After months of posturing and preening, Governor Patrick claimed victory on reforms and signed into law a $27.04 billion spending plan for FY2010. The budget enacted was $1 billion less than the governor had proposed in January, and 3% less than the budget signed at this time last year--but it also contained more than $1 billion in new taxes, including a 25% increase in the sales tax.
“Employers have the responsibility to protect their businesses from loss, as well as the safety of their employees and often the general public when making hiring decisions. Legislation sealing the criminal records of job applicants would take away the tools required to fulfill that responsibility.
A spending blueprint for FY 2010 is now on the governor’s desk and is awaiting his signature and/or vetoes. The Legislature easily approved the $27.4 billion plan that contains real spending reductions for social services and local aid from FY09 levels, $1.5 billion in federal stimulus money, $200 million in rainy-day account funds, and nearly $1 billion in new taxes.
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