MA House Begins Debate on $32B State Budget

The Massachusetts House has begun debate on a proposed $32 billion state budget by rejecting a cut in the state sales tax.   WAMC’s Paul Tuthill reports…

A proposal to reduce the Massachusetts sales tax to 5 percent in three phases was sent off to a study committee by an overwhelming and mostly partly line vote of 119-37. 

It’s a common procedural move to kill legislation without actually voting against it.  The sponsor of the tax cut, the House Republican Minority Leader Bradley Jones said it was appropriate to begin the budget debate by reminding everyone whose money the legislators are spending.  

The state raised its sales tax from 5 percent to 6.25 percent in 2009.  More than 850 amendments have been offered to the budget bill proposed by the House Ways and Means Committee. 

The full house is expected to deal with the amendments and take a final vote on the budget by weeks end.

Paul Tuthill, WAMC News.