Neal said House Dems have a strategy about requested tax returns

May 22, 2019 | G. Michael Dobbs
news@thereminder.com

Congressman Richard Neal spoke about the importance of infrastructure improvements at the ground breaking for a new sewage pumping station.
Reminder Publishing photo by G. Michael Dobbs

SPRINGFIELD – A $115 million project to build a new sewage pumping station – Connecticut River Crossing Project – may not be the sexiest development in the city, but it will be essential to provide better service to Springfield, Ludlow, Wilbraham and East Longmeadow.

According to Joshua Schimmel, chair of the Springfield Water and Sewer Commission, the new facility on the grounds of the former York Street Jail will also prevent 100 million of gallons of raw sewage from entering the Connecticut River in an average year.

At its ground breaking on May 20, Schimmel said, “The cost of not doing the work is far more than doing it.”

The new facility, which should be completed in 2022, will replace a pumping station built in 1938. Schimmel said the new station is part of a master infrastructure plan involving a $1 billion investment over the next 20 years.

He called the improvements, “very necessary.”

Schimmel said the project would create 100 to 150 construction jobs.

The new station will pump sewage 1,200 feet across the river in two 42-inch pipes and one 72-inch pipe. The existing pipes are 50 and 85 year-sold.  

Kevin Kennedy, the city’s Chief Development Officer said the pumping station is one of several economic development projects on the location of the former jail. There will be an expansion announced by Balise Auto Group as well.

Kennedy said there are now three hotel groups who have also expressed interest in building a new hotel on the parcel.

“The city has been trying to develop this site for many, many years,” Kennedy said.

Speaking of the pumping station he said, “Economically it’s a great project.”

Congressman Richard Neal recalled his involvement as mayor with water and sewer issues and said with a smile, “Ask my staff: I really get excited by this stuff.”

He noted the importance of infrastructure issues and compared what is happening in Springfield with what has happened in Flint, MI, with that community’s drinking water emergency.

“[It’s] all because of a decision to embrace thrift rather than a long-term commitment,” he said.


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Before the event, Ways and Means Committee Chairman Richard E. Neal met with the press and said he was not surprised in the refusal by the Treasury Department to hand over to his committee President Donald Trump’s tax returns

Neal told area press he will be following the advice of his committee’s counsel in taking the next step.

“Over the next day or so we’ll pay out the next part of the strategy.”

He added he was “adhering very closely” to the advice of counsel.

On May 17, Neal released the following statement after Department of Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin refused to comply with a subpoena for six years of the Trump’s personal and business tax returns: “Last Friday, I issued subpoenas to the Treasury Secretary and IRS Commissioner after they refused to comply with the law. Issuance of these subpoenas should not have been necessary. The law provides clear statutory authority for the Chair of the Ways and Means Committee to request and receive access to tax returns and return information. The law, by its terms, does not allow for discretion as to whether to comply with a request for tax returns and return information. Given the Treasury Secretary’s failure to comply today, I am consulting with counsel on how best to enforce the subpoenas moving forward.”

Mnuchin on May 17 wrote, “In reliance on the advice of Department of Justice, we have determined that the Committee’s request lacks a legitimate purpose and pursuant to section 6103 the department is therefore not authorized to disclose the requested information to the Committee’s subpoena.”

Neal said he would be meeting with Trump on May 22 to discuss a bill funding infrastructure projects. He said the meeting would be “one point of opportunity” to work together.

He noted the administration and the House leadership has agreed on the funding amount for the bill.

“It’s safe to say the architecture of agreement is there,” he added.

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