Massachusetts

Negotiators Agree on Overdue Mass. Budget, Votes Planned on Friday

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The Massachusetts House and Senate will vote Friday on a budget for the fiscal year that began July 1 after the group negotiating a compromise spending plan struck a deal Thursday that is expected to increase spending beyond the $47.7 billion plans approved earlier this spring.

Rep. Aaron Michlewitz and Sen. Michael Rodrigues announced the agreement on Thursday afternoon, and both branches scheduled sessions for Friday in anticipation of sending the budget to Gov. Charlie Baker for his review.

"On behalf of our fellow conferees, we're pleased to announce the FY2022 Budget Conference Committee has reached an agreement that resolves the differences between the respective House and Senate versions of the state budget. Staff are currently working to finalize the agreement," Michlewitz and Rodrigues said.

Details of the agreement were not immediately available, and the budget itself had not been filed when the agreement was announced.

In addition to deciding whether to adjust tax revenue expectations for fiscal 2022 based on stronger than anticipated collections in fiscal year 2021, the two branches were also working to resolve policy differences over an extension of the film tax credit and increase in fees on Uber and Lyft rides.

Massachusetts is among just a handful of states without an enacted budget for the fiscal year that began on July 1.

Copyright State House News Service
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