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The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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DEVAL L. PATRICK GOVERNOR
TIMOTHY P. MURRAY LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR |
Executive Department State House · Boston 02133 (617) 725-4000 |
January 2, 2008.
To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives:
Pursuant to Article LVI, as amended by Article XC, Section 3 of the Amendments to the Constitution of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, I am returning to you for amendment Section 4 of House, No. 4447, “An Act Making Appropriations for the Fiscal Year 2008 to Provide for Supplementing Certain Existing Appropriations and for Certain Other Activities and Projects.”
I am pleased to sign this supplemental budget, a bill that funds Fiscal Year 2008 obligations for collective bargaining agreements and immediate needs funding for specific agencies.
The funding included in the bill that I am signing today includes:
• $23 million for ratified collective bargaining contracts;
• $10 million for funding the increased costs associated with a new health care contract at the Department of Corrections;
• $5.3 million to address overtime needs for the State Police;
• $3.49 million for the Middlesex District Attorney for expenses associated with moving from the Edward J. Sullivan Courthouse;
• $3.03 million for the Department of Mental Retardation to address staffing needs associated with lawsuits;
• $2.85 million for the Department of Transitional Assistance for flexible funding to address immediate needs for families to keep them in their homes (i.e. rent, fuel expenses, etc.); and
• $672,000 for continued implementation of the Senior Information Management System (SIMS) at the Executive Office of Elder Affairs.
However, I am returning Section 4 for amendment. It is one of several sections that establish a trust fund to receive proceeds of litigation and settlements for the Central Artery/Tunnel Project, to reimburse the Commonwealth and the Turnpike Authority for certain costs. I proposed these sections and strongly support their purpose. However, as enacted, Section 4 contains a technical flaw that does not accomplish its purpose. I therefore recommend that Section 4 be amended to read as follows:-
Section 63 of chapter 10 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2006 Official Edition, is hereby amended by striking out the sixth and seventh paragraphs and inserting in place thereof the following paragraph:-
At the direction of the secretary of administration and finance, the comptroller shall make payments from the fund established pursuant to this section, without further appropriation, for the purposes specified in this section.
Respectfully submitted,
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DEVAL L. PATRICK,
Governor.