public parks

The Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation issued its latest report on the state of municipal budgets [Full Article: The Boston Globe].  There are no real surprises...that is if you have been paying attention to the economy, discussions in the State House regarding revenues and budget cuts, and watching your own city or town lose employees.  The surprises may be the magnitude of the unfunded pension and health funds that were measurable and promised as part of employment...that's unconscionable.

Our families and our communities need investments in the services, schools, and infrastructure that make Massachusetts a great place to live and work.  How will this happen?  In order to make the necessary investments, we need to raise significant revenues.  Governor Cuomo in New York has taken the lead, as has Governor Brown in California...That revenue should come primarily from the highest income earners.

“The numbers demonstrate just how difficult this recession and fiscal crisis have been for cities and towns,’’ said Michael J. Widmer, president of the Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation. “Their revenues have been virtually flat, while their costs have grown, which has meant cuts in schools, public safety, and other basic services for most cities and towns.’’

“These are challenging times,’’ said Michael V. O’Brien, the Worcester city manager. “The global economy, the national economy, and the regional economy have all suffered in the downturn, so the revenues aren’t there for the state to distribute.’’

This letter is about the things we do through government...how we value it and how we can work together to create meaningful, productive jobs and improve the health and safety of our communities and our state.  [Full Letter: Wicked Local Hingham]

For the July 4th celebrations, many cities and towns are relying on private fundraising.  So is the reality after many years of budget cuts, continuing with fiscal year 2012 which began this past July 1st.

Faced with the prospect of a quiet, dark Independence Day, many town committees staged emergency fund-raising drives, managing to save some or all of the festivities. In Lowell, a last-minute donation from a local bank meant the city could have fireworks without laying off another municipal worker in 2009. But others, such as Ipswich, Abington, and Methuen, canceled their shows altogether. [Full Article: Boston Globe]

Budget woes led to cuts...there's only so much funds (if increasing revenue is not on the table) and the Town needed to make choices on the cuts in services and jobs in order to balance its budget.

“We have been living very close to the edge of a budget crisis here for several years,’’ said Thomas Guerino, town administrator....The decision to cut the town’s 18 full-time lifeguards, which will save about $75,000, was made as officials sought to keep other jobs. In the end, they had to cut 20 town employees, including administrative personnel in the Police Department, staff at the Department of Natural Resources, and school employees, including at least one teacher. [Full Article: Boston Globe]

Budget cuts have forced many state parks and recreation programs to scale back or find creative ways to maintain services, even as cash-strapped families seek cheap ways to enjoy the outdoors this summer… Since 2009, Massachusetts has closed at least seven state parks and swimming areas, which may face further cuts in next year’s budget… But local town leaders said the parks and their programs remain important, offering residents affordable recreation, protecting the environment and open space, and adding economic value to a town or city. [Full Article: GateHouse News Service]

Can a consortium of businesses do a better job of promoting the public good than the city of Boston?

Anti-government activists in the United States often complain that their local, state and federal government should be run more like a business. “If we operated our government like a business,” the argument goes, “we could have better services and lower taxes.”

So now that a group of downtown businesses calling themselves the Greenway Conservancy have stepped forward claiming they will help develop the Rose Kennedy Greenway by pooling private donations, it’s worth questioning how much of the taxpayers’ money they will save.