburg. "My budget office is filled with supremely capable individuals who work very well as a team and who are committed to being fiscally responsible for the benefit of the taxpayers of Pennsylvania," Governor Rendell said. The Rendell administration is committed to creating a first-rate public education system, protecting our most vulnerable citizens and continuing economic investment to support our communities and businesses. To find out more about Governor Rendell's initiatives and to sign up for his weekly newsletter, visit www.governor.state.pa.us. CONTACT:
CONTACT: Chuck Ardo of Pennsylvania Office of the Governor, Web Site: http://www.governor.state.pa.us/
2008-05-28 18:19:03 0372287 PRNEWSWIRE
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