Edward Hanley (state cabinet secretary)

Edward Thomas Hanley
Born	Template:Birth date Mission Hill, Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.
Died	June 12, 2007(2007-06-12) (aged 78) Westwood, Massachusetts, U.S.
Occupation(s)	Public servant, accountant, lawyer
Known for	Massachusetts Secretary of Administration and Finance; Vice chairman of the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority

Edward Thomas Hanley (December 16, 1928 – June 12, 2007) was an American public servant who held the positions of Massachusetts Secretary of Administration and Finance and vice chairman of the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority. He was a trusted associate of Edward J. King, with their collaboration beginning during their tenure at the Massachusetts Port Authority.

Early life

Hanley was born in Mission Hill to parents who had emigrated from Ireland; his father earned a living as a taxi driver. As a child, Hanley sold peanuts at Fenway Park and attended Mission Hill Grammar School, where he credited the School Sisters of Notre Dame for motivating him to rise above poverty. He served in the United States Navy during World War II and later worked as a bartender, where he met Theresa Connors, whom he wed in 1956. Together, they had eight children.

Following his military service, Hanley utilized the G.I. Bill to study at Bentley's School of Accounting and Finance (presently Bentley University), becoming a certified public accountant. He received a business degree from Boston College in 1958 and completed his law degree at Boston College Law School in 1962, passing the bar exam that same year.

Massachusetts Port Authority

In 1953, Hanley encountered Edward J. King while both were accountants at Lybrand, Ross Brothers & Montgomery (now PricewaterhouseCoopers). When King assumed the role of secretary-treasurer at the Massachusetts Port Authority in 1960, Hanley joined as comptroller. Upon King's promotion to executive director in 1963, Hanley took over as secretary-treasurer. Together, they played a key role in expanding Boston's Logan Airport. Hanley earned recognition for his adept management of the port authority’s financial operations. After King was dismissed by the Massport Board in 1974, Hanley briefly served as interim executive director before departing to establish a private tax law firm with John J. Egan, a relative of King's family. Additionally, he served on the boards of Catholic Charities USA and Blue Shield of Massachusetts.

Secretary of Administration and Finance

Following King’s victory in the 1978 gubernatorial election, Hanley left his profitable legal career to accept the position of Secretary of Administration and Finance—King’s inaugural appointment as governor. Regarded as King’s closest confidant and often referred to as "deputy governor," Hanley received acclaim for his precise revenue forecasts and consistent fiscal oversight after the implementation of Proposition 2½. Nonetheless, he faced criticism for not reducing state expenditures sufficiently to fulfill King’s $500 million tax rollback pledge and for delaying labor contract resolutions. Other cabinet members also expressed dissatisfaction with his pessimistic demeanor and his active involvement in their meetings with the governor.

In November 1981, Hanley declared his intention to resign in order to concentrate on his tax practice following Egan's passing. He officially left office in January 1982 and was succeeded by David M. Bartley.

Massachusetts Turnpike Authority

On June 30, 1980, Hanley altered his political affiliation from Democratic to Unenrolled, enabling his appointment to the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority—where membership rules limit the number of members from any single party. On September 28, 1982, he began an eight-year term on the board and spent six years serving as vice chairman. Hanley was notably opposed to utilizing the authority’s bonding capacity to fund the Central Artery/Tunnel Project (commonly known as the Big Dig). He resigned in 1989 out of frustration with what he perceived as an unqualified patronage appointment.

Later years and passing

Hanley resided with his family in Westwood, Massachusetts, and for approximately forty years, they also maintained a summer residence in Mashpee, Massachusetts. He passed away in Westwood on June 12, 2007, following an extended illness.