HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 4320        FILED ON: 12/1/2015

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 3882

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

Paul McMurtry and Michael F. Rush

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To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:

The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:

An Act relative to the Robin Reyes Capital Stabilization Fund in the town of Dedham.

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PETITION OF:

HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 4320        FILED ON: 12/1/2015

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 3882

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the One Hundred and Eighty-Ninth General Court
(2015-2016)

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An Act relative to the Robin Reyes Capital Stabilization Fund in the town of Dedham.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

SECTION 1. Notwithstanding the provisions of section 53 of chapter 44 of the General Laws or any other general or special law to the contrary, the town of Dedham shall deposit directly and without further appropriation receipts received annually by said town in connection with collection of the local meals excise under section 2 of chapter 64L of the General Laws and the local room occupancy tax under section 3A of chapter 64G of the General Laws to the Robin Reyes Major Capital Facilities Stabilization Fund (the “Robin Reyes Fund”), a special purpose stabilization fund created by vote of the town under Article 3 of the November 16, 2009 Special Town Meeting in accordance with the provisions of section 5B of chapter 40 of the General Laws for the purposes of receiving and segregating funds for major facility improvements, facility replacements, new facilities or for debt service on bonds and notes issued for these purposes.

SECTION 2. No later than March 15 and September 15 in each fiscal year, and more frequently as may be requested by the town manager, the finance director shall certify to the board of selectmen, finance and warrant committee, and town manager the amount available for expenditure in the Robin Reyes Fund.

SECTION 3. The finance director of the town of Dedham, in consultation with the town manager, and following a meeting with the board of selectmen for which at least one week’s notice is provided on the official website of the town, shall hereby be authorized to promulgate appropriate policies to address any accounting or reporting requirements necessary to properly implement this act.

SECTION 4. Notwithstanding the provisions of section 1 of this act providing for all receipts described in said section to be credited directly and without further appropriation to the Robin Reyes Fund, in fiscal year 2016 only 2/3 of such receipts shall be so credited, and in fiscal year 2017 only 5/6 of such receipts shall be so credited, with the remainder in each such fiscal year to be considered General Fund revenues as would otherwise be required by law.

SECTION 5.  Notwithstanding the provisions of section 5B of chapter 40 of the General Laws, no change may be made by the town to limit or expand the purpose for which the Robin Reyes Fund may be expended except upon a 2/3 vote of town meeting following a positive recommendation from the board of selectmen and finance and warrant committee; provided, further, that the limitation imposed by this section shall not prohibit said town of Dedham, following the positive recommendation of the board of selectmen and finance committee, from voting by a 2/3 vote to dissolve the Robin Reyes Fund, and after the effective date of such vote, all receipts described in section 1 of this act shall be considered General Fund revenues as required by law.

SECTION 6.  This act shall take effect upon passage provided, however, that the General Court may make clerical or editorial changes of form only to such bill, unless the Board of Selectmen approves amendments to the bill prior to enactment by the General Court, and provided further that the Board of Selectmen is hereby authorized to approve amendments which shall be within the scope of the general public objectives of this petition; or take any other action relative thereto.