Baker sifts through budget to close $500M-plus gap
Five days after taking office, Gov. Charlie Baker continues sifting through the $36.5 billion state budget with aides as he drafts a midyear plan to address imbalances that he says exceed $500 million.
Baker has instituted a hiring freeze and contract reviews while also releasing $100 million in local road and bridge funding, helping set a new record of $300 million released from that account in fiscal 2015 and in the process pleasing lawmakers who balked when Gov. Deval Patrick refused to release the funds, citing affordability concerns.
Bills are on the minds of members of the General Court as they are trying to draft legislation in time to meet a biennial deadline on Friday. Lawmakers have until Jan. 30 to add cosponsors and the "late-filed" bills are common throughout the two-year session.
In addition to working on the budget and filling senior posts in his administration, Baker has yet to file his first piece of legislation.
Boston Mayor Martin Walsh takes center stage Tuesday night at Symphony Hall for his State of the City address. Baker plans to attend, after a 1 p.m. meet-up with UMass-Lowell Chancellor Martin Meehan to promote new grant funding.
As he settles in, the new governor has opted against working out of the ornate governor's office in favor of a more ordinary space that reportedly was used by Gov. Patrick's chief of staff, according to a Boston Globe report Monday night.
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