Massachusetts state budget is late once again, as it has been a norm on Beacon Hill for years. In fact, Massachusetts is the only state in the country with such a streak of lateness in passing its budget. Top lawmakers do not seem to view this as a major issue, as they continue to pass monthly stopgap spending measures to keep the government running. However, this lateness does have real-life impacts, such as delaying the rollout of new initiatives like free community college and free school meals.
The reason for the chronic tardiness in passing the state budget stems from the complexities of the bill, which spans hundreds of pages and tens of billions of dollars. The budget is often packed with new and sometimes controversial policies that lead to extended negotiations between the House and Senate. Additionally, Massachusetts has a more professionalized legislature that plays a significant role in shaping the budget, rather than just acting as a rubber stamp for the governor.
One of the main reasons for the chronic lateness is the lack of incentive for lawmakers to do better. Massachusetts has notoriously uncompetitive legislative races, with Democrats holding firm supermajorities in both chambers. Incumbents often face few challengers in elections, and voters have not shown much concern about the delays in passing the budget. This lack of electoral consequences for tardiness contributes to the ongoing issue of late budgets.
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