Mass. begins tussle on spending its boon

While work in Washington on a federal stimulus package is stirring hope of an economic rescue in state capitals across the nation, in Massachusetts it also is triggering competition, infighting, and political squabbling over how the state should spend its share of the billions.

Mayors have been compiling their own wish lists while grumbling that Governor Deval Patrick may steer more federal dollars to state-run projects than to municipal roads and bridges.

Members of the state's congressional delegation worry that too much power may be in the governor's hands, because the legislation gives him sole authority to distribute as much as $1 billion in infrastructure repair money.

"The concept that one person, who is politically elected, is the sole person to decide where the money should go, just doesn't seem right," said US Representative Michael Capuano, a Democrat of Somerville who has been an early and frequent supporter of Patrick. "I would argue that no individual should be given that sole authority."

"When I said money should go to Longfellow Bridge, it's an earmark," he added. "But when Governor Patrick says it, it's a worthy idea."

The governor's administration has expressed sensitivity to the perception and is trying to head off a political feeding frenzy by setting up a process that will be palatable to elected officials of all stripes. Patrick is expected to announce part of the plan today.

How much in total aid Massachusetts and its residents would receive is still in flux, but it could be as much as $11 billion over two years. Officials have said they hope to create tens of thousands of jobs with the economic jump-start generated by the money, and save tens of thousands more positions by avoiding layoffs.

Most of the money would be distributed through existing federal formulas in such things as Medicaid and education payments to schools, but there is also at least $1 billion for infrastructure improvements, including mass transit and highway and bridge construction and repair, federal officials said. Competition for that money is already fierce.

Even the normally sleepy proceedings of the Pioneer Valley Metropolitan Planning Organization recently erupted in controversy. During a meeting last week in West Springfield, mayors in Western Massachusetts were shocked when state transportation officials said they wanted to use about $60 million in federal stimulus money for construction on the Massachusetts Turnpike.

The mayors feel the money should be used instead to fix municipal-owned roads and bridges in local communities. The meeting ended after several confrontational exchanges and was rescheduled for tomorrow.

"The mayors are furious," said Mayor Michael D. Bissonnette of Chicopee, which has identified about $200 million in infrastructure projects. "It's just a harbinger of what you're going to see with what could potentially be an $11 billion battle in the Commonwealth - and probably every state in the union - over who's going to make the decisions about the allocations."

Local officials from across the state have submitted lists of their fondest proposed projects to the Patrick administration. Administration officials have refused repeated requests by the Globe for a copy of the list, which contains about 4,500 projects.

"They've all submitted everything - including the Taj Mahal in every town - from wish lists they've had for years," Senate President Therese Murray said in an interview. "It's probably, what, $4 trillion?"

Patrick today is planning to announce the appointment of an official to oversee the federal stimulus spending. The attorney general, inspector general, and auditor will join the governor in announcing several steps aimed at ensuring increased oversight for the federal spending, including posting on the state website this week all projects that could be funded through the stimulus.

"At the end of the day, you're not going to make everybody happy," said Lieutenant Governor Timothy Murray, who has spearheaded the administration's planning of how to distribute the federal money. "But we want to be as strategic as possible in creating jobs and making sure there is geographic equity."

Administration officials say their criteria will include how many jobs would be created and how quickly construction could get underway. They are also looking at distributing some of the federal money through the state's transportation funding formulas, which would allow municipal officials to decide how to spend it.

But the final federal legislation could also limit the types of projects that states can pay for. Last Friday, for example, the Senate passed an amendment that prohibits the use of stimulus funds for a "casino or other gambling establishment, aquarium, zoo, golf course, swimming pool, stadium, community park, museum, theater, art center, and highway beautification project."

Just 10 Massachusetts cities have identified $1.1 billion in projects, according to a list compiled by the US Conference of Mayors that says those projects could create 10,228 jobs.

The state Legislature will play only a supporting role distributing money, even as administration officials are taking pains to say that they will dole out the funds in a transparent process. Still, Murray said she had no problems with Patrick ultimately deciding how to spend a large portion of the money.

"If you gave us all the money and we all got to decide, we'd never agree where the money should go," Murray said.

House Speaker Robert A. DeLeo declined to be interviewed.

US Senator John F. Kerry told reporters yesterday that he had asked the governor to use federal stimulus money to finance a commuter rail extension from Boston to Fall River and New Bedford.

"Everybody thinks that their project is the most important project, and I understand that," Capuano said. "If God Almighty himself were making the decisions, some people would still be unhappy with the decisions."

Matt Viser can be reached at maviser@globe.com.