With the legislative session coming to a close, it seems that Woonsocket will not get permission from the General Assembly to assess the supplemental tax bill that local and state officials say is necessary to keep the financially struggling city out of receivership.
UPDATE: House Speaker Gordon Fox just said the House may vote on the supplemental tax with or without the support of the Woonsocket delegation. When I asked him, he said, “I’m not sure yet.”
In a meeting between Rosemary Booth Gallogly, the state director of revenue, and the Woonsocket delegation to the House of Representatives that ended at midnight last night, the delegation said it would only support the supplemental tax if the state agreed to a list of demands in exchange for their support. House leadership has said it would not move on the bill without the support of the delegation.
Today, Booth Gallogly said the state couldn’t agree to their demands that included: a single-digit supplemental tax that would not be included in next year’s tax allocation, suspension of a sewer treatment plant construction project, more state education aid and that the mayor and council be removed from the budget commission.
“What they are asking isn’t really acceptable,” Booth Gallogly said, noting that state law requires elected officials to be on the budget commission and there are federal requirements for the sewage treatment plant project. “I still hope the General Assembly will consider approval of the supplemental tax.”
In fact, she said some of the requests made by the delegation were beyond the state’s control to grant at this point in the legislative session. When I asked her if the delegation was negotiating in good faith, here’s what she said:
Indeed, it seems they weren’t. After learning – from reporters – that the governor’s office would not agree to their terms, they amended their offer and said they would support the supplemental tax if the state agreed to stop the sewage treatment plant project and keep the tax under double digits. Prior to that, both said it would be irresponsible to support the supplemental tax if all five demands were not met.
Chair of the state appointed budget commission said earlier today that the city might have to employ a receiver if the supplemental tax is not passed.
“If there is no supplemental tax increase you have to wonder if there is anything we can do at all,” he said. “At that point, a receiver would have a lot more authority.”
On May 22, both Baldelli-Hunt and Brien said they preferred a receiver to a budget commission.
“A receiver has the leverage to make the adjustments that need to be made,” Baldelli-Hunt said after addressing the House Finance Committee about the supplemental tax increase. “I don’t want a supplemental tax bill to stand in the way of getting a solid plan in place.”
Brien added, “I think a receiver is ultimately what we need to do.”
On the same day, Baldelli-Hunt said her position on the city’s finances is unrelated to speculation that she would like to run for mayor, saying, “This has nothing to do with politics.”
How pathetic is your life when this guy has to stand right behind you, to make sure that you remember what he told you to say? GREAT PICTURE!!
What’s the deal with the treatment plant?
What’s the deal with the treatment plant?
I’m not really sure what you mean by what’s the deal but the EPA has been ordering major upgrades to plants in other Rhode Island communities. The state has no control over it. It appears that this so called negotiations is designed to be drag out past the point of no return. Check out this Baldelli-Hunt encounter with Ted Nesi. Judging by her responses she must be running for mayor which explains a lot.
“Judging by her responses she must be running for mayor which explains a lot.”
It explains why she’s acting like a nut, but it doesn’t explain why the sewage plant in particular is an issue for her.
“It explains why she’s acting like a nut, but it doesn’t explain why the sewage plant in particular is an issue for her.”
You’re question suggests there maybe a viable explanation. Just a theory but the treatment plant was outside the State’s authority to stop. If your position from the start is you want a receiver then isn’t the sewer treatment plant the perfect tool? They just wanted to make it look like they were negotiating when in fact they knew the State couldn’t agree to their demands.
Treatment plant upgrades are to comply with DEM rules. They will be fairly expensive and will likely result in a $250-400 increase in sewer fees from Woonsocket residents. The Woonsocket sewers serve more than just Woonsocket. Woonsocket rates will go up from the construction, but the rates they charge North Smithfield, Blackstone and Bellingham residents may not go up as much. (Woonsocket is 80% of capacity.)
Earlier this year, Baldelli-Hunt demanded that foregoing the impending increase in sewer fees was the price of her support of the supplemental tax increase. Woonsocket Patch has been reporting this well. http://woonsocket.patch.com/articles/fiscal-crisis-state-reps-push-to-halt-wastewater-upgrades and there are more.
Well, you don’t mess with wastewater.
I could understand advocating for lower fees or more money from the Feds, but, given the nation-wide crisis in state and municipal funding, that seems unlikely.
I was just curious as to whether she had made an argument against the upgrades or whether she accepted the upgrades are necessary but just doesn’t want to pay for them.
Anyway, thanks.
Anybody who is familiar with the antics of the cabal from Woonsocket knows that EVERTHING they do is for their own benefit and profit, at the expense of their constituents. They are professional crony capitalists; this is how they make their money.
Remember the scheme to sell them the city owned Ayotte Field? Remember the fraudulent property appraisals done for the Central Landfill? Remember the land deal for the sewage treatment plant. etc. etc.
Yes, of course the cabal is engineering a bankruptcy for the City of Woonsocket. And when it is done, they and their cronies will have pilfered every single piece of city owned property that has any value.
How does receivership differ from dictatorship in any meaningful way?
The receiver takes his orders from these clowns, a dictator gets rid of them.