Democratic gubernatorial candidate and State Sen. Michael J. Barrett '70 said yesterday that Massachusetts is still in a recession and needs creative new policies to emerge as an economically healthy state.

Addressing 20 members of the College Democrats during a dinner in Quincy House, Barrett said the policies of current Gov. William F. Weld '66 will hinder Massachusetts' attempts at economic recovery.

"The shedding of jobs isn't going to end soon," Barrett said. "We've lost our competitive edge, and New England is going to struggle over the next decade."

Barrett said he hopes to stimulate small business development by being an "idea guy." He said he wants to offer government incentives for businesses to meet international quality standards.

"We'll create an international quality extension service," he said. "We'll advertise our getting small companies ready to the rest of the country.

Barrett also said he wants to make it easier for unemployed workers to keep their homes, and he intends to provide a telephone number to all homeless individuals.

"If you can't give someone a residence, creating an electronic address will help," Barrett said.

Barrett said Weld's proposal for welfare reformis not realistic. While Weld's plan mandates thatrecipients he employed in order to be eligible forbenefits, employers will not have any incentive tooffer welfare recipients jobs under Weld' plan, hesaid.

Instead, Barrett said he advocates a welfarereform program that would subsidize the wages ofwelfare recipients.

Barrett reiterated his opposition to the deathpenalty, nothing that State Rep. Mark Roosevelt'78, another Democratic gubernatorial candidate,has recently changed his position and decided toadvocate the death penalty.

"I want to be governor," he said.

"But I'm not willing to kill people to begovernor."

Barrett echoed the sentiments of otherDemocratic candidates when he said he seeks thegovernorship not only because of his vision butalso because of Weld's failed tenure.

"[Weld] is jolly; he is fun; he is a club manextraordinaire; he plays squash," he said. "But hefails to appreciate how tough life can be ifyou've run into bad luck."

Barrett said much of Weld's popularity has comenot from his performance but from his pro-choicestance on abortion.

"Weld is getting national press because he'sprogressive on a few issues where the Republicansare regressive," he said