Quite surprised that this wasn't posted already. Is it that there is just nothing to debate? I, for one, would like to know
more about the current model, a proposed model, and a timeline, for municipal meltdown or recovery. Most importantly, what is the state's response?
From yesterday's GDT
Massachusetts municipal leaders sound warnings on finances
By State House News Service and The Times StaffBOSTON - Bay State municipal officials are warning the Patrick administration that city and towns are facing unsustainable budget environments - and some are saying the situation may threaten the entire model of local government.
At a monthly meeting of the Massachusetts Municipal Association's Local Government Advisory Council last week, Franklin Town Administrator Jeffrey Nutting said the state's cities and towns "are all sinking in the ship."
"We need to change the model," he said. "Local government is not sustainable under the current existing model."
Newly sworn-in Massachusetts Municipal Association President Bruce Tobey - president of the Gloucester City Council - said he expects fiscal 2009, which begins this July 1, to be "a tough year." He added that he doesn't expect any new sweeping proposals to crop up.
"The viable stuff is on the table," he said.
Tobey reiterated the municipal association's support for a plan to funnel 40 percent of the state's income, corporate and sales taxes back to the cities and towns, with at least a quarter of that revenue free for discretionary spending. "In the long-term, it's going to be that kind of revenue sharing that's going to do the job that needs to be done," he said.
He's hardly alone in viewing a need for that type of reform.
Natick Selectman Joshua Ostroff pointed to what he called a "looming civil war that's happening all across the state."
"People say, 'Well you've got this great new mall (in Natick),'" he said. "But we would need many Natick malls to help close our gap. The cost of delivering services is going up faster than revenues."
Somerville Mayor Joseph Curtatone said he expects a record number of requests to override tax-limiting Proposition 21/2 this year - and, most likely, a record number of failures. He praised the governor's proposal to boost investments in education aid to cities and towns and to increase money for municipal policing and anti-gang initiatives.
"You can't cut your way to success," he said.
The mayor said that even though he opposes introducing resort casinos in Massachusetts, he supports the governor's other revenue options, including corporate tax proposals and revenue raising provisions in his Municipal Partnership Act. But even with his opposition to expanded gambling, Curtatone said given the fiscal climate, he doesn't have the luxury of being choosy about where his budget revenue comes from.
"I'll be the first hypocrite to take the money if it comes through," he said, "so let's be honest."
While municipal officials paint dire budget pictures, state officials say they're sending cities as much local aid as possible, giving their other budget considerations and revenue limitations.
At the meeting, Lt. Gov. Tim Murray, Secretary of Administration and Finance Leslie Kirwan and Secretary of Energy and Environmental Affairs Ian Bowles provided an overview of the governor's top legislative and budgetary priorities.
Kirwan noted that a $223 million increase in Chapter 70 education aid was the second largest increase in the governor's plan, behind only Medicaid.
