Bad news from the state

Perhaps that should read "MORE bad news from the state"

The House Ways and Means budget released yesterday uses a (mind-boggling) $489 million dollars less of the stimulus money than the Governor recommended. As it also does not include the increase in the meals tax to 6% or the sales tax for soda, candy, and alcohol, so it has $300 million less there.

It thus proposes a local aid cut of 32%, plus cuts in education (no word on what yet), human services, health care, and much of the rest of government.

You can find the Mass Budget and Policy Center's analysis here.