FY10 Budget

A regular reader reminded me of the information posted on the MMA site that those seeking budget information would find useful:

Governor’s FY10 budget plan calls for $375M local aid cut

For the curious, the site contains a wealth of information, such as the following that includes ENERGY, a subject that has gone unnoticed in Middleboro:

Public Works, Energy and Utilities

Municipal Job Openings

The following job openings are currently posted on the MMA web site:

Building Commissioner
Town of Lancaster

The town of Lancaster (population 7,000) has an opening for a Building Commissioner to enforce the state building code and local zoning bylaws. In an addition to assisting with conducting plan reviews and issuing building permits, the duties include inspecting buildings under construction, plan review, and investigate complaints. Minimum of five years’ experience in supervision of building construction, Massachusetts Building Supervisor’s License, ability to access all areas and levels of construction, and use computer office applications. Ability to obtain state certification required. Starting salary up to$52,000. MMA

.
Council on Aging Director

Town of Wareham

Applications are being accepted from qualified candidates for the full-time position of Council on Aging Director. Candidates must possess a bachelor’s degree, preferably in gerontology or social service with some business course work. Master’s degree or higher degree preferred. Minimum three years’ experience as a director or assistant director and two years working with the elderly in a social service or public health position or related field with supervisory experience, or any equivalent combination of education and experience. Position develops and implements programs and services designed to meet the needs of the aging and those in need within the community and oversees the COA/Social Service operational budget. The Director administers daily operation of senior center/council on aging/social services, maintains direct link with service providers (health, meals, transportation, etc.) and writes and prepares grants. Starting salary: $51,491.00 MMA

.

Town Accountant

Town of Mansfield

The town of Mansfield (population 23,500; General Fund budget $75 million) is seeking a highly qualified individual for the position of Town Accountant. The Town Accountant is a key member of the town’s financial team. Responsibilities include maintenance of comprehensive accounting records in accordance with UMAS, GASB, GAAP and Massachusetts Municipal Finance laws, financial analysis and reporting, control of town expenditures through the warrant process and performance of other required duties of the town accountant. Position assists the town manager and departments in budget preparation for general and enterprise funds. Qualifications: Bachelor’s degree in accounting or related field and five to seven years of municipal accounting experience or an equivalent combination of education and experience. Massachusetts Certified Governmental Accountant status is required. Experience with MUNIS integrated financial software is highly desirable. Candidate should have demonstrable experience in computerized spreadsheet and word processing operations and be willing and able to work in a team environment. Full job description is available on the town’s Web site, (http://www.mansfieldma.com ). Salary range: $71,546-$90,923 (Grade J, steps 1-11). Salary dependent upon qualifications. MMA

.

Town Accountant

Town of Needham

Position is full-time with benefits. Salary range: $66,079-$88,348. The town of Needham is seeking a highly qualified individual to fill the position of Town Accountant. Under the direction of the finance director and in accordance with state statutes and town by-laws, responsible for planning, controlling, and directing all accounting programs and internal auditing and financial reporting functions of the town in compliance with Massachusetts General Laws. A full job description is available a http://www.needhamma.gov/jobs.asp

MMA

.

Water Maintenance Supervisor

City of Haverhill

The city of Haverhill is seeking a full-time Water Maintenance Supervisor for the city’s distribution and meter divisions. The successful candidate must have B.S. in civil engineering or related field and minimum of three years' experience managing a water distribution system or related utility. Please see complete job description at... Salary: $1,284-$1,372 per week. MMA

.

Prinicipal Assessor

Town of Fairhaven

Applications for the position of Principal Assessor, 20 hours per week, will be received until 4:00 p.m. on Aug. 11. This position requires a thorough knowledge of municipal law related to the assessment of 8,000 parcels, abatements and setting of the tax rate. Position works under the supervision of the town’s finance director and with a three-member part-time board of assessors. Must possess a Massachusetts Accredited Assessor (M.A.A.) certification. Salary range: $28,121.00-$33,207.00. MMA

.

Fire Chief

Town of Dartmouth,

Fire District No. 1

The Community of Dartmouth, located in Southeastern Massachusetts, is comprised of a landmass of sixty-four square miles making it the fifth largest town in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The year-round population of Dartmouth is 29,000. The town is divided into three independent fire districts. Fire District Number One covers approximately 18 square miles with a year-round population of 13,000 and up to 20,000 people during the summer months. District 1 has about 18 miles of coastline that borders Clarks Cove, Padanaram Harbor, Apponagansett River and Buzzards Bay. Dartmouth Fire District No. 1 is seeking qualified applicants for the position of full-time Fire Chief for an on-call fire department of about 45 firefighters and officers. The Fire Chief is responsible for administering all department programs including fire prevention, fire suppression, investigation, communication s, staff training and budgetary requirements. The successful applicant must have an understanding of federal, state and local fire laws and building codes. He/she must have a minimum of 10 years of firefighting experience including five years in a supervisory position as fire officer. Strong management, leadership and communication skills are required. The position requires residency in the Fire District after one year. The position offers excellent benefits and a salary of $60,000. MMA

.

