BOSTON — Lawrence Mayor William Lantigua was criticized today for skipping a public hearing on a bill to allow the city to borrow as much as $35 million to avoid a meltdown and for refusing to devote full time to the financial crisis.
Lantigua, inaugurated Jan. 4, also holds the office of state representative, jobs with combined salaries of $170,000.
Rep. Robert Hargraves, R-Groton, and Sen. Steven Panagiotakos, D-Lowell, both expressed concern that with $35 million on the line, Lantigua did not come to Boston to speak on the city's behalf. In his absence, Patrick Blanchette, the interim economic development director, and Leonard Degnan, Lantigua's chief of staff, both testified before a joint meeting of the House and Senate Ways and Means committees.
Degnan said Lantigua was at Lawrence City Hall today.
Panagiotakos said the city is asking "extraordinary relief" for its financial problems. He questioned whether those problems can be repaired if Lantigua is dividing his time and attention between City Hall and the Statehouse.
"It's telling the mayor cannot be here to come down here and testify on the most important piece of legislation in decades," he said.
Hargraves echoed similar sentiments.
"As far as I'm concerned, there's no damned excuse for that," Hargraves said. "The CEO of the city does not show up."
However, Hargraves said the people of the city "cannot be held hostage." He said the Legislature has to do what is best for the city of Lawrence.
Under the provisions of the bill, Lawrence, with help from an overseer, would be given until January 2011 to balance the city's budget, now in deficit by an estimated $24.5 million. Opponents say in order to recover, the city needs a finance control board, rather than an overseer who would merely offer advice. Today's hearing was held to gauge how lawmakers, local officials and private citizens feel about the bill.
About 200 people are here, including City Councilors Frank Moran, Grisel Silva and Modesto Maldonado. Three city attorneys, Police Chief John Romero, Deputy Police Chief Melix Bonilla, Treasurer Patti Cook, Comptroller David Camasso and Public Works Director Frank McCann attended.
Fired city planner Michael Sweeney, who has led an effort to bring a financial control board to Lawrence, also testified before the committee.
Watch our Web site for further updates and see tomorrow's print edition for a full-report.
