Lawmakers seek to restore funding for fiscal '09 earmarks

Patrick eliminated or reduced money for several projects

Governor Deval Patrick signed the fiscal 2009 state budget on July 13 as Leslie Kirwan, secretary of Administration and Finance, looked on. Local legislators hope to override the governor's vetoes on a range of budget items that the Legislature had approved. (Travis Dove for The Boston Globe)

Dozens of projects in this area - ranging from a toddler park in Woburn to an environmental cleanup job in Methuen - were cut from the state budget or had their funding slashed by Governor Deval Patrick last week, but local legislators said they will try to restore the earmarks by overriding the gubernatorial vetoes.

Time, though, is running out on the legislative session, which ends July 31.

"I'm very disappointed," said Democratic Representative Paul Casey of Winchester. "Are we going to try to override? I don't think there's enough time in the session. Getting it done in the next two weeks is going to be a herculean task, but we're going to try."

The budget approved by the Legislature earlier this month included two projects for Stoneham, which is in Casey's district: $125,000 for a historic registry and $100,000 for the Stoneham Theatre. Patrick vetoed both. Casey said the historic registry money was to be used to renovate a fire station in town, which is a historic building.

In a statement, Patrick said that while many of the budget items eliminated or reduced in funding have merit, the state's current fiscal challenges require restraint in spending. Many of the governor's vetoes were earmarks directing money to specific local programs and projects.

Patrick nearly eliminated a travel and tourism line item through which many of the local projects were funded. Funding eliminated or cut from that line item included $10,000 for an adolescent outreach program in Methuen; $200,000 for an environmental cleanup in downtown Methuen; and $10,000 for the Payson Park Music Festival in Belmont. Money cut from a line item for parks includes $150,000 for the toddler park in Woburn.

"Given the tight fiscal times we're facing, some difficult decisions had to be made," said Cynthia Roy, a Patrick spokeswoman.

Tommasina Olson, who has been organizing the Belmont music series for all 19 years, said this is the first year she has requested funding through the state budget. She said the festival is typically funded through private donations but lost 25 percent of its sponsorship this year. Though this year is paid for, Olson is worried that next year will be difficult.

She said state funding would give the concert series a safety net in case private funding slows down again next year. "I think the people of Belmont would like to see this institutionalized," Olson said. "It'd be nice if our state rep could get this through for us."

A number of local projects were given funding but at reduced levels. The Merrimack Repertory Theatre in Lowell will get $50,000 instead of the $100,000 allocated by the Legislature; Chevalier Auditorium in Medford will get $150,000 for new seating instead of $250,000; and the Sanborn House in Winchester saw its funding slashed from $125,000 to $75,000.

But it wasn't everybody who got bad news. Funding was left intact for many projects, and Lowell did particularly well in the budget, said Lowell Representative Kevin Murphy, a Democrat.

Patrick didn't touch the $450,000 headed to Lowell for its parks; $600,000 for the United Teen Equality Center, including $500,000 for a building project; $50,000 for the city's cultural office; and $500,000 for a revitalization project in the Jackson-Appleton-Middlesex neighborhood.

Murphy, the House chairman of the Joint Committee on Higher Education, said he was disappointed that Patrick cut funding from the Legislature's budget for state and community colleges. For example, the governor cut about $400,000 from the budget for Middlesex Community College.

"He professes to be the education governor but vetoes the biggest economic trigger in Massachusetts," Murphy said.

He said he hopes some money is restored for education and the Merrimack Repertory Theatre.

The Legislature could start tackling the vetoes this week, but it is not certain which ones the lawmakers will attempt to override. Overrides would start in the House and then must be approved by the Senate. A two-thirds vote is needed in both chambers.

"We're still reviewing them," said David Guarino, a spokesman for House Speaker Salvatore DiMasi. "As is the case each year, we'll evaluate any vetoes the governor made in the context of the priorities the Legislature set forth and the fiscal realities we face."

Jennifer Fenn Lefferts can be reached at jflefferts@yahoo.com.