Massachusetts Acting Governor Vetoes $250M from State Budget Plan, Issues $600M Proposal To Restore Human Services Funding

Massachusetts Acting Gov. Jane Swift (R) on Dec. 1 announced she had vetoed $250 million from a state budget plan approved by the state Legislature last month and released a $600 million supplemental budget request that would restore funding for Medicaid and mental health programs, the Boston Globe reports (Klein, Boston Globe, 12/1). Faced with a $1.4 billion budget deficit, state lawmakers on Nov. 26 approved a $22.6 billion budget that would cut $650 million from earlier spending plans, including $22 million earmarked to place mentally disabled adults in group homes. The Legislature's budget also would cut spending for AIDS treatment and prevention programs $12 million and reduce the Department of Mental Health's budget by $27 million (Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, 11/26). Swift's vetoes included cutting a $17 million allocation to smoking cessation programs. Stephen Crosby, Swift's administration and finance secretary, said that the governor decided the smoking prevention efforts are "less important" than funding "direct services," such as care for people with mental illnesses (Boston Globe, 12/1). Crosby added the remainder of the vetoes were of "nonessential" budget items. Swift did sign $22 billion of the budget.

Restoring Human Services Funding
Swift also issued a supplemental budget based on the $250 million in vetoes and $350 million from the state's $2.3 billion reserve fund (Beardsley, Boston Herald, 12/1). The supplemental budget uses the reserve to fund the state's "legal obligations," such as Medicaid and mental health services (Boston Globe, 12/1). Of Swift's $600 million supplemental funding request, $450 million would go to health and human services. The plan would give Medicaid an "infusion" of $297 million and restore $62 million to the Department of Social Services, $16.6 million to the Department of Mental Health and $29 million to the Department of Mental Retardation, including $15 million for court-ordered services (Boston Herald, 12/1). The supplemental budget also includes $58.6 million for a variety of social services, such as foster care programs (Boston Globe, 12/1).

Democratic and Advocate Reaction
Crosby has "demand[ed]" that lawmakers "buck" their party leadership and approve Swift's budget plan (Boston Herald, 12/1). Lawmakers are required to address the governor's vetoes, but they are "not obligated to even consider" the supplemental budget, the Globe reports. The Democratic-controlled House and Senate have more than the required two-thirds majority to override Swift's vetoes, but doing so would put them in the "awkward position" of defending their "pet projects," the Globe reports (Boston Globe, 12/1). Charles Rasmussen, a spokesperson for House Speaker Tom Finneran (D), said, "The members voted on what they thought was a very reasoned and thought-out budget. There were tough choices they had to make. (Swift) is making different choices" (Gorlick, Associated Press, 12/1). The Herald reports that advocates are "relieved" Swift's plan would restore funding for human services programs, especially the $15 million for court-ordered services for the mentally retarded. However, Stephen Collins, director of the Human Services Coalition, said the $15 million budget item is "still $7 million shy" of the court agreement (Boston Herald, 12/2).