Massachusetts

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    • Headlines : Massachusetts

      Speaker: No new taxes in Mass. budget

      The Boston Globe | by Bob Salsberg | February 9, 2012

      Massachusetts House leaders will propose a state budget for the next fiscal year that does not call for any new taxes or fees, Speaker Robert DeLeo told lawmakers

    • Headlines : Massachusetts

      Patrick seeks broad changes for community colleges

      The Boston Globe | by Noah Bierman and Frank Phillips | January 24, 2012

      The governor’s proposal will let a central board dole out funding to individual colleges, taking into account enrollment and several performance measures. To help with the transition, Patrick is proposing a $10 million bump in the community college system’s budget for the coming year.

    • Headlines : Massachusetts

      State budget proposal could include ‘modest’ hikes in fees or taxes

      The Boston Globe | by Noah Bierman | January 13, 2012

      Citing huge growth in the cost of state health and social programs, Governor Deval Patrick's top budget official said today that he will offer "modest and limited new revenue proposals" for next year's budget.

    • Headlines : Massachusetts

      State panel eyes key industries, cutting biz costs

      The Boston Herald | by Jerry Kronenberg | December 27, 2011

      Gov. Deval Patrick's administration plans to finalize the first legally mandated economic-development blueprint in Massachusetts state history tomorrow.

    • Headlines : Massachusetts

      As Governor, Romney Balanced Budget By Hiking Fees

      National Public Radio | by Chris Arnold | December 14, 2011

      When facing a $3 billion shortfall as governor of Massachusetts, Mitt Romney did not increase the state income tax, and instead he raised state fees and corporate taxes.

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    MA Gov. PatrickGov. Deval Patrick
    Office of Governor Deval Patrick
    State House
    Room 360
    Boston, MA 02133
    Phone: (617) 725-4000
    Fax: (617) 727-9725

     

     

    Jay Gonzalez, Secretary
    Fiscal Affairs Division
    Room 272, State House
    Boston, MA 02133
    Phone (617) 727-2081
    Fax (617) 727-2050
    http://www.mass.gov/eoaf

     

    2012 Legislative Calendar: Regular Session convenes January 4, meets throughout the year.

     

    Legislative Budget Leaders:

    Rep. Antonio F. D. Cabral (D), Chair, House Committee on Bonding, Capital Expenditures, and State Assets, Antonio.Cabral@mahouse.gov 617-722-2017

    Rep. Thomas A. Golden Jr. (D), Vice-Chair, House Committee on Bonding, Capital Expenditures, and State Assets, Thomas.Golden@mahouse.gov 617-722-2020

    Sen. Brian A. Joyce (D), Chair, Senate Committee on Bonding, Capital Expenditures, and State Assets, Brian.A.Joyce@masenate.gov 617-722-1643

    Sen. John F. Keenan (D), Vice-Chair, Senate Committee on Bonding, Capital Expenditures, and State Assets, John.Keenan@masenate.gov 617-722-1494

    Rep. Brian S. Dempsey (D), Chair, House Committee on Ways and Means; House Chair, Joint Committee on Ways and Means, Brian.Dempsey@massmail.state.ma.us 617-722-2990

    Rep. Stephen Kulik (D), Vice-Chair, House Committee on Ways and Means; House Vice-Chair, Joint Committee on Ways and Means, Stephen.Kulik@mahouse.gov 617-722-2380 

    Sen. Stephen M. Brewer (D), Chair, Senate Committee on Ways and Means; Senate Chair, Joint Committee on Ways,  and Means, Stephen.Brewer@masenate.gov 617-722-1540

    Sen. Steven A. Baddour (D), Vice-Chair, Senate Committee on Ways and Means; Senate Vice-Chair, Joint Committee on Ways and Means, Steven.Baddour@masenate.gov 617-722-1604

    Rep. Jay R. Kaufman (D), House Chair, Joint Committee on Revenue, Jay.Kaufman@mahouse.gov 617-722-2320

    Rep. Kevin Aguiar (D), House Vice-Chair, Joint Committee on Revenue, Kevin.Aguiar@mahouse.gov 617-722-2320

    Sen. Gale D. Candaras (D), Senate Chair, Joint Committee on Revenue, Gale.Candaras@masenate.gov 617-722-1291

    Sen. James E. Timilty (D), Senate Vice-Chair, Joint Committee on Revenue, James.Timilty@masenate.gov 617-722-1222

     

    The current state budget can be found here.

     

    massachusetts budget trends graph

     

    Massachusetts is required to pass a "balanced budget." Article 63, Section 2 of the 1780 Constitution addresses the need for the governor to set forth all expenditures and all revenues and other means "by which such expenditures shall be defrayed." More importantly, Chapter 29, Section 6E of the State law requires the governor to submit, and the general assembly to pass, a general appropriations bill which constitutes a balanced budget. If a deficiency in revenue exists, Chapter 29, Section 9C requires the governor to reduce spending or propose ways to generate additional revenue. Massachusetts law does not forbid the carrying over of a deficit from one year to the next.

     

    The State maintained four major funds for FY07: General Fund, Highway Fund, Lotteries Fund, and Massachusetts School Building Authority. For FY06 and FY05, the State maintained several additional major funds. Each year, the State's CAFR includes a single Budgetary Comparison Schedule with no specific title, simply named Budgeted Funds. [from the Institute for Truth in Accounting]

     

    Find the state's bond ratings here.

     

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    • Solutions: Massachusetts

      Out of the Shadows

      MASSPIRG Education Fund | by Deirdre Cummings, Phineas Baxandall, Ph.D., Kari Wohlschlegel | May 1, 2010

      In Massachusetts, quasi-public agencies perform vital government functions. They employ thousands of people and sometimes control billion- dollar budgets. Because they are not directly accountable to the legislature and exempt from many kinds of public oversight, these agencies should make their decisions and budgets especially open to public scrutiny.