Budget writers in the Massachusetts House have proposed a $32.3 billion state spending plan. WAMC's Paul Tuthill reports...
True to the word of House Speaker Robert Deleo, the proposed state budget produced by the House and Means Committee contains none of the new taxes on candy and soft drinks, nor higher taxes on tobacco, proposed by Governor Deval Patrick.
It restores some of the unpopular spending cuts the governor proposed such as to a meals program for the elderly.
Both budget versions call for drawing down $400 million from the state’s rainy day fund.
The House budget writers also rejected Governor Patrick’s plan to centralize the administration of the state’s community colleges, which was a major initiative Patrick had unveiled in his state of the state address.
Debate on the state budget in the full House is expected to begin the week after next. Typically hundreds of amendments are filed by the representatives, but very few pass.
Paul Tuthill, WAMC News.
