Mayor, senators and city councilor in agreement on extending loan pay-off

By G. Michael Dobbs

Managing Editor

SPRINGFIELD One of the two legislative proposals made last week by City Council President Kateri Walsh and State Senator Stephen Buoniconti (D-Springfield) has already been accomplished without legislation.

Buoniconti has filed legislation that would increase the length of time the city has to pay back the $52 million loan from the state. Currently, the loans would begin being repaid in 2012. The bill would extend that repayment to 2027.

In a separate bill, Buoniconti would require the Finance Control Board (FCB) to have a half-hour set aside for a citizen speak-out at its meetings.

Walsh, as the new City Councilor president, is a member of the FCB, along with Mayor Charles Ryan.

Ryan told Reminder Publications the FCB has already approved a time for residents to speak, but has not yet determined its format.

Ryan said he is in favor of the proposed extension of 15 years. He said the loan repayment schedule was one of the "on-going conversations" he had had with the Romney Administration.

"Clearly I will make it one of the key points with the new governor," he said.

Ryan expressed hope that the city's continued success to reach financial stability will eventually convince lawmakers to forgive the loan. Now is not the time to make such as case, he added, as both the Legislature and Governor Deval Patrick have to face the more immediate issue of a gap in the budget.

Ryan added that Walsh or Buoniconti did not inform him of the two legislative efforts, both of whom he had recently seen. State Representatives Angelo Puppolo (D-Springfield) and James Welch (D-West Springfield) also co-sponsored the bills.

When told the of FCB decision, Walsh said she had read through recent minutes and didn't see any formal announcement about the speak-out decision. When told what Ryan had said about the speak-out, she replied," I think it's great whatever way it works."

She said the State Senator Gale Candaras is also supporting the loan repayment amendment. Walsh said she believes the loan payments would come out of the city's local aid funding.

She said her informal sense there is support for a re-structured loan repayment schedule.