Speaker of the House Thomas Finneran slammed acting Gov. Jane Swift’s budget yesterday, saying “straight talk” is the only way to address Massachusetts’ budget problems.
Finneran (D-Suffolk), who spoke at the State House yesterday, said now is a hard time for the Commonwealth and the country because of the recession and the War on Terrorism.
“The country’s at war,” Finneran said. “Those are hard words to speak, and even harder to digest.”
Finneran said there are numerous problems with Swift’s budget, saying this year’s $400 million deficit may reach $1 billion by the end of the year. He said the budget gap could reach as much as $2 billion next year.
According to Finneran, the state has $1.5 billion in backup revenue this year, while in 1988 that figure was zero.
Finneran criticized Swift’s budget on the grounds that it would cut government spending on many state-funded programs, which he said might even be eliminated because of insufficient funding.
To solve this problem, Finneran said leadership is needed. He referred to the enormous strain of the Big Dig, which he said is “obscured in finger pointing and denial.”
Finneran said the state needs several task forces to clean up problem areas, such as Medicaid and revenue.
He said he supports full-day kindergarten, which has lost funding in Swift’s budget. That program, he said, has “made a huge difference in the reading abilities of every [participating] child.”
Average SAT scores in Massachusetts have gone up 15 points in the past five years and 29 points in the past decade, Finneran said. He also said 73 percent of students taking the MCAS passed on the first try.
He said the Parental Leave Bill, which he is proposing, would offer assistance to families and help make the economy more competitive.
He told a story about driving a child named Dennis, who has Down Syndrome, to school each day 30 years ago as a special needs van driver. He noted the importance of Dennis’ family’s love and support while dealing with his disorder.
However, he said, Massachusetts is at risk of losing its healthcare programs.
He said the government could take a lesson from the teamwork and diligence of the world champion New England Patriots.
“As leaders, we have to step it up … for the sake of others, and for the sake of Dennis,” he said.
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