As Republican Charles Baker seeks to capture the independent vote that bolstered U.S. Sen. Scott Brown’s win, a Herald review shows Harvard Pilgrim tripled the former CEO’s annual salary as it hit consumers with a 150 percent increase in premiums.

Brown rode to victory as an independent voice on health care, a position critics say Baker will have a tough time following with those numbers.

Baker defends his record and argues that Gov. Deval Patrick is late to the health-care discussion. He said he’s been “shouting from the rooftops” about the need for hospitals and medical providers to make the cost of health care more transparent, and pushing for legislation that would control costs.

“My salary’s been a matter of public record for 20 years, and I’m probably the only candidate,” for whom that’s the case, Baker said. Baker’s salary as CEO of Harvard Pilgrim surged from $548,351 in 1999 to a high of $1.7 million in 2008. He earned $1.3 million in seven months in 2009 before he resigned to run for governor last summer, filings with the state Attorney General show.

Over the same period, premiums at Harvard Pilgrim went up by 100 to 200 percent.

When Baker took the reins in 1999, rates on Harvard Pilgrim’s most popular plans ranged from about $166 to $187 a month per member. Those rates soared to $425 to $483 a month, as of April, according to filings with the Massachusetts Division of Insurance.

Two months ago, the Commonwealth elected a Republican to the Senate due in part to his promise to be the 41st vote against the health care bill. With health care being at the front line of today’s political battleground, will those same voters ignore the fact that Charlie Baker was “part of the problem” with the health care industry?

“You have to look at him as the incumbent in terms of health-care costs,” said Democratic operative Michael P. Shea. “If you look at his salary and the increases that people are paying now, how can he say he did a good job? It’s absolutely fair to pin this on him. He hasn’t shown he’s part of the solution, he’s part of the problem.”

Patrick is expected to keep the focus on health care – and keep the heat on Baker – as he proposes a so-called soft cap on premium increases. His plan pits him squarely against health insurers in an intensifying three-way race that also features unenrolled candidate Tim Cahill, the state treasurer.

Baker said Patrick is trying to shift the focus.

“This probably beats talking about spending and taxes and unemployment if you’re him,” Baker said. “I’ve supported a lot of things that would put my organization and my industry at risk. I have no idea if it’s going to be good or bad for my company or my industry, but it’s the right thing to do for the people of Massachusetts. I got a lot of grief from people for doing that.”

Sooner or later, he will have to address the real issue, rather than playing the “I’m rubber and you’re glue” argument, just Deval Patrick will have to answer to his criticisms too. A guy making nearly $2 million a year, while us regular people are paying painfully high health care premiums…maybe, according to Harvard Pilgrim, he did deserve the salary bump…but anyone who didn’t see their salaries triple may think differently.

A majority of Bay State voters say Gov. Deval Patrick has mishandled the state’s economy, according to a poll released this morning.

The Suffolk University/7 News survey of 600 registered voters found that while 37 percent approve of the governor’s management of the local economy, 55 percent disapprove. Of that number, 29 percent strongly disapprove.

“It’s one of many data points that show the majority of voters are unhappy with the governor,” said David Paleologos, director of Suffolk’s Political Research Center, who conducted the poll from Nov. 4-8. The poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 4 percent.

Oddly enough, Patrick leads the three-way contest against Tim Cahill and Christy Mihos, according to the Suffolk University/7 News survey.

Gov. Patrick’s negative marks have inched up to 47 percent since September, when they stood at 45 percent. Nevertheless, he remains predominant (36 percent) in a contest with state Treasurer Tim Cahill (26 percent), running as an Independent, and Republican businessman Christy Mihos (20 percent).

And still interesting to note that Christy Mihos still leads the way in the race for the Republican Primary.

Republican primary voters give Mihos the edge (33 percent) over Harvard Pilgrim Health Care CEO Charlie Baker (30 percent) in a GOP primary. Baker led Mihos among registered Republicans (33 percent to 28 percent) but Mihos, a former Independent candidate for Governor in 2006, outpolled Baker among Republican-leaning Independents (39 percent to 25 percent).

A general election scenario with Baker in the mix ticks Patrick up to 38 percent; Cahill remains at 26 percent; and Baker gets just 15 percent.

Doesn’t look like Charlie Baker is making much progress if he wants to get the Republican nod.

And what about the Senate special election?

On the race to replace Sen. Edward M. Kennedy’s seat, 56 percent of voters are undecided over which candidate offers the best economic policies.

Attorney General Martha Coakley, a Democrat, topped the six-person race with 13 percent, followed by 11 percent for Republican state Sen. Scott Brown, 10 percent for Celtics [team stats] co-owner and Democrat Stephen Pagliuca and 9 percent for Congressman Michael Capuano (D-Somerville). Democrat and City Year co-founder Alan Khazei and Republican Jack E. Robinson were at zero percent.

