"Patrick deflects questions on local aid reductions" by Matt Viser, Globe Staff | January 15, 2009
.... The House voted 131 to 22 last night to give Patrick wide latitude in slashing the state budget, a move that is expected to trigger cuts throughout state government and a major reduction in the $5.3 billion the state distributes to cities and towns. The Senate followed suit about an hour later, voting 32-6. Voting in both chambers was largely along party lines, with only a handful of Democrats voting against giving the governor the expanded power.
That's why this state sucks, and why we need Republicans in charge.
Patrick now must use a variety of formulas to figure out how to cut the state funding to cities and towns, and some lawmakers were speculating he would cut up to $500 million. One consideration is whether he will make an effort to cut funds more heavily for wealthy communities to preserve funding for poorer areas that need state funding to combat higher crime rates, struggling school systems, and rising property taxes.
Lawmakers and budget specialists are also waiting to see if he will tap any of the $1.7 billion remaining in the state's reserve account and whether to push for increasing fees or taxes. Money from a federal stimulus package could also help alleviate some of the budget cuts....
WTF? The STATE is SITTING on nearly $2 BILLION dollars while it RAISES TAXES and SLASHES SERVICES?
The Legislature attached conditions to Patrick's midyear budget-cutting power. Lawmakers exempted the legislative and judicial branches from Patrick's budget pen, for example....
Translation: they EXEMPTED THEMSELVES for CUTS!!
Aaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!
Republican lawmakers blasted Patrick for not being more forthcoming about his imminent budget cuts, and they fought for hours against legislation to give the governor unilateral budget-cutting powers.
Yup, that's me!
"He hasn't provided any information to anyone," Senate minority leader Richard R. Tisei said in an interview. "It's disgraceful, and he's not living up to the job."
Not at all!!!
Of course, "flushing . . . millions of dollars away supporting a highly profitable industry" when it comes to $300 million in taxpayer dollars for Hollywood is o.k., even as the price of a school lunch rises; paying $13 million for a computer software system that could have cost less than $3 million is all right because the winner was a close friend of the House speaker, even as my poorer-than-dirt district "has been struggling to close a $2 million budget gap."; the lottery shelling out "millions of dollars" for sports tickets for "lottery officials, their family members, and friends" is fine, even as schools are closing; making interest payments to banks to the tune of "a staggering $22 billion" for the Big Pit, as we call it around here, is required, even as bridges are neglected across the state; and again, paying off banks like UBS, who can "demand repayment of an additional $2 million a month beginning in January" while also receiving a "$179 million payment," while the state pension fund loses $1 billion dollars -- which still didn't stop the executive director from carving himself a nice "$64,000 bonus on top of his $322,000 annual salary."
Yup, the BILLION DOLLAR GIVEAWAY to the pharmaceutical corporations was a GOOD THING, even though "it's never been easy to turn a profit in biotech?" Flush that money away, too, taxpayer.
And look whose backs they are balancing the budget with: the blind, mentally ill, kids, and cripples!!
Of course, "one of the governor's pet projects, the $3 million Commonwealth Corporation, is only taking a 5 percent trim."
And that is not counting the troubles at the Turnpike!
"The authority was attempting to renegotiate terms of a complex financial deal with the banking giant UBS. Known as a swaption, the arrangement could force the authority to pay out a $450 million lump sum"
Of course, the war looters were next in line for a handout. And should the state be appropriating money for a "multimillion-dollar reconstruction" of golf courses?
Nor is it RECKLESS to BORROW the STATE INTO OBLIVION so they can PAY INTEREST to BANKS while SITTING ON $2 BILLION DOLLARS!
Need one final insult, Mass. taxpayers?
"Town officials... are trying to decide how much of a property tax break to offer and how they can secure state funding for infrastructure improvements.... although it could take several years for the studio to realize its potential"
Also see: Hollywood, Massachusetts
Hollywood (East) Disses Veterans
More Mass. $$$ to Movie Makers
Sorry, that wasn't it:
"$5m in tax breaks going to IBM for Littleton project
The Massachusetts Economic Assistance Coordinating Council approved $5 million in state and local tax breaks for IBM Corp., which recently began a $63 million expansion in Littleton. IBM vice president Bob McDonald said the company plans to create 42 jobs at the site over the next decade. McDonald said the computer giant, based in Armonk, N.Y., has already begun renovating a building and hopes to move into it next month. McDonald said the tax incentives were important, but the company would have gone forward with the expansion without them. IBM has 4,000 employees in Massachusetts, including about 2,000 in Littleton (Boston Globe October 30 2008)."
Yup, but the PUT-UPON, AGONIZING GOVERNOR is going to decide how to fuck you next!
