BOSTON - In the wake of devastating fires in Gloucester and Lawrence, Gov. Deval Patrick wants the Legislature to give him emergency spending authority in the event of a disaster.
In the budget he filed last week, Patrick asked for ability to spend up to $25 million of the state's reserves without legislative approval in the case of an emergency. The money would be used to provide immediate help to cash-strapped communities coping with disasters.
Lt. Gov. Timothy Murray said a string of catastrophes striking the region - including the May 2006 flood and Thanksgiving 2006 Danversport explosion - spurred the administration to act.
"When communities have devastating incidents, it puts extraordinary pressure on municipal finances," Murray said. "This would allow the state to assist and support and make whole those communities."
It took more than a year for the Legislature to approve financial aid following the Essex County floods and nearly eight months following the Thanksgiving 2006 chemical explosion in Danversport. Murray said the administration's plan would let the state get money to communities faster than waiting for the Legislature to approve the spending.
"What we've found is that unless something happens in a particularly powerful (lawmaker's) district, there isn't always a sense of urgency to move it," Murray said. "This would allow us to move in a more timely fashion when this comes up."
Under the plan, the governor would declare a state of emergency following one of a series of catastrophic events, including a natural disaster, a pandemic outbreak and a terrorist threat.
The governor would then be able to withdraw $25 million from the state's stabilization, or so-called rainy day fund. The governor could do this without consulting the Legislature, though during the course of the emergency, he would have to report to the Legislature how the money is being spent.
The money could be used to relocate people affected by a disaster but could not be used to help people rebuild or repair their homes. However, Murray said his office and legislative leaders are considering crafting such a plan.
The Patrick plan was met with a cool response by lawmakers, who rejected a similar proposal last year.
Rep. Theodore C. Speliotis, a Democrat whose Danvers community sought state help following the Thanksgiving Day explosion, said the governor's proposal is unnecessary. He said it is the role of the Legislature and not the governor to approve spending.
Speliotis, who helped secure $1.6 million in aid for Danvers, said communities have not lacked as a result of the Legislature's power of the purse.
"I don't see anything wrong with being flexible," Speliotis said, "but at no time has anyone said we're not responding (to a disaster) because of a lack of funds."
In the case of the May 2006 flood, the Bush administration quickly approved disaster aid for Essex County, which made millions of dollars available to cities and towns. But it only covered 75 percent of the cost of overtime for police and firefighters and infrastructure repairs. It took the Legislature until July 2007 to approve a $7.8 million package that helped make up the difference.
Sen. Bruce Tarr, a Gloucester Republican who helped lead efforts to secure flood relief, agreed that it took too long to get the money. But he said it would set a bad precedent to allow the governor to appropriate money. A better solution, he said, would be for the Legislature to create its own fund the governor can use to respond to emergencies.
"We agree on the problem," Tarr said. "I'm not sure we agree that the remedy is this kind of unilateral authority."
