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The Easthampton Community Center at 12 Clark St. would see its budget slashed under Mayor Karen Cadieux's 2016 municipal budget.

(Mary Serreze photo)

EASTHAMPTON -- Mayor Karen Cadieux's fiscal 2016 budget completely eliminates funding to the Easthampton Community Center, which provides food, clothing, and other essential needs to the city's low-income residents.

Last year, the city provided $20,000 to the center. Cadieux's budget slashes that number by 100 percent, bringing the contribution down to zero. Cadieux also proposes to eliminate a $4,000 contribution to the Northampton Survival Center, which serves the region.

Speaking before the City Council Wednesday, Cadieux said the decision was made because of the 1855 "anti-aid amendment" to the Massachusetts constitution, which bars municipalities from giving grants to non-governmental organizations to support their activities.

Robin Bialecki, director of the Community Center, stood before the City Council and pleaded with them to "reconsider or consider alternative financing since we have been cut from this year's budget."

The Community Center feeds 320 children all summer when there is no school and they can't get breakfast and lunch, said Bialecki. Last year, the center served over 63,000 meals in 10 weeks -- "and we don't want to see that go down," she said.

James Ayres, Executive Director of the Hampshire County United Way, said other Massachusetts communities contract with non-profits for services, rather than giving them direct grants, thereby complying with the law. He offered to help Cadieux connect with other city leaders so they can share their best practices with her.

"We were quite alarmed to see the decision not to include funding in the budget," Ayres told the City Council. "We look at the investment that we've made in the Community Center each year as a co-investment." The United Way contributes $20-30,000 per year to the Community Center, a number which in the past has been matched by the city, he said.

Ayres noted that the anti-aid amendment was created 160 years ago.

"When we look at that legislation we see an intent that's different than how it seems to have been interpreted in this city," he said. Other communities continue to provide support for services, provided that those services benefit the community, he said.

Cadieux spoke at length about her support for the Community Center before emphasizing that she had made up her mind about the cuts.

"Our community is a very generous community, and they're constantly providing for different agencies," said Cadieux, moments before stating that City Auditor Valerie Bernier sees "no gray areas" in her opposition to providing city funds to the center:

"So it's very, very clear, and she is very adamant, and once she brought it to my attention; once the auditor tells me this is prohibited by the Department of Revenue, the decision was made right then and there," said Cadieux.

The Department of Revenue has posted the following statement concerning the anti-aid amendment:

Cadieux went on, saying she is a member of the Helping Hand Society which recently voted to give the center $5,000. She said she always names the Easthampton Community Center as a worthy cause "when Channel 40 comes through and they're looking for an agency to highlight." The mayor noted that a "citywide food drive involving all city departments" is planned, and that "we always give them all the coats they need."

Cadieux suggested that Holyoke, Northampton, and Westhampton should contribute to the Easthampton Community Center: "They take care of a lot of the surrounding communities. Because of the federal funding they basically can't turn anybody away," said Cadiuex.

Cadieux said Easthampton, because of its median income, is not entitled to federal Community Development Block Grants, the way Northampton, Holyoke, and Springfield are. Supporting the Community Center through a federal CDBG grant would be permissible under the law, she said.

Cadieux did not completely shut the door on finding a way for the city to support the community center, saying "we are looking at any different ways of revenues" and that the city is "interested in other methods that might provide funds to the community center."

The Easthampton Community Center provides a food pantry, community care kitchen, a clothing closet, and a meeting space for groups. The building is open seven days a week and has been in operation for over 40 years.

The community center in fiscal 2013 operated with $157,490 in revenues and $144,890 in expenses, according to the website Guidestar.org. The organization is a member of the Hampshire County United Way and the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts.

Bialecki could not be reached Friday afternoon for additional information about the center's services and finances.

Ayres, reached by telephone, said he would encourage Cadieux or the City Council to contact the Attorney General's office to seek clarification on the proper interpretation of the anti-aid amendment. He said the Massachusetts Non-Profit Network, on which he serves, will probably also seek more information.

Cadieux earlier this year said Easthampton is in for a tough fiscal 2016 budget year.

Under her $38.3 million spending plan, the schools must close a $583,338 spending gap. The mayor has not placed budget documents online, but does offer the public a condensed budget summary.

The City Council's Finance Committee plans a series of public hearings on the mayor's budget, including the proposal to slash funding to the Community Center. Human Services will be discussed Thursday, May 26 at 6 p.m. at the city's 50 Payson Ave. municipal building.

The City Council may make cuts to the mayor's proposed budget, but does not have power to add funding.

The 1885 anti-aid amendment was originally a product of the "Know-Nothing" anti-Irish Catholic movement in Massachusetts, according to writer Jamie Gass.