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Mass. Senate Passes $28B Budget, Eliminates Two Holidays

The Massachusetts Senate worked into the wee hours of the morning to pass a balanced budget and eliminate a couple of obscure state holidays.

The $28.4 billion budget for the 2011 fiscal year passed early Friday increases spending by 1.7 percent over the previous year without raising or adding new taxes and without dipping into the state's rainy day fund.

The Senate used a combination of spending reductions and reforms to close a $2.85 billion gap. The budget also contains no earmarks.

The Senate also voted 25-12 to eliminate the Bunker Hill Day and Evacuation Day holidays, celebrated only in Suffolk County.

Some say the holidays are unfair to other state workers and private sector workers who don't get a day off.

Both the budget and the holiday eliminations must be passed by the House and signed into law by the governor.

This program aired on May 28, 2010. The audio for this program is not available.

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