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Legislation could help communities crack down on messy trash, icy sidewalks

E-Mail|Link|Comments () December 31, 2008 04:46 PM

By Martin Finucane, Globe Staff

Legislation that would put teeth into municipalities' health, building, and sanitary ordinances is advancing through the state Legislature.

The legislation would allow cities and towns to add to property tax bills the "tickets" that are issued by communities for violations of the ordinances. If the property owner doesn't pay up, then a lien could be placed on the property.

Representative Marty Walz, a Democrat from Boston's Back Bay who has been pushing for the bill, said millions of dollars in unpaid "green tickets" have been ignored by property owners in Boston.

"The idea is that if the tickets are taken seriously because you're going to end up having to pay them, you're more likely to comply with the law," she said. She said she hoped the bill, which received a preliminary approval this week in the House, would receive final approval in both the House and Senate Monday and be placed on the governor's desk.

She said the two biggest reasons people get the tickets in Boston are for not putting their trash out properly and for not shoveling the snow and ice off sidewalks adequately.

Putting some teeth into the law would affect "very significant quality of life issues for urban residents," she said.

She said sidewalks that haven't been shoveled can be dangerous to residents, while improper disposal of trash can help control rat problems.

"When trash is put out improperly, it creates an endless food supply for rats. When trash is handled properly, you can begin to control a city's rat population," she said.

Representative Vincent Pedone, a Worcester Democrat who is the House chairman of the Committee on Municipalities and Regional Government, said cities and towns from across the Commonwealth had been asking the Legislature for a way to collect the unpaid fines.

"We want to give the municipalities the ability to enforce their city ordinances. At the same time, we want and expect homeowners and businesses to be responsible and keep their properties up to code," he said.