A Call To Action

On July 15th I will be addressing the Medford City Council about the recent veto to the budget amendment that would have saved tax payer dollars in Medford water rates.  I will be addressing the City Council as the Republican State Committeeman for this district and as a private citizen.  For full disclosure, I am also the Republican candidate for State Senate in the 2nd Middlesex District this election cycle.  This issue, however, transcends party politics and should be of great concern to all citizens regardless of party affiliation but as one of two Republicans elected to the MASS GOP State Committee representing the 2nd Middlesex District I have to address this on a basic tenet of the GOP in so much as our party stands for less taxes. 

To refresh memories or to inform those who just don't know about Medford's water pipes, I must detail this entire issue as best I can recall based on the facts derived from the City Council and the state to bring it up to speed and will include in this article where the issue stands currently and why I feel it is necessary and proper to address the City Council on this matter in hopes to defend the wallets and purses of Medford residents. 

As is the case with many municipalities, the water pipes under the streets of Medford are cracked.  When it rains or there is snowmelt, that extra water seeps into the sewage drainage pipes.  That excess water causes the MWRA to charge the city of Medford a much higher and, quite frankly, bogus rate for the amount of "raw sewage."  The City of Medford, in turn, charges Medford a higher water rate.  Homes and businesses of Medford are literally paying for the rain and snow that falls from the sky.  This bogus water rate in Medford has caused a surplus in the water account of approximately $6.3 million dollars.  To be fair, Medford does use this surplus account to bond for other projects such as a new DPW building, minor infrastructure repairs, and for other items but the pipes remain unrepaired which is what that surplus should be used for.  When I ran for City Council last year I was informed by a high ranking member of the DPW that the pipes in Medford will be treated with a temporary fix by blasting a sealing substance into the piping network to help keep our pipes from absorbing rain water and snowmelt but as was told to me this fix is only temporary. 

Additionally, there are more needed items such as a new police station, more police officers, more fire trucks, and repairs at fire stations as well.  Our high credit rating in Medford would not be diminished at all if Medford took action to do something for the tax payers in regards to this surplus water tax account.  There are other bloated accounts in Medford coffers such as the "free cash" account which is around $7 million dollars.  The MWRA has raised rates for Medford residents and businesses by 10%.  This is 5 times the amount of the last 2% increase.  The surplus in the water account will skyrocket due to this aggressive rate increase.  I believe the surplus water account should be given back to the citizens and businesses of Medford in some fashion or other.  Moreover, all taxes should be cut, regulations curbed, fees reduced, and make Medford specifically, and Massachusetts at large, more attractive for people to move here, new businesses to start, current businesses to grow, and jobs created when government gets out of the way.  This will actually cause an increase in taxes collected as we saw when JFK cut taxes in 1962, Reagan cut taxes in the early 80's, and the 2003 tax cuts had the same effect as well.  States like Wisconsin right now, that have cut taxes, saw (in Wisconsin) a $3.5 billion dollar deficit become a $1 billion dollar surplus and Governor Walker is giving that back to the citizens of Wisconsin in property and income tax cuts.  Walker's tax cutting reformative measures have also added more funding to items like education as well.  We can do the same in Massachusetts.  But I digress.

Getting back to the topic at hand, a few weeks ago the Medford City Council debated the new fiscal year budget.  The Honorable Robert M. Penta, long standing and well respected member of the Medford City Council, offered an amendment to the budget whereby a neutralization on the water tax rate increase imposed on the Medford residents was established.  Councilor Penta defined the new 10% increase to the water rate, based on the facts of the figures, to total exactly $600,128 dollars and his amendment cut the budget by that amount with a stipulation to take that amount out of the surplus water account, pay it to the MWRA, and hence Medford would see a 0% increase to their water rates.  Bear in mind this does not decrease current water rates, does not fix the pipes, and the surplus in the account will be replenished in a small amount of time.  Considering all of the other taxes and fees we pay in Medford such as the income taxes, sales taxes, excise taxes, property taxes which have risen for the last 27 consecutive years, a new automatic gas tax, higher rates at the registry and on the MBTA, and the many other taxes and fees, this small budget cut and appropriation from the surplus to at least apply a band aid as a temporary halt on the assault of our tax payer dollars is not only prudent and wise but practical for a municipality in a state that has a higher than the national average unemployment rate and is 7th overall on the list of "most moved out of states." 

It doesn't matter if you rent or own a home or apartment.  It doesn't matter if you own a small or large business in Medford.  This water rate increase of 10% on rates that are already bogus will impact everyone.  Landlords may raise rents for tenants.  Business owners may raise prices for goods or services or cut jobs.  Our economy will suffer while government expands and grows on the backs of our hard work and our tax dollars. 

The amendment offered by Councilor Penta passed after a much heated debate by a margin of 4 to 3.  I want to praise the 4 Councilors who voted in the affirmative and my thanks to Councilor's Robert Penta, Breanna Lungo-Koehn, Michael Marks, and Rick Caraviello are sincere and I am most appreciative for their public service.  This was a monumental win for the tax payers.  The vote actually shocked Councilor Breanna Lungo-Koehn who called for a pause before they took up the next vote on the budget itself to express both her surprise that the amendment passed and that she intended on voting "no" to the budget before the amendment but then stated she would vote yes due to the amendment being passed.  The next vote was for the budget as amended and that passed as well.  Medford residents got a kind of Council order "stay of action" on a water tax rate increase. 

What happened next is Mayor McGlynn vetoed the amendment striking down the provision and now Medford will see a 10% increase to a bogus in the first place water tax unless the City Council overrides the Mayor's veto which will require 2/3rds vote which translates to at least 5 votes in support of overriding the veto. 

I was deeply saddened and shocked by this powerful and unprecedented action taken by the Mayor.  Clearly, it is too much of a burden on an over taxed citizenry already.  Each and every person has a stake in this issue.  I am humbly asking all citizens to come out on July 15th to speak on this matter after I address the Medford City Council as a petitioned agenda item I brought forth through the City Clerk's office in order to do all I can to try and garner a now needed 5 votes to override the Mayor's veto.  Overriding this veto is just plain good stewardship in handling the tax payer dollars and would go a long way towards real public service from people elected to represent and work for us in our local government that those who elected them deserve. 

This issue must be addressed.  It is time to perhaps also review our Plan A, Strong Mayor, City Charter, and to hold the elected accountable to their votes and actions.  Our Charter has not been reviewed in nearly 30 years.  This call to action is to ensure smarter government.  This is not a personal attack, vendetta or referendum at all.  I have read the letter sent by His Honor the Mayor to the President of the City Council and I understand his opinions but I respectfully disagree with him and feel duty bound to offer an alternative opinion.  The driving force behind my initiative is not "hatred" or "malice" as some may try to state.  Nor will a hold on an already bogus water tax rate cause any disruption in services or harm our bond rating.  It's about speaking out, up, and for true public service so that government works for us.  Not the other way around.  It's also about generating new ideas and new initiatives rather than submit to the status quo.

This is about caring, compassion, and doing something for our families, friends, neighbors and businesses.  How many of you out there would rather keep hundreds of dollars per year to use for savings, or food for your families, or education rather than stuff the coffers of an already high surplus water tax account?  I believe the answer is just plain common sense.  We must push the City Council to override the Mayor's veto on behalf of the citizens of Medford.  We must hold elected public servants accountable and keep government transparent. 

Thank you for reading and I hope many Medford residents will pitch in for this effort and come to the Medford City Council meeting on Tuesday, July 15 and be heard on this issue.  Please have a safe and Happy Independence Day weekend. 
 
Robert L. Cappucci, Jr.
Medford