Governor fires state tax commissioner
As part of another round of firings, Governor Deval Patrick yesterday terminated the state tax commissioner, who is the architect of the controversial $500 million plan to close so-called corporate tax loopholes that Patrick adopted earlier this year.
Alan LeBovidge, who was appointed revenue commissioner by Acting Governor Jane Swift in December 2001, said yesterday that the governor's aides told him that Patrick wanted to "go in another direction" but that they did not provide any other details.
LeBovidge, a wealthy retired partner of a national accounting firm, said he had turned his $140,000 annual salary to charity since his appointment.
In another move, Patrick reappointed David
Perini, the heir to a large construction firm, has earned high marks in his role as head of the agency that oversees about $300 million in state construction contracts each year.
The Globe reported this week that Perini was honored last month at a fund-raising dinner where contractors who do business with his department donated almost $100,000 for scholarships, including $20,000 for one named for his late son. As a candidate, Patrick was highly critical of Matthew J. Amorello, then chief of the Big Dig, for participating in the same dinner last year. Administration officials said that Perini had cleared the event with the State Ethics Commission before agreeing to participate.
Patrick, under pressure to put his own imprint on state government, sent letters last month to about 50 agency leaders and commissioners remaining from past administrations, notifying them they would have to reapply for their jobs and saying they would learn of their fate by yesterday. Last week, in the first round of firings, Patrick replaced Department of Social Services commissioner Harry Spence and announced 11 appointments.
LeBovidge is given credit for bringing experience gained in the private sector, where he advised large corporate clients on how to dodge taxes, to the Department of Revenue to help the state close loopholes and pursue tax cases against national corporations from the cable to the banking industry. He also updated technology for tax collections. By his estimates, the efforts yielded an extra $1 billion over the last three years.
"I can go home with a clear mind that I have done my fair share for the people of Massachusetts," LeBovidge said in an interview after he was informed of the governor's decision.
One of LeBovidge's most controversial proposals was his plan to change a series of tax provisions that Massachusetts companies have been using for years to reduce their tax burden. Mitt Romney embraced the plan when he was governor, but backed off as he moved into his presidential campaign. Patrick has since adopted the plan, including a major portion of it in the budget proposal he released in February.
The governor's spokesman, Joe Landolfi, said that Patrick is still fully committed to pursuing the corporate tax changes. A commission Patrick and legislative leaders named is expected to issue a report this month.
In other moves that the governor's aides said were voluntary departures, Patrick's office said Mental Health Commissioner Elizabeth Childs is stepping down to pursue further graduate studies and to expand her private medical practice. It also said Secretary of Elder Affairs Jennifer Davis Carey left this week to become the director of training and education at the University of Massachusetts Medical School.
