Global is local

Eric Paley wants to think globally, act locally.

The venture capitalist has been making the local rounds since he was tapped by Gov. Maura Healey as her economic development secretary last year, including a dinner last October with Bryan Koop, BXP’s executive vice president, and Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce’s Jim Rooney, among other business leaders, at the steakhouse Mooo… Seaport.

The other day he was back in the Seaport, this time for a panel in front of members of the commercial real estate group NAIOP Massachusetts. Koop was there, too, as the moderator. He noted that while there were other panelists, including top executives from a pharmaceutical company and an architecture firm, when he asked for questions ahead of time, emailers were most interested in answers from Paley.

Asked about his priorities over the next few years, Paley said that while there is plenty of complaining about losing business to stateside competitor North Carolina, state officials plan a global focus: “Where would you want to launch if you’re in a European country? North Carolina is not that appealing. Massachusetts looks amazing because it is open when the U.S. is overall not.”

Compared to the most commercial European cities, Boston is inexpensive and provides a “great opportunity [for us] to go against the trend” of the U.S. receding as a global player under the Trump administration, he added.

The go-global strategy was on display this week. Paley on Tuesday joined Healey and a delegation from Denmark for the signing of an economic partnership agreement. That same day, Healey and the Australian ambassador met, with meetings on tap Wednesday with officials from Nova Scotia on offshore wind.

In the press conference with the Danish, Healey said her administration is looking toward more global alliances and foreign investments. Jesper Møller Sørensen, Denmark’s ambassador to the U.S., added that he hopes to strengthen ties with Nevada, Oklahoma, and a unnamed state with a Republican governor later this year.

When a reporter asked how things were between the U.S. and Denmark after several rounds over the Trump administration’s obsession with acquiring Greenland, Sørensen stuck to the stock answer of the two countries having 225 years of uninterrupted diplomatic relations. (Possible translation: The Danes measure their plans in centuries.)

The Healey administration is counting years more so than centuries, and more specifically, maybe around 270 days from now. GOP opponents hoping to face off against her in November and MassFiscal, a nonprofit that does not release its donors, have hammered the Democrat over company layoffs. Panera, Zipcar and Thermo Fisher Scientific have separately announced they’re cutting a total of 260 jobs. A Hyannis plant that produces 4% of the total volume of Cape Cod Potato Chips, is shutting down.

Both Paley and Healey have pointed to the recent Associated Industries of Massachusetts survey, which had 70% saying their business was doing well but just 46% were confident in the economy. They’re mindful of the vibe.

In front of the NAIOP crowd, Paley added that Massachusetts faces headwinds from the Trump administration pulling back funding and placing the responsibility of social services funding more on the Bay State. “While it’s contracting, it’s choosing where to contract from. And Massachusetts is a good target, politically, on that front.”

But Paley added that there are companies committing to expansions and growing. (A recent Boston Business Journal headline, coming just after the layoffs news: “MIT-born metal manufacturer secures $220M as it plans [Mass.] third factory, 100+ new hires.”)

In a phone interview with MASSterList, Paley reiterated that a dynamic economy like the one in Massachusetts has hirings and layoffs happening in various sectors, as well as expansions, on any given day. But federal policies have created worry and a lack of confidence, causing people to hesitate on investing, he added. “We’re getting really good results and everyone sees storm clouds, and they don’t know if they’re coming in this direction or not,” he said.

Answer to yesterday’s news trivia: The two Mass. lawmakers who voted to hold Bill Clinton in contempt were Stephen Lynch and Ayanna Pressley, a sign of the steep decline in local influence for the former president. Back to the state’s economy: How would you describe it these days? Shaky or doing just fine? Drop me a line: gin@massterlist.com.

HAPPENING TODAY

…..The Department of Revenue is due to report on January tax collections, a “significant month for revenues” that generally produces about 10% of annual state tax revenue……

9:00 | The Supreme Judicial Court hears arguments in four cases, including one that concerns the purported transfer of a 21-acre one-time cranberry bog in Centerville. | John Adams Courthouse, Room 1, 1 Pemberton Sq., Boston | More Info

9:30 | Attorney General Andrea Campbell gives a keynote speech at the Massachusetts School Counselors Association’s Annual Advocacy and Leadership Workshop. | State House, Boston

11:00 | House Democrats begin meetings with Reps. Dan Cahill and Carlos González to discuss immigration policy. Gov. Maura Healey last week filed both legislation and an executive order aimed at protecting immigrants from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The Black and Latino Legislative Caucus also unveiled legislation known as the PROTECT Act. | House Members’ Lounge, State House, Boston

1:00 | Gov. Maura Healey hosts a delegation from Nova Scotia, led by Premier Tim Houston, to sign a new agreement regarding offshore wind. | Governor’s Ceremonial Office, State House, Boston

1:30 | Civil liberties advocates and domestic violence survivors offer an educational exhibit and a reception on threats to digital privacy and legislative solutions. | Outside Room 437, State House, Boston

2026 CAMPAIGN FIX

HOWARD WINS: State Rep. Vanna Howard won a Democratic primary for state Senate against fellow House lawmaker Rodney Elliott by a 957-vote margin. The vacant seat was held by the late Sen. Ed Kennedy. Howard will face off in a general special election against Republican Sam Meas. – Lowell Sun

SELECTIVE OUTRAGE: As the tranche of Jeffrey Epstein files included mentions of people with Massachusetts ties, two of the three GOP candidates for governor expressed outrage over an email from a political consultant whose firm, Newgrange Consulting, did work for Gov. Maura Healey was found in the document dump. – Boston Herald

AUCHINCLOSS CHALLENGER: Former financial regulator Ihssane Leckey, who previously ran for Congress, is planning another run and challenging incumbent Jake Auchincloss. – WPRI

AI IN CAMPAIGNS: Generative AI is cropping up in elections around the country, including speechwriting, and political ads, such as GOP gubernatorial candidate Brian Shortsleeve’s parody of a Healey campaign ad that faked her voice. – State House News Service

BERKSHIRE SEAT: Andrew Fitch, a North Adams councilor, plans to run in the 1st Berkshire House district. The seat is held by former North Adams mayor John Barrett III. – Berkshire Eagle

FROM BEACON HILL

SERVICE PLAZA DRAMA: Jeffrey Shapiro, the state inspector general, plans to release findings from his investigation into the highway service plaza redevelopment efforts in the coming weeks, he told a legislative committee. – GBH News

BUNKERING DOWN: The Supreme Judicial Court heard arguments in a land dispute between Nahant town meeting voters and Northeastern University. Northeastern officials had wanted to create a coastal sustainability institute into and on top of a decommissioned military bunker. – CommonWealth Beacon

PHARMA SUIT: Attorney General Andrea Campbell has joined a multistate lawsuit against Novartis and generic subsidiary Sandoz, alleging price fixing and bid-rigging. – Boston Business Journal

NEWS NEXT DOOR

HOLYOKE COUNCILOR: Holyoke Councilor Israel Rivera should resign after his arrest video, local police unions say, pointing to a hostility to law enforcement and racial “slurs.” – MassLive

MORE SNAP FRAUD: Four Massachusetts people are accused of a federal food assistance scheme that allegedly netted them more than $1.1 million from Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits from the Bay State and Rhode Island. – WBUR

CITY HALL SCANDAL: A domestic violence charge against a fired Boston City Hall staffer in the economic development office, Chulan Huang, was dropped by a judge. – GBH News