WOBURN — Mass. House Speaker Salvatore DiMasi, D-Boston, talked at length in Woburn last night on the "fear" of the public over personal and state finances, but not a word on a pending probe by the Attorney General's office on questioned finance deals by his accountant with state contractors.

DiMasi provided no word, either, of calling back the Legislature, but did address as positive his and Gov. Deval Patrick's plan to address the $1.4 billion deficit.

The role of state government leadership in immediately recognizing and addressing the $1.4 billion deficit, he felt, was the responsible way to go to serve the taxpayers best.

DiMasi talked to a Multi-Chamber Business Card Exchange at the new TradeCenter128 No. 300 Building facing Route 128.

In a half-hour talk, DiMasi stood perched behind a rostrum on the first landing of the foyer of the spanking new building, and addressed groups like the North Suburban Chamber of Commerce, the Lexington Chamber of Commerce, a host of exhibitors, and the business community at-large.

DiMasi, who has been under fire on the legal side regarding his campaign treasurer and accountant, had nothing to say about the pending probe.

DiMasi's close friend and campaign organizer Richard Vitale, an accountant, has been in the spotlight for his role in dealing with several campaign contributions, including Cognos of Cambridge Road in Burlington and Mr. Ticket.

"We should be creating jobs and stabilizing the economy," remarked DiMasi.

DiMasi figures the state of Massachusetts would survive the national recession by its ingenuity and many innovative areas within the economy, such as health care and education. However, he started his talk by noting in his travels, "There is fear among people out there."

By asking the federal government to help, it will help "grow our economy," reasoned DiMasi. "We are already doing our part by addressing the $1.45 billion problem area."

"These are unparalleled times," DiMasi intoned at the start of his talk. "We are in serious economic times in the state, the nation and the world. One has only to read the newspapers to know it. People are afraid."

DiMasi shared several stories, including his own at a Boston College Alumni Club gathering where he spoke directly with a president of a major New York Stock Exchange company about his own personal 401K retirement plan. "We had a lot to interesting things to say," reflected DiMasi who said the "fear factor" permeated the discussion.

Future

One major goal, he said, is to get it all back on track at the state level and with the state's economy. At times, he pointed out, Treasurer Timothy Cahill was reporting that the state didn't know who was actually holding the state bonds when they were being sold.

DiMasi, who has a degree in Economics from Boston College, also got time to chat with William Cummings of the Woburn-based Cummings Properties, who has a degree in Economics from Tufts University.

Cummings Properties has been reporting just 10 percent of occupancy in the spanking new, upscale No. 300 and No. 400 Trade Center Park, as filling vacancies these days can be a daunting task.

DiMasi in his talk, however, reflected on the bad time back in the state in the late 1980s and eventually the state establishing a "rainy day fund" during good times.

Some $200 million would be taken from the fund in the latest Deval Patrick plan to meet the state deficit (the state reportedly will be able to pay its bills through January 2009). "We didn't do it originally because of opposition with the tax issue," said DiMasi, who now praised the idea.

"We are cutting," he said at another juncture, "but I don't think relief will be coming right away. In the end, it is hoped we will create a better, more solid economy. Here in Mass., we have the educational and financial serves, as well as a lot of industry."

As one example, he pointed to the new Life Sciences bill that got passed, that should create jobs.

"Small businesses like yourself are so important," he told the gathering from his perch on the first landing. "Going green is very important, too," he added, noting energy efficiency has to be a top priority.

"We've got to grow our economy and we are in very difficult times," DiMasi said. "Hard work and a strong work ethic have worked in the past."

"You have to have confidence in yourself, and, hopefully, there will be a resurgence in the real estate market," he concluded.

DiMasi in recent days has been involved in political dodgeball on a host of issues, especially on calling back the Legislature.

He has ducked the Attorney General's questions and has picked-and chosen some events to attend and not to attend; e.g., he blew off the dedication of the former State Treasurer Robert Crane Park at Boston College, but made an evening event in Woburn and at the Medford Chamber of Commerce.

The Woburn event was also a chance to confer with Congressman Edward Markey, who represents Wakefield, Winchester and Woburn in this area, along with State Representative Jay Kaufman, D., Lexington, who represents Wards 1 (South End) and 7 (West Woburn) in Woburn.