Beacon Hill spending cuts to hit Medford

By Rob Barry/ rbarry@cnc.com
Fri Oct 17, 2008, 03:26 PM EDT

Medford Transcript

With projected state expenditures expected to exceed revenues, Gov. Deval Patrick yesterday issued $1.053 billion in Section 9C cuts. As a result, city officials fear Medford may be slammed with a shortfall of up to $280,000.

“The School Department did an analysis this morning,” said Mayor Michael J. McGlynn. “At the low end we’re looking at a $50,000 cut in education grants. At the high end, $200,000.”

In addition McGlynn said the community policing grant of $80,000 would likely be in jeopardy.

“We’re assuming a part of that or all of that is gone,” said McGlynn. “Without cuts in local aid, we’re looking at a deficit of $300,000 citywide if the maximum is cut.”

Officials are calling this the largest mid-year cut in Massachusetts’ budget history and its impact will be felt by many.

State Rep. Paul Donato, D-Medford, said funding for human services will be hit the hardest. Organizations for low income and special needs individuals — like Ferguson Industries for the Blind in Malden — will have to close their doors.

“The reverberation not only comes from state services,” said Donato, “but in today’s economic times the decrease in volunteer services and private contributions play a large part.”

What’s ironic, Donato said, is that those most affected by an economic downturn will be the hardest hit by these cuts. But state revenues are down from a decline in income, corporate and real estate taxes collected. Adjustments had to be made.

Chapter 70 local aid was not on the chopping block for this round of cuts, Donato said, and the state is in better shape than many others.

“But we’re not sure what’s going to happen in the 2010 budget,” said Donato. “But it appears there will be some impact on local aid.”