March 16, 2010

Moore can’t support local cuts
Services, layoffs cited
By John J. Monahan

BOSTON —  Legislative budget leaders last week announced they expect to cut local aid to cities and towns by up to 4 percent, but one ranking Democrat yesterday called for renewed efforts to avoid the local aid cut.

State Sen. Richard T. Moore, D-Uxbridge, in a letter to Senate President Therese Murray, D-Plymouth, said he cannot support a 4 percent cut in local aid and noted that even without the reduction, communities are facing substantial layoffs and service cuts.

“For many communities I represent, even level-funded local aid will result in serious cuts in public education, library services, and other vital services,” Mr. Moore wrote in the letter.

He said those new cuts would come on top of repeated spending reductions and belt tightening at the local level over the last two years.

Mr. Moore joins Republicans in the Legislature who also called for reconsideration of the budget-cutting plans, and Gov. Deval L. Patrick, who offered a budget with no local aid cuts, but relies on new taxes on cigars, candy, sweetened beverages and revenues from a bottle bill expansion.

Mr. Moore said it’s not clear the $200 million needed to avoid the local aid cuts can be found through additional revenues or cuts in state spending in other areas. But he argued its worth trying.

He said the U.S. Senate last week approved an extension of special Medicaid funds to the state that would add $600 million in revenue not yet being counted on by legislative budget leaders.

Mr. Moore said that approval is pending in the House and, if approved, would extend that funding from the end of 2010 through July 2011.

Those funds would not come in the form of extra money, he said, as they must be used for Medicaid programs, but he said it would amount to $600 million that would not have to be cut from the budget.

“We should look to see if there are other areas we can tighten up on,” he said, although he acknowledged this budget is one of the most difficult he has seen.

Mr. Moore said he also hopes to see approval of a municipal aid package that would help cities and towns work with unions to scale back employee health insurance costs, which are among the fastest growing local budget factors.

“If there is any way we can figure out the financing to avoid cuts this year, we should, because we know it isn’t going to get any better next year when the federal money dries up,” he said of an anticipated end to federal stimulus spending that has propped up the last two state budgets.

House minority leader Bradley H. Jones Jr., R-North Reading, complained about the announcement Friday of the plan to cut local aid by House and Senate Ways and Means chairmen.

He said 20 Democrats in the House have signed on to the GOP proposal for no local aid cuts for the year that begins July 1.

“It’s too bad only a handful of people are making these decisions behind closed doors instead of in an open and transparent manner,” Mr. Jones said. He said the aid reduction should be debated in public.

Mr. Moore said while the state is looking at savings from transportation and pension reforms adopted last year, those savings would be long term.

He said, however, some legislators may be more favorable to expanded gambling if it appeared license fees for slot parlors or casinos could produce immediate state revenues.

http://www.telegram.com/article/20100316/NEWS/3160383/1052