Left In Lowell

Tonight’s CC meeting was uneventful, unlike the Sub-Committee meetings that preceded it.

The two Sub-Committee meetings were Housing Issues Sub/Committee (CCs J. Millinazzo (Chair), K. Broderick and B. Martin); City Council Public Safety Sub/Committee (CCs J. Milinazzo (Chair), A. Kazanjain and R. Elliott. I have to give a lot of credit to CC Milinazzo for giving excellent reports; it was a good reflection of the discussion. As for the politics behind the tone of the discussion during the Sub-Committee meeting, well that is another story.

The CC approved a number of labor contracts including the one with the largest city union, AFSCME 1705. I think that makes it 7 or 8 unions that have signed on for a three year contract; the major union who is still negotiating is the City’s patrolmen’s union. So now that most of the unions have a contract, I hope we do not hear that has an excuse for not supporting some progressive initiatives.

CC Rodney Elliott reported on the Flood Sub-Committee meeting which had met the night before. The next meeting is on March 11th to discuss a report received from federal agencies including a report from the Army Corp of Engineering. Mayor Bud Caulfield mentioned how helpful Congresswoman Niki Tsongas has been; I hope she can come up with some money so that once and for all we can address this issue. We cannot go on every Spring worrying about this.

Motion to take necessary action to name JAM Garage, the Middlesex Street one for Edward J. Early Jr. It passed 9-0. Listening to what was said about Mr. Early, he is certainly worthy of receiving the recognition. I hope we do refer to that facilty as the Early Garage because these days the Leo Roy Parking Facility is referred to as the Market Street garage and the Joseph Downes Parking Facility, the John Street garage. That is what we do in Lowell.

CC R. Elliott requested the Manager/Assessors report on fund/application procedure for Senior Tax Relief. The motion was made because not enough seniors are applying for this fund. It also passed unanimously.

Yesterday, the State Appellate Tax Board ruled that Verizon and other telecommunication companies can be taxed for poles and wires over public ways. This means that cities and towns will be able to levy taxes on the poles owned by the telephone providers the same way they have on poles owned by the other utilities. It is estimate that about $50 million in new revenue could be generated by Massachusetts cities and towns.

How much will come to Lowell? I am sure that the Board of Assessor’s and CFO Tom Moses have a pretty good idea; how about $750,000/annually. Last year during the FY 2008 Budget discussion City Manager Bernie Lynch brought up that number when additional funding was requested for the schools and indicated that the source of these funds would be the elimination of the telecom tax loophole.

If the ruling is upheld, Massachusetts cities and towns can start reaping the benefit pretty soon; and better yet, the ruling is retroactive for those municipalities who have filed appeals for the past few years. And Lowell is on that list.