House Backs $40B State Budget, Senate Up Next

BOSTON (AP) — Deliberations over the state's finances move on to the Senate after a $40.3 billion spending plan cleared the House.

The Democratic-controlled House approved the budget for the fiscal year starting July 1 on a near-unanimous vote late Tuesday following two days of discussions. Most of the approximately 1,200 proposed amendments were either withdrawn, rejected or consolidated after closed-door maneuvering.

According to an analysis on Wednesday from the nonpartisan Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation, the House added nearly $78 million in spending across 138 separate line items before sending the budget on to the Senate.

Budget writers continue to face questions over whether the state will collect enough in taxes to support the level of spending. Revenues ran below forecasts through the first nine months of the current fiscal year.