They’re almost a week past their annual deadline to deliver a budget to the governor’s desk, but lawmakers are still working out a compromise among themselves about funding state government for the next 12 months.
There’s a bit more riding on this year’s budget negotiations than usual. The Legislature hopes to address at least some of the problems at the MBTA as part of the massive spending plan. Both the Senate and House versions of the budget featured items in the mix to allegedly fix the trouble transit system, like relaxations to privatization laws, and the creation of an oversight board for the T’s finances.
House Speaker Robert DeLeo says getting the budget done would negate the need to immediately pass a separate bill exclusively about the T.
“I think that the tools the governor’s going to need to start that process hopefully will be included in the final version of the budget,” DeLeo told reporters after meeting with Baker and Senate President Stan Rosenberg Monday afternoon.
But Baker wants both bills on his desk as soon as lawmakers can pass them, through a spokesman tells WGBH the governor respects the legislative process.
“I’m obviously interested in the double feature here,” Baker said in response to DeLeo’s comment about T-specific bill maybe taking longer than expected.
“We’re moving in the right direction,” he says. “The fact again that [the conferees] are not here, that they’re working on a finalization of the budget, should tell you that we’re progressing forward and not inching backwards,” DeLeo said.
The Legislature rarely passes the July Fourth weekend without having a spending bill in place. This year’s delay could signal that the House and Senate agree less than usual. The final bill is being negotiated by a six-member committee who legislative leaders say are still behind closed hammering out the details.
DeLeo says that if reps and senators aren’t coming to easy agreements they’re just doing their jobs.
“They’re representing their constituents and if they feel strongly enough that certain thing should be in the budget or shouldn’t be in the budget and they let the conference committee know, then that’s what democracy is all about.”
Baker already signed a temporary budget law that’s paying the bills for now, but the one-month budget is set to expire in three weeks. Asked whether they would be willing to pass a second temporary measure if the budget negotiations continue into August, neither DeLeo or Rosenberg responded. Baker came to aid of his legislative counterparts and broke the ensuing silence by mentioning that he certainly wants a budget in place by then.
“Boy, I hope there’s not a second. I’m very optimistic that these folks will figure this one out, okay?” Baker said, patting the Speaker and Senate President on their backs.
