MARBLEHEAD — Gov. Deval Patrick played "I've Got a Secret" with a mostly supportive crowd of about 150 people at the high school library last night.
In a forum meant to address the state's daunting budget crisis, Patrick took a question from an anti-Salem power plant activist and in response revealed that an important announcement could be coming.
The governor said he was in talks with Dominion, owners of the plant: "And we shall have something to say in a couple of weeks." During the forum and in a brief interview afterward, he declined to be more specific.
When it comes to the drawbacks of the coal-fired plant, he said, "I get it." He also made a comment that may hint at an end for the plant, reacting to the possibility that the property could have other money-making uses, he said, "That site is actually quite magnificent."
The forum, which lasted roughly an hour and a half, began with a decidedly grim computer slide presentation of the state's fiscal woes, showing punishing spending cuts, federal handouts and potential tax increases that will still leave Massachusetts more than $1 billion in debt over the next two years.
"Tough times," the governor said. "Tough choices."
Many of those attending the forum announced themselves as employees or users of social service organizations. Each presented compelling reasons why their agencies should have more state money.
"There is some human soul behind every single one of the issues we're talking about," Patrick said. But he went on to challenge requests for money by asking the questioner what he or she would cut in order to have it.
Most struggled with the question. Christina Kyles, who runs Marblehead's Metco program, was having none of it. "I know you're going to ask me the same question you asked the others. I'm going to say 'Don't.' I voted for you for your foresight."
In other words, she expects Patrick himself to work out such things.
"The Metco budget has gone up since I've been in office," the governor said with a smile. "Don't give me that look. It's gone up."
Patrick shared the head table with state Rep. Lori Ehrlich, D-Marblehead. He praised her work on issues like the proposed toll hike. Nevertheless, commenting on a recent vote by the Legislature to increase the sales tax, Patrick hinted that it might not get toll payers completely off the hook.
With sales tax revenues, he indicated, the tolls might not have to be raised "as steeply as we otherwise would have to."
When one woman suggested a graduated income tax as the solution to the budget shortfall a majority in the room applauded enthusiastically and Patrick also endorsed the idea, but only in theory.
It won't help now, he told them, as it requires a constitutional change. "That'll take four years. ... The platform is on fire now."
Later, he called on Marbleheader Barbara Anderson. She blasted the idea of a graduated income tax, "Because the harder you work the more they take from you." She described the plan as a way to divide taxpayers. "They'll pick us off one (tax) bracket at a time." Those in the lower tax brackets, she said, will be unmoved when rates rise for those in the higher brackets and vice versa.
"And there'll never be an organized effort to stop tax increases," she concluded, noting that the graduated income tax has failed on the ballot five times for that reason.
Stepping back, Patrick shook his head. "I'm scared of you," he said.
Later, he conceded that he hadn't known that his inquisitor was Anderson, founder of Proposition 21âÑ2 and a longtime anti-tax activist.
"I think we're supposed to struggle with the question of taxes," Patrick said later. "We should not be cavalier."
An important part of restoring the state's fiscal situation, the governor stressed, is restoring the public's faith in the commonwealth. That will come with reform, eliminating pension inequities and demanding high ethical standards.
"In order to have some credibility in coming to you," he said, "we have to get reform right."
