MGH Community News 6/03
Addendum A
Governor Romney's Vetoes FY '04
As noted in Monday's newsletter, the compromise budget had been submitted to the Governor. His vetoes were announced late yesterday. The legislature can override his vetoes with a 2/3 majority in both houses. The override must originate in the House. This is the first of two addenda- the forthcoming "Addendum B" will reflect the "final" budget. The legislature is expected to vote late this week or early next week. With the overwhelming Democratic majority it is relatively easy to sustain an override. Today's Globe (7/2/03) reports that House and Senate leaders intend to override many of the following vetoes. There is also the possibility of supplemental budget items later this year.
Governor Mitt Romney Monday vetoed $201 million in spending approved by the Legislature, slicing another $57.1 million in aid to already battered cities and towns, $10 million in legal aid for poor residents, and $9 million in welfare grants.
The governor's vetoes come on top of hundreds of millions of dollars in spending reductions included in the budget completed by the lawmakers two weeks ago.
Romney blamed House and Senate members for the additional cuts, saying they would not have been necessary if lawmakers had adopted more of his reforms and approved a balanced budget. Legislative leaders sharply dispute the accusation, saying the $23.14 billion spending plan they sent to Romney was in balance.
The strong Democratic majorities in both the House and Senate mean virtually all gubernatorial vetoes can be overridden. Budget overrides must originate in the House, so House Speaker Thomas M. Finneran has near-complete authority over which vetoes to let stand.
Romney signed off on the Legislature's plan to control prescription drug costs by purchasing drugs in bulk. That move, which echoes an effort by Maine that has been tied up in courts, has been fiercely opposed by drug companies and the biotechnology industry. Romney wants 12 months to implement the plan, instead of the six months the Legislature provided, and wants his administration to have more flexibility in negotiating discounts.
He also vetoed $7.6 million for the Massachusetts Legal Assistance Corporation, eliminating the entire state contribution and half the overall funding for free legal services to low-income residents. Lonnie Powers, the group's executive director, said the cuts mean that 33,000 poor residents seeking help with evictions, foreclosures, or ending abusive relationships would be turned away next year (Editor's note: it's not clear, but this appears to be included in the $10 million cut mentioned earlier).
Geoffrey Beckwith, executive director of the Massachusetts Municipal Association, said the governor's vetoes would have cities and towns receive $330 million less than they did in fiscal 2003, when added to the cuts in the Legislature's budget.
Mayor Thomas M. Menino blasted Romney for delivering more bad budget news to Boston without any warning. Romney's vetoes would cut $10 million more in aid to the city beyond the $57 million cut by the Legislature, he said. Menino said adding more layoffs in public safety and public works will be necessary if the Legislature doesn't reverse the vetoes. The city's budget year also starts today, so those cuts will have to be accounted for soon if they aren't overturned.
Elsewhere in the Legislature's budget, the governor:
Again, none of this is final at this time. For those who are interested in opportunities to advocate to save programs of concern, please contact the CRC- Ellen Forman, x6-5807.
-This update adapted primarily from the Boston Globe 7/1/2003, "Romney vetoes $201m in spending: Local aid, welfare funds affected" by Rick Klein and Raphael Lewis, Globe Staff.
With additional material from: "Mitt's $201M cut rattles foes" by Elizabeth W. Crowley and Elisabeth J. Beardsley Tuesday, July 1, 200,3 The Boston Herald
And MassHealth Defense Alert,7/2/03, e-mail from Health Care For All