Belmont To Expect A "Bit More" In State Budget

Everyone is wondering how much state local aid will be receiving for fiscal year 2012 and when we’ll know the amount for sure.

The short answer to those questions, said , is the town might get a bit more than anticipated but won’t know for at least a while.

During an update he presented on local aid and legislation to the Board of Selectmen on Monday, Feb. 7, Brownsberger said Gov. Deval Patrick’s proposed budget includes $7,343,027 for Chapter 70 and Unrestricted General Government Aid for Belmont.

“But don’t take that number to the bank,” he warned.

“There’s wider uncertainty in the state budget (than in a given municipality’s). The governor’s budget is based on many heroic assumptions," he said.

For example, Brownsberger pointed out, Patrick’s budget anticipates holding Medicare to no increase while adding another 4.6 percent increase in membership; taking another $200 million from the already depleted stabilization fund; closing two prisons by reforming sentencing; and a complete reform of the bar advocacy program that provides legal services for indigent defendants.

“There are a bunch of things in the (proposed) budget people need to look at to see if it works,” Brownsberger said. “Every state representative’s top priority is local aid. We will have to wrestle with whether can we really afford the local aid with so many other needs.”

That’s why he advises town officials not to change budget projections until the town knows for certain how much Chapter 70, or general education funding, it will receive.

Belmont, however, has done well insofar as receiving local aid throughout the recession, Brownsberger said, pointing out that in it’s midst the town has been at 15 percent (just a 3 percent cut).

Looking forward, Brownsberger spoke about concerns with the public pension plan.

There are risks associated with the way it is set up now, he said, explaining there have been returns on investment of only 3.7 percent in the last decade (as compared with the assumption when the system was started that the money put away would earn 8.25 percent); the system may not be fair when compared with private employee defined pension plans where only 20 percent have an assurance of what they will receive upon retirement; and only 26 percent of men ages 65-74 have any corporate retirement plans.

“There will be some movement on this issue this year,” Brownsberger said, adding deeper reforms are possible as is curtailment of abuses in the system

Also on the “radar screen” is discussion about giving municipal managers power to allow public employees to enter the government-sponsored GIC policy without undergoing collective bargaining; control of special education costs; and authorizing the creation of virtual education charter schools (with funding based on the school choice formula) to possibly partner with public school districts and open up new ways for students to learn.

As for legislation, Brownsberger mentioned seven addressing Belmont’s specific needs that have passed:

• House 4389, An Act Validating a Certain Vote Taken by the Town of

Belmont (now Chapter 191 of the Acts of 2009)

• House 4901,  An Act Relative to Quarterly Tax Billing in the town of Belmont

(now Chapter 367 of the Acts of 2010)

• House 4416, An Act Relative to the Position of Police Chief in the town of

Belmont (now Chapter 376 of the Acts of 2010)

• House 4414, An Act Authorizing Recall Elections in Belmont (now Chapter

381 of the Acts of 2010)

• House 4223, An Act Relative to the other Post Employment Benefits Trust

Fund of the town of Belmont (now Chapter 382 of the Acts of 2010) 

• House 5024, An Act Authorizing the town of Belmont to Grant Licenses for the Sale of All Alcoholic Beverages to be Drunk on the Premises of Certain Restaurants (now Chapter 388 of the Acts of 2010)

• House 701, For legislation to acquire the silver maple forest for the Department of Conservation and Recreation upon receipt of sufficient local contributions toward said acquisition (passed by both branches, but not signed by the governor –compromise letter instead.