Cities, towns seek more state aid

Newburyport halted leaf pickup last year, and now the town might charge for recycling. Arlington is asking voters to hike property taxes to maintain parks, roads, and other services. If the state doesn't boost the budget for cities and towns, Medford schools might charge more to play soccer or baseball.

As the House of Representatives kicks off a marathon week of debate this afternoon on the state's $23 billion-plus budget, voices are growing louder on Beacon Hill to slice a bigger piece of the pie for cities and towns. Local officials say they have slashed millions from their budgets and raided their reserves. Now, they say, they want some relief.

''There's just not enough revenue to do what we need to do," said Newburyport Mayor Mary Anne Clancy. ''It's painful. It's truly painful."

With the economy still on the rebound, state representatives are scouring the budget to squeeze more revenue out of the state. At least 35 representatives, roughly 1 in 5 members of the House, are backing a plan to close corporate tax loopholes to raise $170 million, which could free up more money for cities and towns. They plan to debate that proposal today.

''I think that there's an overwhelming consensus that the Legislature needs to do more," said Representative James Marzilli, Democrat of Arlington, who is leading the House effort to close the loopholes. Governor Mitt Romney originally proposed the plan but, after complaints from business leaders, he sent the Legislature a version that would raise $85 million.

Still it remains unclear how far the Legislature is willing, or able, to go. Representative Deborah D. Blumer, Democrat of Framingham, is backing more aid for cities and towns, but she also wants to expand access to health care. ''There is a good deal of support for increases in local aid," Blumer said yesterday. ''The question will be whether we do that and in what amounts of money."

Romney and the House Ways and Means Committee handed down similar state budget proposals this year, with increases of 2 percent to 3 percent over current-year spending. The House proposal would raise school spending 2.5 percent, from $3.18 billion to $3.26 billion. It also would add $100 million to the $661 million in lottery funding the state gave cities and towns in fiscal 2005.

James Eisenberg, chief of staff to House Ways and Means Chairman Robert A. DeLeo, said aides are poring over the items lawmakers asked to include in the budget.

''There really isn't a lot of room to maneuver within this budget," he said.

The House debate is another step in a long process. Romney submitted his $23.2 billion proposal in January and the House weighed in with its $23.6 billion budget this month. The Senate will add its version in the coming weeks. The House and the Senate will hammer out a final version to send to Romney, who could sign it into law or reject all or parts of it.

In the meantime, cities and towns are trying to make their voices heard on the Hill. They say they have fewer workers, fees are higher, and some have dipped so far into their cash reserves that they are worried about their bond ratings. Geoffrey Beckwith, executive director of the Massachusetts Municipal Association, said state aid was cut by more than $500 million from 2002 to 2004, forcing cities and towns to lay off 14,500 teachers, police officers, firefighters, librarians, and other staff.

Beckwith said homeowners are bearing the brunt of the budget crunch. Statewide, property taxes account for an average of 54 percent of local budgets -- the highest level since 1982, he said.

On June 11, Arlington will ask homeowners to vote to raise property taxes an average of $420 a year. The override would raise $6 million a year to pay for basic services and shore up cash reserves, said Jeff Thielman, School Committee chairman. Others are waiting to see what lawmakers will do. If aid is not increased, Medford schools might increase students' fees for joining clubs or playing sports. Three years ago, the school budget was $42.2 million. Now it's $40.65 million, said Superintendent Roy Belson.''You clearly can't do it with less and less and less," he said. ''People say it isn't money. Well, you should try to run something once in a while. People should try and run something without money."