The State House News Service got the quote from Governor Baker more accurately than I did on Friday. It is encouraging that the Gov seems so focused on making the state-town relationship work better. I am looking forward to learning more about the “community compacts.” –
BAKER PLEDGES STRONG TIES TO MUNI LEADERS
[Story Developing] After pledging on the campaign trail to boost local aid in lockstep with growing state revenues, Gov. Charlie Baker told local officials Friday in a major address that he’s creating a community compact cabinet.
The cabinet and the new position, located within the Department of Revenue, was created through the first executive order of Baker’s new administration.
The cabinet, headed by Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito, will “reduce red tape” and lead to “community compacts,” Baker said in a speech to 900 members of the Massachusetts Municipal Association. “These compacts will create clear mutual standards, expectations and accountability,” he said.
On the campaign trail, Baker pledged to boost local aid in lockstep with growing state revenues. He is due to file his first budget for fiscal year 2016 by early March.
Baker on Friday noted the deficit in the fiscal 2015 budget, which he has estimated at $765 million.
“I would call it challenging, I don’t think it’s any more than that,” Baker said, adding that in 1991 while coming into government as a part of Gov. William Weld’s administration, “We faced a similar budget deficit on a more smaller budget overall and worked our way through that.” – Gintautas Dumcius/SHNS
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