By Mr. Puppolo of Springfield, petition (accompanied by resolve, House, No. 1989) of Angelo J. Puppolo, Jr., for an investigation by a special commission (including members of the General Court)  relative to accounting methods used by cities and towns for balancing of annual budgets.  Municipalities and Regional Government.

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PETITION OF:

Angelo J. Puppolo, Jr.

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In the Year Two Thousand and Seven.

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Resolve establishing a special commission relative to municipal finance accountability.

    Resolved,

A special commission is hereby established to investigate and study the manner in which municipalities of the commonwealth balance their fiscal year budgets, including the accounting methods utilized by said cities and towns.  The commission shall be appointed by the governor and shall consist of  10 members as follows: the house and senate chairmen of the joint committee on municipalities who shall serve as co-chairs of the commission, the house and senate chairmen of the committees on ways and means, or their designees, the speaker of the house of representatives, or his designee, the president of the senate, or his designee, the state auditor, or his designee, the commissioner of the department of revenue, or his designee, a representative of the executive office of administration and finance and a representative of the Massachusetts Municipal Association.  The commission shall report to the general court the results of its study, together with drafts of legislation necessary to carry such recommendations into effect, by filing the same with the clerk of the house of representatives on or before December 31, 2007.