The Massachusetts Legislature is about to commit another
offense against democracy today unless at least one member stands up and say, "I object."
Both houses have scheduled informal sessions to pass a
supplemental budget using the $550 million left over from the fiscal year that ended June 30. The Senate passed a version (in
informal session) earlier to spend $672 million and the House passed a version (in another
informal session) to send $496 million. A conference committee has been working to iron out
the differences.
This is a whale of a lot of money to be spending in "informal" sessions reserved for
non-controversial matters and attended by a handful of members who don't debate (the
objection of a single member is enough to force a formal session).
Not only is the amount huge, major policy decisions are at
stake.
If the leftover money isn't spent before Sunday, 60 percent
of it goes to the rainy-day fund and whatever is left after that goes to income tax reduction next year. That fund is huge,
one of the largest in the country -- $1.7 billion -- and is close to full, needing less than $100
million to hit its ceiling, 7.5 percent of budgeted revenues.
Here's the policy: Spending all the surplus to prevent a tax
reduction isn't enough -- both versions would permanently raise the 7.5 percent ceiling to 10 percent of budgeted revenue.
It would be the third increase in the tenure of Speaker Tom Finneran. Anything to avoid a tax
cut, now or in the future, eh Mr. Speaker?
Well, isn't a bigger fund prudent when the economy is
slowing? Not when the change would be permanent -- especially when the bills would also establish small temporary
"mini-funds" to tap next year if needed, and no budget for the current year in place yet.
The commonwealth is in a sad state if no member is brave
enough to force votes on the record.
