Left In Lowell

Governor Deval Patrick and Lieutenant Governor Tim Murray are moving forward with their campaign pledge to help bring property tax relief to the cities and towns. They are asking our help to push their proposal, the Municipal Partnership Act, through the state legislature.

While the communities of our Commonwealth face many different problems, there is one similar theme: all are being forced to make short-term decisions that have a long-term, negative effect on our schools, roads, public safety, and on our pocket books–as the property taxes we pay continue to escalate to meet the cost of our local services. In many cases, we are paying more for declining services in an increasingly unstable budget cycle.

The Governor’s Working Group on Property Tax Over Reliance has launched a net root campaign to solicit support from cities and towns who are suffering from the heavy burden of limited revenue and increasing expenses.

I was pleased to see both Lowell Mayor Bill Martin and City Manager Bernie Lynch add their name to the long list of municipalities, local officials and organizations who are endorsing this measure. I wish other local officials would join them.

A couple of weeks ago I heard Tyngsborough Selectman Jay Booth on WCAP’s morning radio show and he used an appropriate phrase to describe local officials who do not want to accept the responsibility of planning for the future: “Kicking the can down the road. “

If we continue to rely solely on property taxes to meet the demands of municipal government, we may be able to meet the demands of today (barely) but we certainly cannot plan appropriately for the future. The burden will be shifted to the next generation. They will inherit a city with a neglected infrastructure and a healthcare and pension debt that will certainly crush them.