Braintree Officials Say Withholding Transportation Money Will Cost Towns

The news that Gov. Deval Patrick has decided not to release a significant chunk of the $300 million in local road repair money in time for projects this summer has surprised and angered Braintree officials, who questioned the wisdom of holding back funding when interest rates are low.

"I really don't think the town should be penalized because the governor didn't get all the taxes he wanted," Town Council President Charles Kokoros said. "Our money is being held hostage."

The Patrick administration intends to hold $150 million of this year's Chapter 90 transportation money until fall or next spring while the House and Senate finalize a transportation financing plan with new tax revenue, according to the State House News Service. The legislature approved $100 million on top of the original $200 million slated for this year, but did not pass all of the tax hikes the governor was seeking.

Local officials, including Mayor Joseph Sullivan, expressed their frustration over the plan on Beacon Hill Tuesday.

“I have to register with you a real sense of disappointment, confusion, bewilderment, a level of upsetness in terms of where we are today versus where we thought we were a few weeks ago,” the State House News Service reported that Sullivan told Secretary of Administration and Finance Glen Shor.

In a follow up, Chief of Staff and Operations Peter Morin said it was "counterproductive" to withhold funding for infrastructure when low interest rates are allowing municipalities to save money on construction this season.

"It reduces our ability to take advantage of favorable interest rates and get more roads done," Morin said.

All of the roads that are part of this summer's portion of the 100 Roads Program will still move forward, Morin said, but the governor's decision may stop Braintree from completing additional roads. The town could see more than $500,000 withheld out of the nearly $1.5 million allotted to it by the legislature earlier this year.

The local meals tax, approved by the Town Council last month, will give the town some additional flexibility when it comes to capital projects, including roads, Morin said.

"As the mayor said in his budget address, we've got to focus on our local ability to address our needs," Morin said.