By Edward Mason
Staff writer
August 01, 2008 12:06 am BOSTON — Haverhill will avoid more budget cuts as the Legislature late yesterday restored $2.4 million for Hale Hospital debt relief vetoed earlier this month by Gov. Deval Patrick. The Haverhill override was among dozens of Patrick's vetoes lawmakers brushed aside, including funding for projects in Andover, Lawrence, Gloucester, Methuen and elsewhere across the state. Overall, lawmakers restored most of the $122.5 million Patrick vetoed from the $28.3 billion budget sent to him in July. The Hale debt was one of the largest and most controversial vetoes lawmakers reversed. Rep. Brian Dempsey, D-Haverhill, said he was able to convince House leadership, especially Speaker Salvatore DiMasi, that it was a priority for the financially troubled city. "This is never an easy task," Dempsey said, "but it's important to the city. We tried to make the case that the Hale case was unique." Haverhill inherited a $75 million debt when it sold the hospital in 2001 to a private company. Its annual $7.5 million payment on that debt has strained the city budget. The Legislature proposed sending Haverhill $2.4 million but Patrick slashed that in half. Senate Ways and Means Chief Sen. Steve Panagiotakos, D-Lowell, last week said he'd block an override after reading that Haverhill Mayor James Fiorentini planned to use the money to shore up city reserves. Haverhill officials put a full-court press on Panagiotakos to change his mind. Fiorentini called him Wednesday to plead his case, said Panagiotakos, who then phoned Dempsey early yesterday morning. The House voted 122-24 to override, while the Senate, with Panagiotakos' blessing, voted 37 -1. Fiorentini credited Dempsey's lobbying of Panagiotakos. "Dempsey steered the ship," Fiorentini said. Sen. Steven Baddour, a Methuen Democrat who represents Haverhill, also credited Dempsey. "Brian and I worked hand-in-glove, though Brian was instrumental," Baddour said. Among the local projects restored were: r $300,000 for the Merrimack Valley Economic Development Council r $100,000 for the Gloucester Maritime Heritage Center r $150,000 for Andover Youth Services r $115,000 earmark for Food for the World Pantry in Lawrence r $200,000 for improvements to downtown Methuen r $75,000 for improvements to Eugene Lovely Field in Andover r $100,000 for a Greater Haverhill Chamber of Commerce program to boost business in the area r $40,000 for Newburyport to attract new businesses r $50,000 for an economic development director for Salisbury r $150,000 for a job training program at Lazarus House in Lawrence Republicans resisted many of the veto overrides, saying they swelled an already unsustainable budget. The House rejected Patrick cuts to such pork as $300,000 for the Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield and $50,000 for the Commonwealth Cup baseball tournament between U.S. and Canadian ball clubs. "We're in an economic storm," said Rep. Bradford Hill, R-Ipswich, about Hale and other earmarks. "We have to make tough choices. Rep. Linda Dean Campbell, D-Methuen, said many of the local veto overrides would have a minuscule effect on the state's finances. "It is less than one half of 1 percent of the budget," Campbell said. With this money, Haverhill will have received about $9.2 million over the last half-dozen years to offset its Hale Hospital debt. Patrick has asked for emergency powers to cut spending should the economy tank, and Dempsey, Baddour and others said they believe that if Patrick vetoed the Hale money it would be among the first cuts. Fiorentini said he called the lieutenant governor to voice his concerns and will set up a meeting with Patrick.
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