Letter today from the new Lt. Gov. –
February 9, 2015
Dear Municipal Leaders,
As the Baker-Polito Administration’s liaison to local officials, I am excited to write to you about some early actions our Administration has taken to support municipalities and local officials. On our first day in office, we released $100 million in Chapter 90 funds, for a total $300 million annual commitment to local roads and bridges. Second, Governor Baker signed his first ExecutiveOrder creating a Community Compact Cabinet (Cabinet) during the Massachusetts Municipal Association’s Annual Meeting. Third, the Baker-Polito Administration elevated the Division of Local Services within the Department of Revenue, and we’re thrilled that your colleague, Brookline Deputy Town Administrator Sean Cronin, has agreed to become Senior Deputy Commissioner for the Division of Local Services.
As chair of the Cabinet, I will champion local government issues throughout the Administration and will work with you to create a true partnership between the state and cities and towns. Together,we will work to identify best practices and innovations that provide better, more effectivegovernment both at the local and state level. The Baker-Polito Administration will use the Cabinet to bring together the relevant high-level state officials to develop and execute our commi
tments to municipalities. One task I will highlight is that we are working to identify unfunded mandates, onerous regulations, and bottlenecks in state government that inhibit the success of your cities and towns. In March, the Division of Local Serviceswill circulate a survey to seek your input.
To hear directly from local leaders, I’ve already started a statewide tour to meet with municipal officials and I hope to be able to connect with you soon. I am eager to hear your ideas about how we can help y
ou grow the economy, provide a quality education for every child, and responsibly manage your community’s budget.
I have attached a summary of the Executive Order, and I look forward to working with you to create a great Massachusetts.
Sincerely,
Karyn E. Polito
Lieutenant Governor
Elevating the Municipal Partnership
Baker-Polito Administration
The Baker-Polito team is committed to elevating its partnership with Massachusetts cities and towns. The Administration’s first act was to release $100 million in new Chapter 90 funding for local roads and bridges. In addition, we have pledged to hold harmless local aid accounts as we deal with a $765 million budget gap in FY15, and
we will increase local aid in a way that tracks state revenue growth.
Both Governor Baker and Lt. Governor Polito served as selectmen and
intimately understand the challenges facing municipalities. Therefore, today we are elevating municipal concerns directly into the Governor’s Office.
Via Executive Order, we are empowering Lt. Governor Polito to be a champion for municipal issues across state government; we
are restructuring the Department of Revenue to include a new Senior Commissioner for the Division of Local Services, reporting directly to the Commissioner; and we are creating a Community Compact Cabinet that will work toward mutual accountability, work to reduce red tape, promote best practices, and develop specific “community compacts” with local governments. Community compacts will create clear, mutual standards, expectations, and accountability for both the state and municipalities as we seek to create better government for our citizens.
Executive Order 537
The Municipal Affairs Coordinating Cabinet
September 2011
Leadership:
Agency: Exec. Office of Admin. & Finance
Chair: The Deputy Commissioner for Local Services; Department of Revenue
Membership:
State Purchasing Agent
State Chief Information Officer
Commissioner of Capital Asset Management and Maintenance
Executive Director of the Group Insurance Commission
Personnel Administrator
Chairman of the Civil Service Commission
Any member of the Governor’s Cabinet or their designee and any other person whom the Secretary of ANF may designate
Charge:
1.to implement policies and coordinate activities throughout the executive branch that are designated to enhance the partnerships between local and state government;
2. to assess ways in which state government may provide assistance to local government in the provision of services, including, but not limited to, technology, procurement, construction, employee benefits and other areas where the assets of state government may be utilized to assist local governments;
3. to assist in the interpretation and implementation of the various municipal partnership bills signed into law over the past five years in order to assist cities and towns in reducing costs, streamlining operations and generating revenue
New Executive Order
The Community Compact Cabinet
January 2015
Leadership:
Agency: Office of the Governor
Chair: Lieutenant Governor
Vice Chair: The Senior Deputy Commissioner, Division of Local Services; DOR
Membership:
Secretary of the Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development
Secretary of the Executive Office of Education
Secretary of Transportation
Secretary of the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs
Assistant Secretary for Operational Services
Chief Information Officer
Any other person whom the Lieutenant Governor
may designate from time to time.
Charge:
1. to champion municipal interests across all executive secretariats and agencies;
2. to develop, in consultation with cities and towns, mutual standards of best practices for both the state and municipalities, working toward the creation of community compacts that will create clear standards, expectations and accountability for both partners;
3. to develop ideas to incentivize adoption of best practices at the municipal and school district level;
4. to work with the Local Government Advisory Commission (the “LGAC”) to resolve issues and implement recommendations made by the LGAC and approved by the Governor;
5. to review state regulatory burdens on municipalities and school districts and recommend reforms to lessen the burdens on municipalities and school districts;
6. to understand the major cost drivers of municipalities and school districts and identify actions that the Commonwealth, municipalities
and school districts can take to control them;
7. to identify and remove barriers to economic development opportunities for cities and towns; and
8. to empower cities and towns and school districts by finding new ways for them to leverage state resources and capacity Leadership
Membership Charge
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