Woonsocket Supplemental Tax Bills In Limbo Pending Word on Union Talks

Senate and House versions of a supplemental tax bill raising an extra $2.5 million this year, added to the future tax base, remain on the respective chambers' desks pending good news on union talks from the Budget Commission. 

Larry Berman, communications director for Speaker Gordon Fox, said each bill was being held on the desk at the request of the respective chambers' Woonsocket delegates. Each version can be passed if approved by the opposite chamber, he said. Reconciling the two if each pass the other chamber is a simple process that could be done quickly, he said.
However, the bills will only move forward at the request of the Woonsocket delegation. If that never happens, the bills will die on the desk.

Rep. Lisa Baldelli-Hunt, (D-Dist. 49) said she and her fellow representatives asked for a conference before sending the House version of the bill to the Senate. She said the representatives' ultimate decision on the bill hinges on word from the unions. "If we learn the negotiations have gone well," she said, "Then the delegation will work and determine which supplemental tax bill we will go forward on."

On April 19, the Woonsocket Budget Commission voted to enact the concessions they were attempting to negotiate with all the city's unions save the firefighters' union, which still has a pending contract. State law does not allow the Commission to alter existing contracts. The move was described as a 'Plan B'.

The concessions include moving all city employees under one unified health insurance plan and previously announced changes to retireee benefits. The move accounts for millions in savings in the 5-year-plan. Those, the supplemental tax and benefit cuts to retirees are all necessary elements of the five-year-plan, which needs them all to work.

During the May 9 Budget Hearing, Budget Commission Chairman Bill Sequino said he hoped the compulsory move on the expired contracts would encourage the unions to agree to the concessions.

Sen. Marc Cote (D-Dist 24), who sponsored the Senate version of the bill, said it's apparent that hasn't happened. He said the Woonsocket delegation has been clear with the Budget Commission that everyone in the city has to do their part to fix the city's finances, unions included.

Cote said that without the unions, the 5-year-plan won't work. Though he is aware of the Budget Commission's intent to make the concessions compulsory, he said it's clear the unions intend to fight that in court, so it's not a good solution.

Many, Cote said, have contributed to saving the city. "We're hoping the other parties that are part of this plan will step forward and do the same," he said.