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DeLeo: Deep Budget Cuts Despite Stimulus Dollars

House Speaker Robert DeLeo is warning of deep cuts in next year's budget, despite the influx of federal stimulus dollars.

Addressing the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce Tuesday morning, DeLeo said he anticipates a $3.5 billion shortfall and a large drop in revenue.

"The cuts that are going to be required to balance this budget will not be a total into the thousands, millions but billions, and they will cut to the very core of government's purpose and mission."

He promised the House would take up slot machines and casino gambling before the end of the legislative session, but that gambling alone won't be enough to dig the state out of its fiscal hole.

"In the days ahead, everyone will have to work together to share the burden," DeLeo says.

DeLeo warned against relying too heavily on federal stimulus dollars, saying that could leave large structural deficits once the federal money is gone.

This program aired on March 31, 2009. The audio for this program is not available.

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