Consultant

Town of Medway

The town of Medway is seeking a consultant to review its current job descriptions and classification/compensation plan to determine the appropriate groupings of positions in classes on the basis of the duties, responsibilities and requirements of the positions and the proper pay levels on the basis of qualitative (position worth) and quantitative (comparable survey) data. The current classification/compensation plan includes both union and non-union positions, approximately 30 of which are intended to be addressed by this study. MMA

.

Chief Technology Officer

Town of Arlington

Salary: $78,007-105,000 annually. Professional, supervisory, administrative and technical work planning and directing the information technology department servicing both the town and Arlington Public Schools. Master’s degree in computer science, business or related field; five years of experience in information technology involving system planning and GIS management and operations, training, programming or related skills with mid-range or client server systems; five years of supervisory responsibility within a related field. MMA

Massachusetts' Green Communities Act

MMA had this to say about the recently passed legislation:

Legislature enacts energy reform bill
Thursday, June 26 2008
The House and Senate have approved and sent to the governor a ground-breaking energy reform bill, the Green Communities Act.

The bill’s intent is to increase energy efficiency, update the renewable energy portfolio standard, increase public oversight of utilities, increase service quality of power companies, assist low-income energy customers, and increase the use of renewable generation and energy efficiency products.

After several months of negotiations over differences in House and Senate versions of the bill, the Senate approved a compromise bill (S. 2768) Tuesday, and the House approved it today.

House and Senate leaders struck language that would have preempted Home Rule authority with respect to the siting of certain clean energy facilities. Instead, the bill would establish a study commission that may make recommendations on the siting of such facilities.

The bill would establish a Green Communities program. A city or town that qualifies as a “green community” would be eligible for grants and loans to advance energy efficiency activities. Such assistance would be capped at $10 million per year and would principally be derived from funds generated by cap and trade pollution control programs, a mandatory kilowatt-hour charge on consumer bills, and the Massachusetts Renewable Energy Trust Fund.

In order to qualify as a “green community,” a city or town would have to:

• Provide as-of-right siting for renewable or alternative energy facilities in self-designated areas

• Adopt a streamlined permitting process to site such facilities

• Establish an energy use baseline inventory for municipal buildings and vehicles and reduce the baseline by 20 percent over five years

• Purchase fuel-efficient vehicles when available and practicable

• Require new residential and commercial construction to minimize, to the extent feasible, the life-cycle cost of the facility through energy efficiency and renewable and alternative energy technologies

The Green Communities program would be administered by the Division of Green Communities within a new Department of Energy Resources under the Executive Office of Environmental Affairs.

The division would serve as the principal contact between the state and municipalities on all energy-related matters under the jurisdiction of the Department of Energy Resources.The energy bill would also:

• Allow municipalities to construct, own and operate small renewable generation facilities to help control their energy bills

• Establish a Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative Trust Fund to provide funds for the Green Communities program, to provide interest-free loans for for energy efficiency projects in municipalities that do not qualify as a “green community,” and to reimburse communities for property tax losses due to mandates of the Greenhouse Gas Initiative or the regulation of carbon dioxide emissions for electric generating stations

• Authorize municipal light plants to establish a “renewable energy charge” and enter into the Massachusetts Renewable Energy Trust Fund so customers may be eligible for grants from the fund for renewable energy projects

• Require local building inspectors to have a general knowledge of the energy requirements as part of the International Energy Conservation Code

• Establish several new processes for state and local entities to pursue solar energy and to procure energy management services for projects less than $100,000

• Allow communities to consider areas designated for Class I renewable energy facilities as a factor in designating a Economic Target Area

• Requires the Division of Green Communities to develop a competitive bidding process for the procurement of renewable or alternative electric generation for “green communities”

• Revise processes for state and local entities to procure energy management services

• Extend the financing term for municipalities for efficiency, alternative, or renewable improvements from 10 to 20 years

• Establish a special commission (with participation by the MMA) to investigate the development of “green building initiatives”

• Establish a special commission (with participation by the MMA) to make recommendations to improve the process by which a city or town may establish and operate a municipal-owned electric utility.