More data on the poll from Suffolk University…

On the Democratic side of the Senate race, 44 percent chose Coakley, followed by 17 percent for Celtics co-owner Steve Pagliuca, 16 percent for U.S. Rep. Michael Capuano, and 3 percent for City Year founder Alan Khazei. Twenty percent were undecided.

“Steve Pagliuca scored the biggest improvement since September,” said David Paleologos, director of the Suffolk University Political Research Center. “He traveled from zero to second place by flooding the air waves with TV ads. However, he still has not secured the most aware Democratic voters who are choosing Coakley and Capuano before him.”

On the Republican side, state Sen. Scott Brown (45 percent) led Jack E. Robinson (7 percent) with 47 percent undecided.

In General Election head-to-head matchups between the Democratic contenders and the GOP’s Brown, only Khazei fell short, with 33 percent of voters choosing Brown and 30 percent Khazei.

Still of lot of indecisiveness going on here. There’s still some time left before going to vote, and a lot can change.

Republican Charlie Baker kicked off his gubernatorial campaign today with an online video to supporters.

Charlie Baker: “When it comes to bringing change – I am two things: fearless and determined. And as your Governor, I will be both.”

In his first video to supporters, found on his new website, Massachusetts republican Charlie Baker makes his pitch for the state’s top job saying he has twice engineered turnarounds.

First as finance chief in the Weld and Carlucci administrations and second, when – as the CEO of Harvard Pilgrim – he pulled the health care company back from near bankruptcy.

So has his website… www.charliebaker2010.com

We now officially have a Republican Primary… Baker joins the primary battle with Christy Mihos, vying for the Republican nod to face Democrat Deval Patrick and presumably independent candidate Tim Cahill.

Republican Charlie Baker, the well-financed CEO of Harvard Pilgrim, has jumped into a quickly swelling 2010 gubernatorial race only two days after Treasurer Tim Cahill said he decided to switch political parties.

Baker, who is largely unknown to voters throughout the state, will leave Harvard Pilgrim on July 17 and set up a political committee by July 28, according to a source close to Baker.

“I am either the CEO of Harvard Pilgrim – or I’m building a campaign organization. I cannot do both,” Baker said in a statement.

Baker, who worked for former governors William Weld and Paul Cellucci, will face off against Christy Mihos, another self-funded Republican who announced he is running earlier this year, and Democratic Gov. Deval Patrick. Cahill, who admitted his change in parties was a jump closer to running, said he will make his final decison in September.

Baker’s decision had nothing to do with Cahill’s announcement this week, according to the source.

I don’t believe for one second that it has nothing to do with Cahill’s announcement. Nonetheless, time to gear up for a Republican Primary and watch the Democrats shoot themselves in the foot.

UPDATE: Here’s the press release from Harvard Pilgrim:

CHARLES D. BAKER TO LEAVE AS CEO OF HARVARD PILGRIM HEALTH CARE
BRUCE BULLEN NAMED AS INTERIM CEO OF HEALTH PLAN

(Wellesley) Harvard Pilgrim Health Care announced today that President and Chief Executive Officer Charles D. Baker will leave the company to put together a statewide electoral campaign. Bruce Bullen, the current Chief Operating Officer, was named the Interim CEO by the Harvard Pilgrim Board of Directors.

“For the past ten years, I’ve had the unique and wonderful opportunity to serve as the CEO of this outstanding organization. Over that period of time, Harvard Pilgrim has had a pretty great ride: six straight years of membership growth and nine years of positive financial performance under very difficult and very competitive circumstances,” said Charles D. Baker. “Harvard Pilgrim is in great shape – with a great team, a great strategy and a great future. Leaving the company is not an easy decision for me but there is no middle ground. I am either the CEO of Harvard Pilgrim – or I’m building a campaign organization. I cannot do both.”

Chairman of the Harvard Pilgrim Board of Directors, Barry Shermin, praised Baker for his leadership of the company stating, “Charlie Baker is an extraordinary leader whose accomplishments during his tenure at Harvard Pilgrim are unparalleled. Charlie and his leadership team have put us in a position of great strength today and we will continue to be the best health plan around.”

Baker will remain at Harvard Pilgrim through July 17th and Bullen will become Interim CEO at that time. Before becoming Harvard Pilgrim’s COO ten years ago, Bullen was the Commissioner of the Division of Medical Assistance, an independent state agency, responsible for the MassHealth (Medicaid) program. Bullen holds a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from the John F. Kennedy School at Harvard University and an undergraduate degree from Williams College.

