Why does it take Massachusetts lawmakers so long to finalize a budget?

BOSTON (WWLP) – The Massachusetts State Budget is late for the 14th year in a row. But why does it take so long?

One of the reasons the budget process is so involved in Massachusetts is because we have a more professionalized legislature than most of the country. Our Senators and Representatives are full-time lawmakers and have far more control over the budget than most other states.

The first stage of the budget involves agencies, executive offices, and the budget bureau submitting their recommendations so the governor can submit her budget by mid-January. Then, the governor’s budget is debated and amended by the House, which sends their version of the budget to the Senate.

The Senate debates and amends the House’s budget, creating a similar but not identical Senate version. Next, the House and Senate must work out the difference between their budgets to create their final recommendation, which cannot be amended.

Once passed, the governor can either sign or veto the budget but her veto can be overridden by a two-thirds vote from the legislature. Even though a late budget has become a pattern in Massachusetts and the legislature can pass monthly stopgap spending measures it still has real-life consequences.

A late budget can complicate how new initiatives are enacted like last year’s free community college effort. It can also contribute to the idea that government is inefficient.

Massachusetts is the only state in the country with a prolonged late streak and if the legislature is consistent with previous years, we should see a final budget on or around July 31.

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