Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick on Tuesday, ordered spending cuts across state government as a result of slower than expected growth in state tax collections. WAMC”s Paul Tuthill reports
Massachusetts is facing a $540 million dollar budget shortfall not quite half way through the fiscal year. Governor Patrick is using his authority to cut executive branch spending by $225 million dollars, and tap the state’s rainy day fund for $200 million. The governor is asking the legislature to authorize cuts in the judiciary and constitutional officers as well as a 1% cut in local aid
Patrick blamed uncertainty about a solution being reached in Washington to the so-called fiscal cliff for a slowdown in the state’s economy that has kept tax collections below the state budget estimates.
