Tuesday, March 9, 2010

Votes to Note: Lawrence “Bailout Bill”

Today the Senate debated H.4516, “An Act Providing for the Financial Stability of the City of Lawrence”, which would, among other things, authorize $35 million in borrowing to address the growing fiscal crisis in that city. While the main bill would allow this borrowing subject to the scrutiny of an “overseer”, an amendment I co-sponsored with Senators Tisei, Knapik and Hedlund would provide the strong financial controls of a Fiscal Control Board.

Unfortunately our amendment was defeated by a vote of 7-28. A second amendment, offered by Senator Panagiotakos (the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Ways and Means), provides for the possibility of a receiver if the situation worsens. That amendment passed by a unanimous vote of 35-0.

Despite some modest improvements over the bill originally filed by Governor Patrick to address the issues facing Lawrence, the final bill considered by the Senate today is deficient in two major ways: 1) the bill lacks a strong fiscal control board and 2) borrowing could occur prior to a determination by such a board that it is fiscally prudent.

Accordingly, I voted against the bill. To view how all of the members of the Senate voted on the bill and the amendments referenced, please click on “Read more” below.




On the Amendment offered by Senators Tisei, Tarr, Knapik and Hedlund to establish a finance control board to direct the finances of the City of Lawrence:

Roll Call Votes:

Steven A. Baddour- nay
Frederick E. Berry- nay
Stephen M. Brewer- nay
Stephen J. Buoniconti- nay
Gale D. Candaras- nay
Harriette L. Chandler- nay
Sonia Chang-Diaz- nay
Cynthia Stone Creem- nay
Kenneth J. Donnelly- nay
Benjamin B. Downing- nay
James B. Eldridge- nay
Susan C. Fargo ------ absent
Jennifer L. Flanagan -------absent
Jack Hart- nay
Robert L. Hedlund- yea
Patricia D. Jehlen- nay
Brian A. Joyce- nay
Thomas P. Kennedy- nay
Michael R. Knapik- yea
Thomas M. McGee- nay
Joan M. Menard- nay
Mark C. Montigny- nay
Michael O. Moore- nay
Richard T. Moore- yea
Michael W. Morrissey- yea
Senate President Therese Murray * Senate president did not vote
Robert A. O'Leary- nay
Marc R. Pacheco- nay
Steven C. Panagiotakos- nay
Anthony Petruccelli- nay
Stanley C. Rosenberg- nay
Karen E. Spilka- nay
Bruce E. Tarr- yea
James E. Timilty- yea
Richard R. Tisei- yea
Steven A. Tolman- nay
Susan C. Tucker- nay
Marian Walsh- nay

7-28

On an amendment offered by Senator Panagiotakos to provide for the possibility in the future of a receiver to assume control of the municipal operations of Lawrence:

Roll Call Votes:

Steven A. Baddour- yea
Frederick E. Berry- yea
Stephen M. Brewer- yea
Stephen J. Buoniconti- yea
Gale D. Candaras- yea
Harriette L. Chandler- yea
Sonia Chang-Diaz- yea
Cynthia Stone Creem- yea
Kenneth J. Donnelly- yea
Benjamin B. Downing- yea
James B. Eldridge- yea
Susan C. Fargo ------ absent
Jennifer L. Flanagan -------absent
Jack Hart- yea
Robert L. Hedlund- yea
Patricia D. Jehlen- yea
Brian A. Joyce- yea
Thomas P. Kennedy- yea
Michael R. Knapik- yea
Thomas M. McGee- yea
Joan M. Menard- yea
Mark C. Montigny- yea
Michael O. Moore- yea
Richard T. Moore- yea
Michael W. Morrissey- yea
Senate President Therese Murray * Senate president did not vote
Robert A. O'Leary- yea
Marc R. Pacheco- yea
Steven C. Panagiotakos- yea
Anthony Petruccelli- yea
Stanley C. Rosenberg- yea
Karen E. Spilka- yea
Bruce E. Tarr- yea
James E. Timilty- yea
Richard R. Tisei- yea
Steven A. Tolman- yea
Susan C. Tucker- yea
Marian Walsh- yea

35-0

On the main bill, H.4516, to allow the City of Lawrence to borrow up to $35 million, with the supervision of an “Overseer”:

Roll Call Votes:

Steven A. Baddour- yea
Frederick E. Berry- yea
Stephen M. Brewer- yea
Stephen J. Buoniconti- yea
Gale D. Candaras- yea
Harriette L. Chandler- yea
Sonia Chang-Diaz- yea
Cynthia Stone Creem- yea
Kenneth J. Donnelly- yea
Benjamin B. Downing- yea
James B. Eldridge- yea
Susan C. Fargo ------ absent
Jennifer L. Flanagan -------absent
Jack Hart- yea
Robert L. Hedlund- nay
Patricia D. Jehlen- yea
Brian A. Joyce- yea
Thomas P. Kennedy- yea
Michael R. Knapik- nay
Thomas M. McGee- yea
Joan M. Menard- yea
Mark C. Montigny- yea
Michael O. Moore- yea
Richard T. Moore- yea
Michael W. Morrissey- yea
Senate President Therese Murray * Senate president did not vote
Robert A. O'Leary- yea
Marc R. Pacheco- yea
Steven C. Panagiotakos- yea
Anthony Petruccelli- yea
Stanley C. Rosenberg- yea
Karen E. Spilka- yea
Bruce E. Tarr- nay
James E. Timilty- yea
Richard R. Tisei- nay
Steven A. Tolman- yea
Susan C. Tucker- yea
Marian Walsh- yea

31-4