MA Governor Proposes Deep Budget Cuts, Increased IT Spending: Analysis of the FY 2011-2012 Budget

Deltek Analyst Derek Johnson reports.

When Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick introduced his proposed $30.5 billion FY 2011-2012 budget in his January 26, 2011 address, he began by highlighting not what was in the budget, but rather what was not. Patrick advertised what he called “the largest year-over-year spending reduction in 20 years,” and couched the cuts as “painful” and “difficult,” but necessary for Massachusetts to tackle its larger priorities: job creation, containing health care costs, holding the line on education funding, and reducing youth violence.

Some of Patrick’s deepest proposed cuts for this year’s budget include more than half a billion dollars for the Department of Corrections and the Department of Reentry and Community Supervision; $640 million for the Department of Health and Human Services; and more than $1 billion from the Treasurer and Receiver General Fund. Additionally, Patrick intends to cut unrestricted aid to local governments by $65 million and eliminate 900 state jobs over the next 12 months.

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