Politics & Government

Town Has Been Reimbursed for Special Senate Elections

Town officials report a sum of $29,443.

The death of Senator Edward Kennedy and the subsequent elections to replace his seat in the US Senate cost towns throughout the Commonwealth additional funds, but some of that money has now been paid back to Needham.

Because Kennedy was in office at the time of his death, special elections had to be held to fill the occupational void he left. Towns like Needham, though, had not originally budgeted for such elections and had to incur extra expenses for items like voting booths and ballots.

Town Clerk Theodora Eaton and Director of Finance David Davison met with the Board of Selectmen to announce that $29,443 had been given to the Town as repayment.

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"We worked with the state auditor for the designation that this was a special election," Eaton said. "On May 12, we received a check to cover the costs."

A State Primary was held on Dec. 8, 2009, followed by the final election on Jan. 19 of this year. According to State Auditor A. Joseph DeNucci, both elections were "unfunded mandates and therefore the state should pay the cost."

Find out what's happening in Needhamwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Davison related in a memorandum that having the primary election coincidentally fall on the same date as the Town's special election for the Newman Elementary School project lowered the burden on taxpayers.

Eaton had calculated $37, 276.70 as the eligible cost of having two US Senate elections in Needham. However, due to the Extended Polling Hours law, Needham had already been reimbursed $7,834 for keeping polls open between 7 a.m. and 8 p.m., bringing the net expense for the Town to $29.443.

The appropriated money will be applied against the expenses incurred and paid from the operating budgets. Any remaining proceeds from the appropriation will become free cash at the end of FY010.


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