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New England legislatures at-a-glance

By United Press International

Massachusetts--Democratic-controlled House Ways and Means Committee proposes $22.5 billion budget for fiscal 2004 that cuts $150 million in state aid to public schools, $76 million from other municipal aid, $170 million from higher education, shuts down $127 million senior pharmacy prescription program, all to help close a $3 billion projected budget gap. While imposing no new taxes, the proposal does call for $390 million in new and higher fees, and lay off between 3,000 and 5,000 state workers. The proposal to be debated by the full House during week of April 28. Republican Gov. Mitt Romney on Feb. 26 had proposed fiscal 2004 budget of $22.8 billion. House panel ignores much of his call for balancing budget by restructuring state government. Senate to take up budget after House completes its version.


Connecticut-- Republican Gov. John G. Rowland March 5 proposed a two-year budget that would slash spending, hike taxes, rail and bus fares, and cut aid to cities and towns. The proposed $13.5 billion budget for fiscal 2004 and $14.1 billion for fiscal 2005 closes a projected $900 million budget gap. Later estimates said the gap had grown to $1 billion. The budget increased the income tax from 4.5 percent to 5 percent across-the-board, but another increase on high-income individuals was expected to be considered.

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New Hampshire--Republican Gov. Craig Benson has proposed a two-year, $8.7-billion state budget that also eliminates a current $70-million deficit. The proposal called for a 7-percent increase in overall spending, but no new or increased taxes. "No income tax, no sales tax, no new taxes, no higher taxes, no way," he said in his budget address. New or increased taxes not a popular option in New Hampshire, which has neither statewide sales nor income tax. Benson on March 6 vowed to veto any proposed increase in the state's cigarette tax.


Maine--Democratic Gov. John Baldacci at the end of March signed a $5.3 billion budget that would eliminate a projected deficit of $1.2 billion in the two-year period starting July 1. It includes no new taxes, a modest increase in education funding, the elimination of 289 state jobs, and fee increases for licenses from the state Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife. Baldacci said the state must think ahead by limiting the growth in state spending once state revenues are on the upswing again. Maine legislators took up the week of April 14 a $20 million supplemental budget proposed to offset a recently discovered revenue shortfall

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Rhode Island--New Republican Rhode Island Gov. Don Carcieri on March 5 proposed a budget for fiscal 2004 that depends heavily on increased gambling revenues but no new broad-based taxes. The total $5.63 billion spending plan hikes taxes on cigarettes to help fill a projected $174 million deficit. The budget counts on $23.6 million in new revenues from 1,825 new slot machines at Newport Jai Alai and Lincoln Park racetrack and $48.1 more by increasing the state's share of video lottery terminal revenues at Newport and Lincoln. Carcieri projected the changes would increase total lottery revenues from $237 million in 2003 to $342.3 in 2004. While lottery revenues accounted for 7 percent of the state's share of the budget three years ago, Carcieri's proposal would increase that to 12.2 percent. The governor's spending plan also hits cigarette smokers, who could be paying an average of $5.11 a pack. Carcieri wants to hike the cigarette tax from $1.32 now to $1.61 in July, generating almost $118 million next year, compared to $101.8 million in 2003.


Vermont--New Republican Gov. Jim Douglas proposed nearly $3.4 billion budget for fiscal 2004, using primarily spending cuts but no new taxes to address projected deficit of about $30 million. He also announced initiatives to provide low-cost loans for farmers, entrepreneurs and small businesses, as well as new spending to bolster education, improve infrastructure and fight drugs. In early April House members were debating how much funding should go to education.

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