HUDSON – The Joint Committee on Municipalities & Regional Government will hold public hearings at the State House in Boston and Hudson Town Hall on the issue of municipal relief next week.
The Boston hearing is scheduled for 10 a.m., Tuesday, May 12, in Room B-1 at the State House. The second hearing will be at 10 a.m. Friday, May 15, in the second-floor auditorium of Hudson Town Hall, 78 Main St.
State Sen. James Eldridge, D-Acton, is Senate chairman, and Rep. Paul Donato, D-Medford, is House chairman of the committee.
Topics to be discussed include the report on the commission on municipal relief.
Created by the Legislature in July 2008, the Special Commission on Municipal Relief is a bipartisan effort aimed at promoting fiscal stability statewide.
The Municipal Partnership Act IIbill was filed by Gov. Deval Patrick on Jan. 28 to propose new tools for cities and towns to respond to the present fiscal situation.
Contained in the bill are provisions to control employee health care costs by easing the requirement for entry into the state Group Insurance Commission, and holding cities and towns accountable for cost efficient health care for employees. The bill also proposes changes to retiree Medicare coverage, encourages and facilitates regionalization of municipal services, suggests changes to municipal procurement requirements, and reduces the need for special home rule petitions for certain procedural matters.
Other bills related to municipal relief may be added to the hearing list.
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