The Massachusetts Legislature has begun its summer recess after overriding dozens of Governor Charlie Baker's line-item budget vetoes.
The House and Senate on Wednesday and Thursday restored nearly $100 million the Republican governor shaved from the $38.1 billion spending plan for the fiscal year that started on July 1. Baker vetoed a total of $162 million in spending.
Smitty Pignatelli is a Democratic State Representative from Lenox.
“We share some of his concerns about the budget going forward, but these were local projects that were very important to members of the legislature,” said Pignatelli.
Lawmakers also gave final approval to a bill suspending the state's 6.25 percent sales tax on Aug. 15-16. The governor is expected to sign the bill. Massachusetts has held a sales tax holiday in all but one year since 2004.
Formal legislative sessions while resume in September.
