No money for towns: selectmen hear call to action
By Catie Foertsch Community Reporter

Westborough - At the beginning of fiscal year 2007, the state legislature forecast a drop in revenues and budgeted accordingly. But revenues were larger than expected, and the legislature now has an extra $450 million to spend.

On Oct. 23, Westborough's three state representatives came to the Board of Selectmen to express their frustration at the legislature's refusal to consider sending that money back to cities and towns to off set the $450 million that has been "siphoned off " from local aid over the last three years.

The selectmen pledged to send letters to a variety of organizations and legislators to try to get Westborough's fair share of the money, which would be $624,000.

State Reps. Karyn E. Polito, R-Shrewsbury; George N. Peterson Jr., R-Grafton; and Paul J.P. Loscocco, R-Holliston, were among the sponsors of an amendment to the deficiency budget being considered by the legislature, to send $450 million back to the commonwealth's cities and towns. In a party-line vote, the legislature refused the amendment.

Peterson told the selectmen that the money ought to go back to cities and towns to replace the $450 million the legislature has taken from lottery funds that were pledged to cities and towns. The state's $450 million in unanticipated revenues, coupled with the fact that the state's rainy day fund grew by $450 million this year, meant the state could well afford to reimburse towns and cities for the missing lottery money, he said.

"Our communities are struggling," Peterson said, but the proposal to send money back to them "went over like a lead balloon."

Peterson, Polito and Loscocco said they are filing legislation to send the money back, but need support from local government and from citizens to pressure the legislature into passing the legislation.

"The money was skimmed," Loscocco said. "We want to send it back."

Polito said the legislature needed to be "a better partner to our cities and towns," and that while the legislation would be a way to correct the problem of money meant for cities and towns being taken by the legislature, "We need your help. This issue needs to bubble up as a top priority" and that could only happen with a groundswell of support.

Rainy day funds

If the legislature won't send the extra $450 million back, the three representatives said, then the legislature ought to take $450 million from the rainy day fund and send that back. The state's rainy day fund has quadrupled in the last four years, from $500 million to over $2 billion, while the total amount in municipal rainy day funds has shrunk as towns and cities try to maintain services and balance their budgets.

Even so, Peterson said, many towns have had to cut teachers and other employees because budgets are so tight.

"It's a sad state of aff airs in Boston right now," Town Coordinator Henry Danis said. "Far too much time is being spent on casinos and not on the important problems of our cities and towns."