PEABODY – After 20 years as a state senator, Peabody’s Fred Berry has the political power to dole out favors and steer money to his North Shore district like never before.

Unfortunately, for him and his constituents, the till is empty.

It’s just bad luck that his appointment as Democratic leader by his old friend, Senate President Robert Travaglini, came last January amid one of the worst state cash crunches ever.

“I would have loved to have gotten more for my constituents and the North Shore,” said Berry, who represents Peabody, Salem, Beverly, Danvers and Topsfield.

“But there’s no money. If you get the same as you got the previous year and didn’t get a cut, you’re doing good. And it’s going to be the same next year, if not worse.”

The liberal-leaning senator, who was born with cerebral palsy, has been a leader on Beacon Hill in pushing for funding for social service and health care programs. He is one of the few lawmakers who continues to support raising taxes to head off local aid and service cuts during the continuing economic downturn, and is an outspoken advocate of casino gambling. He supported Travaglini in his upstart bid to win the Senate presidency, and was named majority leader after the East Boston Democrat secured the position.

Reflecting on the year gone by, Berry said the Legislature’s most significant achievement was closing a nearly $3 billion state budget gap without raising taxes. But that is also next year’s looming problem.

“We’re looking at another $2 billion shortfall,” Berry said. “I don’t know how we’re going to do it. I don’t see how we could raise fees again because we raised nearly every fee there is last time. And I don’t think there’s enough support for raising the income tax.”

Unless lawmakers and Gov. Mitt Romney authorize casino gambling or raise taxes, Berry said, the only option the Legislature has for closing the budget gap is to cut social and health programs and aid to cities and towns – options he opposes.

“I’d prefer to have casinos and raise taxes a little, but my views are in the minority,” he said. “But my top priority next year will be protecting social programs. They were crushed last year with cuts. We are at risk of dismantling our whole social services system.”

PRAISE FROM PEABODY

Peabody Mayor Mike Bonafanti said Berry has always been responsive to the needs of the city.

“Fred brought home the bacon when times were good,” said Bonafanti, the second-year mayor whose relationship with Berry goes back to the early 1980s, when Berry was a city councilor and Bonafanti was a member of the Electric Light Commission.

“Has he done as much lately? No, but no one has,” Bonafanti added. “We’re hoping that when the economy improves, we’ll get some of the cuts back. And for next year, we’re just hoping he can help minimize some of the local aid cuts we know are coming.”

Bonafanti said Berry, the dean of the Senate, helped win Peabody a state subsidy several years ago for the South Essex Sewerage District. The subsidy was reversed last year, however, though Berry “fought like heck” to keep it, Bonafanti said.

But Chip Faulkner, associate director of Citizens for Limited Taxation and Government, a political watchdog group, blames Berry – and what he calls his “tax and spend” politics – for the fiscal pain that communities are feeling.

“In the years leading to where we are now, the Legislature was spending at twice the inflation rate, despite our warnings,” Faulkner said, noting that Berry is serving his 11th term.

“Senator Berry, being the senior senator and in a position of leadership, is certainly more responsible for that then the average, rank-and-file legislator. And he should have known better this time, because he was around for the budget crisis of the late 1980s and early 1990s. That crisis, like this one, was brought on by the irresponsible spending in the years that led up to it.”

GAY MARRIAGE, OTHER ISSUES

Some of the biggest issues confronting the Legislature this past year – huge budget deficits, casino gambling and gay marriage – will return in the new year as the body’s most pressing challenges, Berry said.

He dismisses criticism from some quarters that inaction by the Senate on a civil unions law or a constitutional amendment defining marriage opened the door for the recent court ruling in support of gay marriage.

“It was the previous leadership, under Tom Birmingham, that did nothing (on a constitutional amendment defining marriage) at last year’s constitutional convention,” Berry said.

Regardless, he said, the Senate made the right decision last week to send a civil union bill – a proposal he co-authored and filed – to the Supreme Judicial Court for an advisory opinion on whether it would be an acceptable alternative to gay marriage. A response from the state’s highest court is expected in early 2004.

Another hot-button issue for the Senate – and Berry – this year was gambling. Berry strongly supported several bills to legalize casinos and slot machines at racetracks, and had predicted the Senate would vote on and approve a gambling bill last month. Momentum for the bill waned, however, and it was never called for a vote.

A casino bill will be voted on as soon as the leadership is sure it has enough votes to pass it, Berry said.

“I still say it’s coming back in the spring. Once the harsh reality of the budget deficit sinks in,” he said, “gambling will be back.”

TAKING THE POLITICAL PULSE

As second in command, Berry said his main job is to “recognize emerging political problems,” and keep his finger on the pulse of the Senate. He meets early each day with either Travaglini or Senate Ways and Means Committee Chairwoman Therese Murray, D-Plymouth, to go over the news of the day, plan for a formal Senate session or caucus, or poll the members.

“The president has empowered a lot of senators to play an active role, by his demeanor and his inclusive style,” Berry said. “I think we all feel like comrades, ever between Democrats and Republicans. It wasn’t always like that, especially under (Birmingham).”

In the last months of Birmingham’s presidency, when he was running for governor, the Senate sometimes was more concerned with making Birmingham look good that it was in doing the people’s business, Berry said.

“It led to cynicism by the citizens, and to people here feeling left out,” he said.

But Travaglini’s “inclusive style” has also provided its share of challenges for his lieutenants, Berry noted, because it has encouraged a lot of senators to act independently.

“It means they don’t always do what you ask,” he said. “Our job is to keep everyone working together toward our goals. Sometimes that means using leverage, sometimes that means making promises.”