By MMA Senior Legislative Analyst Matthew G. Feher

Massachusetts Budget: Now's the time to speak out!

The Governor's budget reflects inclusion of non-existent potential casino licensing fees and much else.
.
No budget and no state aid formula should be tied to undetermined revenues.
.

Please review the sites listed below to understand the impact of the proposed budget on local services.

.

Please ask your legislators to protect local aid so that cities and towns have the resources they need to end the local fiscal distress that is eroding our economy.

.

MMA Video explanation

.

MMA issues statement regarding Gov. Patrick’s proposed FY09 budget
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
For more information, contact MMA Executive Director Geoff Beckwith at (617) 426-7272.

Cities and towns are facing widespread fiscal distress, a fact that has been widely reported during the past year. Communities are essential to our state’s economic competitiveness, delivering the vital services that keep and attract families and businesses to Massachusetts, and the fiscal unrest that confronts our localities weakens our economy, a dangerous trend that must be averted. After adjusting for inflation, fiscal 2008 local aid is $621 million below fiscal 2002 levels. In order to make up the difference and balance their budgets, cities and towns have been forced to increase their reliance on the property tax, cut services, or do both. The governor’s proposed budget for fiscal 2009 contains significant and important investments in cities and towns, including full funding of the $223 million Chapter 70 school aid increase, and scheduled increases in the special education circuit breaker and the school building assistance program, together with added funds for the PILOT program. The MMA applauds these proposals, and asks the Legislature to embrace these funding levels. A vital priority for cities and towns is maintaining the current $935 million Lottery distribution. Cities and towns would face devastating fiscal pain if this amount is not protected. The governor’s budget allocates $935 million to level-fund Lottery aid, however, the MMA opposes conditioning any part of the Lottery distribution on passage of separate casino legislation. Under the budget submitted today, $124 million of existing Lottery local aid would be contingent on passage of this new revenue source. Current local aid to cities and towns should not be cut, and should not be conditioned on new revenue sources such as casinos or other such initiatives. Lottery revenues have slumped for the past two years, and municipal leaders deeply appreciate the state’s action to protect cities and towns during this time. The state has honored the budgeted Lottery distribution of $920 million in fiscal 2007 and $935 million in fiscal 2008. The governor and legislators have recognized that a cut in Lottery aid would trigger a fiscal crisis at the local level. Cities and towns need at least level-funding of Lottery aid at $935 million, and none of this amount should be conditioned.We look forward to examining the governor’s entire budget proposal, and working with members of the House and Senate and the administration to make sure that local aid is protected, and that cities and towns have the resources they need to end the local fiscal distress that is eroding our economy.• Download MMA Statement (60K PDF)

.

MBPC :
January 23, 2008

Fiscal Year 2009 is likely to be the most difficult year for budget writers since the last fiscal crisis. The budget filed by the Governor uses several strategies to bring revenues in line with expenses and fund modest new initiatives. While the Governor's budget both imposes cuts in spending and implements tax reforms to increase revenue, it also relies on revenue transferred from the Stablization ("Rainy Day") Fund, meaning that the budget is not structurally balanced. This preliminary analysis will briefly examine some of the new initiatives proposed by the Governor, including: significant investments to enhance education, such as an expansion of full-day kindergarten and extended learning time; paying for the new costs of providing access to health insurance for 225,000 people through the Commonwealth Care health insurance program; and, tax reforms aimed at reducing corporate tax avoidance, projected to increase revenue by $297 million this year. This analysis also highlights steps taken to improve budget transparency.

.

Help us close the corporate tax loopholes
After Governor Patrick files the bill to close corporate tax loopholes, the bill will get a public hearing before the Joint Legislative Committee on Revenue. As you might imagine, big businesses will be opposing any measure to close the tax loopholes. MASSPIRG will present this petition to the committee as a counterbalance to the overwhelming voice by many of the business lobbyists.

.

Petition Text
For too long, a few powerful corporations and industries have gotten away with paying little or no taxes thanks to tax loopholes in the law. Among Massachusetts’ biggest businesses, those with sales over $50 million a year, a third paid just the minimum corporate income tax of $456 last year. By contrast, the Bay State’s average taxpayer paid $3,532 in state income taxes.
All taxpayers, including businesses rely on public infrastructure and services including education, transportation, police, fire, sanitation, parks and recreation, and public health.
Whatever your perspective about the level of taxes, our taxes should be fair. Some taxpayers should not be required to pay more while other businesses pay less through unintended, outdated or unreasonable tax breaks.
We urge you to close the corporate tax loopholes outlined in the Special Tax Commission’s report, making our tax code fairer to everyone. masspirg