Dispute Over Tax Records Ends Amicably-September 6, 1984

A bitter dispute over public records access between disabled former town official Thomas DiFrancia and Board of Assessors Chairman James J. Drummey reached a peaceful conclusion last night when DiFrancia was handed the requested tax assessing information during a meeting of the Board of Selectmen.

DiFrancia, a former member of the airport commission, school committee, and finance commission who walks with crutches, had previously clashed with officials after claiming he was given the runaround when he requested records regarding a 7.5-acre parcel of town-owned airport land leased to Boston Metropolitan Airport Inc. (BMA). Because Drummey’s office is located on the second floor of Town Hall without elevator access, DiFrancia had argued he was being discriminated against when assessors refused to bring him the files. The tension boiled over two weeks ago when an angry exchange prompted Selectman Chairman Walter J. Dempsey to rule DiFrancia out of order and threaten to have police summoned, leading DiFrancia to hurl his crutches to the floor.

Legal Intervention and Airport Lease Concerns

Following complaints filed with the state Attorney General and referred to the Secretary of State’s Public Records Division—with assistance from state Rep. Gregory W. Sullivan—official rulings confirmed DiFrancia was legally entitled to the records.

During last night’s selectmen session, Town Counsel Justin C. Barton stepped in to formally hand over the requested tax documents to DiFrancia. “The law is the law and should be complied with,” Barton said. “I think there’s been a personality clash, perhaps.” Barton noted that while public records must be provided under the state Freedom of Information Act, DiFrancia would receive no preferential treatment in the future. DiFrancia remarked that he would review the documents to determine if they satisfied his inquiry, adding of his prior outburst: “I think I blew my top at that point, to put it mildly. I think I’ll get an Academy Award for the performance, by the way.”

DiFrancia’s investigation—conducted as a fact-finder for Airport Commission Chairman Walter J. Grady—centered on allegations that the 7.5-acre parcel leased to BMA under an agreement expiring in 1987 is significantly undervalued, depriving the town of proper rental revenue. The inquiry also highlighted $1,289 in unpaid rent arrears from BMA, though Barton clarified that issuing billing statements falls under the purview of the airport commission rather than the assessors. Selectmen Joseph F. Curran and John F. Kinnaly defended the integrity of the board of assessors, with Kinnaly sharply criticizing the airport commission for appointing an outside investigator unable to climb stairs.

Archival Note: This article has been dynamically reconstructed from the original public record print archives of the Patriot Ledger