DeNucci plans to donate campaign funds to charity

At the end of last year, DeNucci’s campaign account held $390,123. He said he will give away the unspent balance after the committee settles its outstanding bills.

“We’ll have some meetings about that,’’ he said. “We haven’t made any decisions yet.’’

DeNucci, who didn’t raise any campaign funds the last two years he was in office, said one organization he will support is the Newton YMCA. DeNucci spent much of his youth there, learning the “sweet science’’ of boxing before becoming a New England Golden Gloves champion and nationally ranked professional middleweight. His father was a custodian and boxing instructor there.

Former governor A. Paul Cellucci was the state’s most recent retiring politician to enrich many charities. After serving as US ambassador to Canada, Cellucci, who is from Hudson, donated about $500,000. His major beneficiaries included the Boys & Girls Clubs of Metrowest in Marlborough, to which he gave $100,000.

In 2009, former acting governor Jane M. Swift liquidated her state campaign fund by giving nearly $160,000 to the Rodman Ride for Kids in Foxborough.

Under state law, residual funds from campaign accounts may be given to charitable or religious organizations, a scholarship fund, or the treasuries of either state government or a city or town. — BRIAN C. MOONEY

Polito knocks state GOP for lack of financial support

The former state representative from Shrewsbury recently complained on Facebook that her Democratic counterpart, Steven Grossman — now the state treasurer — picked up $728,000 in in-kind contributions from the Democratic state committee.

“I received zero in kind contributions from mass gop,’’ Polito wrote. “I thank my hometown committee for helping me. Local town-city committees are a good and needed fundraising resource for candidates since the state party has not been supportive.’’

It may seem like an unlikely complaint for a candidate who was able to pour $200,000 of her own money into her last campaign — money she hasn’t gotten back, according to her end-of-year campaign finance report.

Nonetheless, Polito’s missive resonated with those Republicans who blamed state GOP chairwoman Jennifer Nassour for directing too many resources to gubernatorial candidate Charles D. Baker at the expense of down-ballot candidates.

On Facebook, one commenter said there was no reason Polito or Republican auditor candidate Mary Z. Connaughton should have lost.

“The lack of support from the MassGOP was glaring, especially this past year!’’ the commenter wrote.

The party declined to comment. — STEPHANIE EBBERT

Providence College to retire Flynn’s basketball number

But Flynn will be honored next month for his achievements, remembered as a straight shooter who made an indelible impact — just not in his native Boston, the city he served for 15 years as a city councilor and mayor. Instead, Flynn, 71, will be feted in another city, 45 minutes to the south.

Providence College plans to retire Flynn’s basketball number in a ceremony Feb. 19, adding his Friars jersey to the rafters of the Dunkin’ Donuts Center. In the early 1960s, Flynn was the All-American captain of a championship team and, according to the college, remains “one of the greatest outside shooters in the history of Friar basketball.’’

One assumes, when the time is right, Flynn’s political jersey will be hoisted to the proverbial rafters here in Boston. — ANDREW RYAN