“Charlie and I have put together a strong management team and a sound business plan. Our customers, provider partners and members will continue to receive the same great service they have received for the past ten years,” said Bruce Bullen. “Harvard Pilgrim’s future is bright. We just added 25,000 more members this month bringing our current membership to more than 1,080,000. Our membership gain tells us that the market is responding to our strategy of offering employers in Massachusetts, Maine and New Hampshire a variety of quality benefit options delivered with top-notch service.”

Harvard Pilgrim has been named the best plan in the country for four straight years by the U.S. News & World Report’s annual national survey of health plan performance and was recently identified as having the highest member satisfaction among commercial health plans in the New England Region in the J.D. Power and Associates 2009 National Health Insurance Plan Study*.

For the seventh year in a row, The Boston Business Journal named Harvard Pilgrim one of the Best Places to Work in Massachusetts in its annual regional awards program. The honor recognizes the company’s achievements in creating a positive work environment that attracts and retains employees through a combination of employee satisfaction, working conditions and company culture.

Harvard Pilgrim is a not-for-profit health plan that provides a variety of health benefit options and funding arrangements to more than one million members in Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Maine. For more information, please visit www.harvardpilgrim.org.

-30-

Gov. Deval Patrick says he’s sorry to see the Democrats lose a member but doesn’t have much else to say about Treasurer Timothy Cahill becoming an independent and possible gubernatorial challenger next year.

The governor said today the Democrats have to be about “appealing to and reaching out to everybody.”

Patrick says he’s reserving any further comment until the political season begins — even though he’s holding a pair of re-election fundraisers in Washington on Tuesday and Wednesday.

The two-term treasurer has decided to switch his voter registration from Democrat to unenrolled. That would let him avoid a primary fight against Patrick and proceed directly to the November 2010 general election ballot.

Convenience store magnate Christy Mihos is already seeking the Republican nomination and health care executive Charles Baker is considering a run, as well.

I’m not sure what Tim Cahill is thinking, but I suspect that Team Mihos is pretty happy right about now, and surely this will influence Charlie Baker’s decision about running for governor.

Cahill’s move will only help the Republican Party, much in the same way Christy Mihos running as an independent in 2006 hurt the Republicans (even though Patrick still garnered more than a simple majority of the vote). A primary battle is better than not having one, and if Patrick wasn’t doing enough to destroy the Democrats’ chances of keeping the corner office, Tim Cahill may have just done that. With Deval Patrick (D), Tim Cahill (I) and Christy Mihos (R), the smart money is Mihos. Looking at the poll that came out last week, there hasn’t been a better time to be a Republican than right now. Patrick will take the few remaining loyals and the straight party line voters, Cahill might take the Democrats who are fed up with Patrick, leaving the rest, a majority, to Mihos. If Baker decides to run, and wins the primary, he too should earn a victory.

Thank you, Tim Cahill.

Gov. Deval Patrick confirmed today he will run again for the Corner Office as he headed to a fund-raiser in New York, adding he has time to catch up to Treasurer Tim Cahill’s massive $3 million war chest.

“There’s a lot of time … to spend all that,” Patrick said when asked about competing with Cahill’s fund raising. “We’re going to be raising it and getting ready and building the base and all the rest of it.”

Patrick currently has $431,000 in his campaign chest, according to Office of Campaign and Political Finance records.

Patrick, who is flying to New York this afternoon, said the trip serves a dual purpose.

“I’m getting an award from an organization and we organized the fund-raiser so we’d make one trip and not two,” Patrick said. “I have some supporters down there who wanted to be helpful, so I’m in and out.”

When asked how he’ll retain the trust of the public, Patrick said he’d continue to bring change to areas such as auto insurance and replacing some police details with civilian flaggers on road construction sites.

“My job is to continue to do the job and not just think about how to hold onto it, and that’s a part of it I understand. But I’m not trying to make a career out of politics. I’m just trying to move the agenda,” Patrick said.

Can Governor Patrick hold on? Will Cahill embarrass the governor? Is the climate right for Christy Mihos to swoop in?

Despite presiding over a $1 billion loss last year, the executive director of the state’s pension fund will receive a $64,000 bonus on top of his $322,000 annual salary because the fund outperformed the market indexes and many other major state pension funds.

Michael Travaglini, who is already the highest paid state employee, and his two top aides will get a 20 percent bonus under benchmarks set by the nine-member Pension Reserves Investment Management Board in October. The other 23 members of the management staff will get bonuses of 16 percent.

The bonuses are kicking in as Travaglini is campaigning for salary increases of up to 5 percent for the agency’s staff, according to agency documents. But facing questions from the Globe yesterday, the board’s chairman, State Treasurer Timothy P. Cahill, pulled the pay increases from the agenda for today’s meeting.

