Pittsfield Committee Recommends Against School Budget LawBy Joe Durwin, Pittsfield Correspondent
12:43PM / Monday, November 24, 2014 | |
 The Ordinance & Rules Committee is recommending the City Council reject a petition on Tuesday to adopt a law allowing it to override a mayor's school budget. |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Committee on Ordinance & Rules is recommending the City Council reject a petition on Tuesday to adopt a little used Massachusetts law enabling it to override a mayor's decision on the annual school budget.
The subcommittee voted 3-2 last week against recommending a petition.
If enacted, Massachusetts' Chapter 329 would allow a school budget appropriation to be increased above that called for by a mayor, provided at least four members of the School Committee, and eight members of the City Council vote to do so. Opponents of the move point out that there do not seem to be any other discernible cases where a community has adopted this in the 17 years it's been on the books.
"This is a proactive measure," said Councilor Churchill Cotton, who brought the petition forth after the School Committee voted 6-1 in support. "This is not a criticism of how things have been done in the past."
"There's no guarantee that by adopting this, school budgets will go up," added Cotton, who previously served on the School Committee prior to election as a councilor in 2011.
Two current members of that committee, Chairwoman Katherine Yon and Cynthia Taylor, also attended to speak in its favor, saying the provision could offer greater public participation and overall transparency in the budget process.
"Let's make history, let's blaze a trail," said Yon. "Let's adopt 329 to have the opportunity to work more effectively to do what's right for our community."
Councilor Kathleen Amuso, also a former School Committee member, disagreed, saying she believes adopting this could lead to yearly attempts at increased budgets.
"This is very difficult for me," said Amuso. "I believe it sounds good in theory."
"It nags at me that I can't find a community that's adopted this," added Council President Melissa Mazzeo, who along with Councilor Kevin Morandi also voted against the proposal.
Mazzeo said she is "not opposed to talking about this again at another time" but was not convinced that being one of, if not the first, municipality to adopt it is the right thing to do.
Councilor Jonathan Lothrop deferred, contending that the nature of the provision would "bring additional checks and balances" that would likely result in it never having to be invoked.
"It's a pretty high burden for that to ever come into play," said Lothrop, of the super-majorities from both bodies required to increase the figure.
Councilor Christopher Connell, who chairs the subcommittee, said he "felt torn" on the issue, but ultimately agreed with Lothrop.
The petition to adopt the statute by city ordinance will now go before the full council on Tuesday.
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