Talking Politics

Healey’s pork problem

By DAVID S. BERNSTEIN | July 19, 2006

“It will become more of an issue because she portrays herself as the hero to the local community,” says Cyndi Roy, spokesperson for the Massachusetts Democratic Party. “She, of all people, should know how important these projects are.”

“I have to think that various local officials are going to say to her, ‘You came out here and said you hear our concerns, and then you go back and do this to us,’ ” DeLeo says. “It illustrates a disconnect between her and the local officials and residents.”

Healey quickly hit the road touting the new budget’s significant increase in local aid. But Democrats say that, with inflation, that aid still falls short of 2002 levels. Towns are still struggling to provide basic services: just last month, Auburn’s police department suspended investigations on 60 cases because it ran out of money to operate its detective bureau.

That’s why the veto of seemingly penny-ante projects may carry special force. Romney’s argument that towns should pay for such projects themselves rings painfully hollow to residents who can’t even afford to keep their libraries open.

Presaging a possible campaign theme, Murray asks: “Are our cities and towns better off than they were four years ago, with her as the liaison to municipalities? I think the answer is a resounding no.”

The vetoes also play into the ever-present feeling, fair or not, that local taxes pay for Boston boondoggles — symbolized by the Big Dig, but also represented by the $55 million for transportation improvements around Fenway Park that escaped Romney’s veto pen. “There’s an awful lot of resentment,” agrees State Senator Edward Augustus Jr. (D-Worcester). “Boston is resurrecting the waterfront, that’s great. But people in our neck of the woods say, ‘How come you’re begrudging me $50,000?’ ”

On the Web
Romney's vetoes: http://www.mass.gov/legis/bills/house/veto.pdf
Preservation MASS: http://www.preservationmass.org/
Tim Murray criticizes vetoes: http://www.timmurray.org/mambo/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=78&Itemid=1

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Few of the state’s 351 municipalities were spared the ax in the governor’s recent line-item spending vetoes. Here is a partial list of funding approved by the legislature but nixed by Mitt Romney. Many of these will be put back through veto overrides.

Amesbury $20,000 for cultural center
Billerica $100,000 for Vietnam Veterans Park improvements
Bourne $37,500 for traffic patrols
Braintree $100,000 to build gazebo/bandstand
Framingham $75,000 for Danforth Building repairs
Gardner $175,000 to renovate the Greenwood Memorial Bath House
Granby $100,000 for Town Hall improvements
Haverhill $2.6 million to help pay off Hale Hospital debt
Holliston $800,000 Sherborn Rail Trail improvements
Holyoke $50,000 for Heritage State Park merry-go-round
Hopedale $250,000 for pond improvements
Hopkinton $250,000 for Athletic Association
Hyannis $75,000 for Athletic Association
Lawrence $43,700 for election-monitoring computers
Longmeadow $100,000 for community festival
Lowell $200,000 for Cawley Stadium improvements
Lynn $5 million for Manning Field
Melrose $200,000 for street lights
Methuen $50,000 to repair senior-center roof
Milton $1 million to revitalize Central Avenue
New Bedford $100,000 for Zeiterion Theatre; $50,000 for art museum
Newburyport $40,000 for Economic Development Department’s Jump Start Program
North Adams $50,000 for Mohawk Theater improvements
Northampton $100,000 for the Lilly Library
Pittsfield $1 million for cinema rehabilitation
Quincy $300,000 for Manet Community Health Center
Saugus $250,000 to build community running track
South Hadley $50,000 for Old Firehouse Museum
Springfield $250,000 to upgrade the Bing Theater and CityStage
Stoughton $1 million to revitalize business district
Tewksbury $400,000 to expand senior center
Wakefield $50,000 for parking-alleviation study
Waltham $150,000 for parking-garage-improvement study
West Springfield $10,000 for police detail at parade
Woods Hole $50,000 for film festival
Worcester $2 million to replace fire station

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