The bonuses and the recommended raises come after the $50.6 billion fund registered a 1.8 percent loss for the 12-month period ending June 30, its first loss in five years. The pension board has noted that its investment returns place it among the top tier of public pension funds around the country.

Cahill did not respond to a Globe request for comment. His spokeswoman, Alison Mitchell, would only confirm that the treasurer had pulled the salary proposal from the agenda. Travaglini did not return calls seeking comment.

Massachusetts Republican Party Executive Director Robert Willington issued the following statement via press release:

Governor Patrick campaigned on a pledge to end the ‘Big-Dig’ culture, and has clearly failed to do so. Only in Massachusetts would the brother of a former Democrat Senate President be rewarded for losing one billion dollars. This loss casts further doubt on the intelligence of the massive borrowing proposed by Governor Patrick. Instead of holding self-congratulatory press conferences, maybe Governor Patrick should hold another one with Treasurer Cahill to explain the billion dollar loss, and why they are asking the taxpayers to contribute another $1.5 Billion to the pension fund this year.

In a time where everyone is making sacrifices, and most of us may not see a 20% bonus check this year (if any at all) because of these tough times, why isn’t anyone on the Hill learning about sacrifice? I guess you have to be someone’s brother in this state to avoid the gauntlet.

Oh, and I love the part about Michael Trav’s campaiging for pay increases of 5%. Hello!?!?!

State Treasurer Tim Cahill suffered an intra-party political defeat yesterday, getting trounced in his bid for a coveted delegate’s seat at the upcoming Democratic National Convention in Denver.

Cahill’s loss to Arthur Powell, a Democratic State Committee member from Beverly, is a blow to the treasurer, who has one of the state’s largest campaign war chests and is widely expected to make a future run for governor. He’s the only top-tier Democrat who ran but didn’t win, and he will be forced to watch from the sidelines as a slew of movers and shakers head to Denver to represent Massachusetts.

“He wishes Arthur Powell, the Clinton organization and all the delegates the best,” Cahill spokeswoman Alison Mitchell said in a statement.

Will this embarrassing defeat for Cahill play a role in his decision to run for governor? Time may heal all wounds, but this may force him to rethink his short term political plans. Of course, party officials downplay the significance of this embarrassment of Cahill. According to former MassDem Chairman Phil Johnston, ‚ÄúIt‚Äôs not anything against Tim. I think if Jesus Christ were running against a state committee member, the committee member would win.”

He’s probably right. But I would also add that in any election amongst Democrats, Jesus Christ wouldn’t win.

State Treasurer Timothy Cahill says he’d run for governor in the unlikely event that the position became open.

Cahill, a Quincy Democrat, said if Barack Obama won the presidency and Gov. Deval Patrick left his post for a cabinet position, he’d be a candidate for the corner office.

“I would love to have an opportunity to have more responsibility, to have an impact on the economy in a bigger way,” Cahill said, quickly adding that he doesn’t expect Patrick to step down from the governor’s job.

“It’s a big hypothetical,” Cahill said.

“The governor has made it clear he’s going to be here for four years, and maybe more.”

If Patrick were to serve two terms in office, the governor’s office would be out of consideration for other Democrats until 2014.

Considering the disastrous governorship of Deval Patrick, I would love to see a poll of Democrat primary voters on who they’d pick in a primary race between Deval Patrick and any serious potential candidates (aside from Cahill, Martha Coakley has been rumored to be eying the corner office) …

But, perhaps it’s not worth getting ahead of ourselves. Barack Obama is unelectable in a general election, and I wouldn’t expect any appointments from a third Clinton Administration since Deval didn’t endorse Hillary (not that Hillary is electable either) so I would just bank on Deval Patrick being around for his entire first term.

If there’s any comfort we can get out of that, it’s that he will only be making a mess of our state, not the entire country — where he could do even more damage.

Three former lawmakers attempting to bolster their taxpayer-funded pensions were denied yesterday by officials who said their requests would have imposed an unfair burden on the state.

“It’s just not fair to the general public,” said state Treasurer Tim Cahill, arguing that the pension hikes would have set an expensive precedent. “This would have added significant costs to the retirement system over the years.”

The three former lawmakers, Marie Parente of Milford, Thomas George of Yarmouth and Susan Pope of Wayland, were seeking to boost their pensions by factoring in allowances for parking, travel and office expenses. They still have multiple options for an appeal, first through a state board and then through the courts.

“I am not here today to get something I am not due,” Pope told the state’s retirement board. “I’m not here to squeeze something out of the commonwealth that I am not entitled to.”

I guess Billy Bulger just got lucky.