House speaker betrays Mass. frustration in open letter to Facebook CEO

Courtesy of House Speaker Robert DeLeo.

In an open letter to Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, Massachusetts House Speaker Robert DeLeo touts the state Zuckerberg left years ago.

Robert DeLeo, the speaker of the Massachusetts House of Representatives, posted an open letter to Facebook Inc.? ? Facebook Inc. Latest from The Business Journals GM pulling Facebook ads, saying they don't workDBJ Tech Watch for Wednesday: Facebook IPO, Apple, Google, MicrosoftFacebook IPO gets 25% larger, top target now B Follow this company CEO Mark Zuckerberg, Wednesday.

The letter, posted to AOL's Menlo Park, Calif., Patch site, touts the Bay State's recent efforts to lure businesses and make it easier for companies to find talent.

"There is no denying California?s strengths, but a lot has changed in Massachusetts in the eight years since Facebook moved out," DeLeo writes. "It?s a place where young workers, start-up companies and innovation entities want to be."

I think the letter's chipper tone is hiding a bitter taste. DeLeo and Massachusetts officials must be frustrated that in spite of California's inability to balance a budget, people still call Massachusetts "Taxachusetts," and young companies still head to the Golden State.

DeLeo touts Massachusetts' "Talent Pipeline" for the young and technologically gifted. But if you listen closely during graduation season, you can hear the real talent pipeline. It is sucking the fruit of Bay State universities west, to work at Google Inc.? ? Google Inc. Latest from The Business Journals DBJ Tech Watch for Wednesday: Facebook IPO, Apple, Google, MicrosoftGoogle seeking more control over Android devicesGoogle seeks more control over Android devices Follow this company (Nasdaq: GOOG) and Apple Inc.? ? Apple Inc. Latest from The Business Journals Will Apple's iPhone screen get bigger?Apple iPhone screen to grow to 4 inches?DBJ Tech Watch for Wednesday: Facebook IPO, Apple, Google, Microsoft Follow this company (Nasdaq: AAPL), to mention just two of the large, public technology companies in Silicon Valley.

The Massachusetts house speaker points out that, while California has a $16 billion budget deficit, Massachusetts is saving $100 million on health care, and is in line for $250 million in "Race to the Top" grants from the federal government.

I guess the timing of DeLeo's letter is no mystery: Facebook is planning to IPO this week ? a financing event that just got bumped up in size by 25 percent. Looks like the politicians in Sacramento may get another capital gains tax bailout, enabling them to continue their dysfunctional reign over California's purse strings.

For Massachusetts lawmakers and boosters, the eight-year sting of Facebook's founding in a Harvard University? ? Harvard University Latest from The Business Journals Q&A: New president of Ohio State Bar AssociationFacebook's new IPO range could make it worth 0B Facebook sets new IPO range, reaching into 12 figures Follow this company dorm just hasn't gone away.

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