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State Budget

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Friday, July 13, 2012

Patrick Keeps Legislature Budget Largely Intact, Vetoes ID Amendment

The governor's budget in $32.1 million slimmer that that proposed by the Legislature.

Gov. Deval Patrick largely passed the 2013 budget hammered out by the House and Senate on Sunday, but vetoed 10 line items that totaled about $32.1 million in spending from the $32.5 billion plan.  His vetoes included a plan to keep the 169-bed Taunton State Psychiatric Hospital open with 45 beds. Instead, Patrick wants to close the hospital altogether, shaving $5.1 milllion from the budget. But his veto of the scaled-back plan presented by the Legislature stirred controversy in light the dwindling state resources dedicated to those with psychiatric problems. South Shore legislators have already said they will seek to override it, according to the Boston Globe.   In another controversial move, Patrick vetoed an amendment that would require…

Tuesday, July 3, 2012

Five Things to Know About Next Year's Proposed State Budget

The bill increases public aid while not raising taxes.

The House and Senate overwhelming passed a $32.5 billion budget last week and Gov. Deval Patrick has until July 8 to review and sign it or to issue vetoes.  The thrust of the bill is to shore up aid to public programs while at the same time not increasing the burden to taxpayers. Overall, the 2013 budget is about 3 percent higher than this year's, but considerably tighter than previous recent years. Here are some of the bill's highlights: 1. It includes no new taxes or fees. Instead, $516 million will be taken from existing funds, including $350 million from the state's rainy day fund, leaving it over a billion dollars in the black. Still, that's down from the $2.2 billion it had in 2008.  2. It tightens welfare. The bill would limit the …

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