SJC on Quinn Bill – town only pays its half, not state’s half

The Supreme Judicial Court ruled today in the case of ADAMS v. CITY OF BOSTON held that Massachusetts towns only have to pay half of the  Quinn Bill obligations to the police when the legislature fails to fund the reimbursement, as it has recently done.  Under the Quinn Bill, police got additional pay for additional education, and the state was supposed to reimburse the towns for half of what the towns paid the cops per the Quinn Bill.  Several years ago when the recession hit, the state stopped funding its half of the Quinn Bill, Boston only paid its half, and the police sued to get it all.

“Taking the purpose of the statute into account, we conclude that § 108L requires only that municipalities pay one-half the amounts specified in the payment provision, plus any amount actually received from the Commonwealth. Municipalities may agree to pay more, but the statute does not require it.”