No Agreement Yet On Massachusetts State Budget

Democratic leaders in the Massachusetts House and Senate say negotiators from both chambers are making progress hammering out a compromise state budget for the fiscal year that started last week.

The six-member conference committee has been meeting behind closed doors for several weeks to resolve differences over the $38 billion spending plan.

The state, meanwhile, has been operating since July 1 on a $5.5 billion stopgap budget that will remain in place until the end of the month.

House Speaker Robert DeLeo told reporters Monday that negotiations are moving in the right direction while Senate President Stan Rosenberg said the committee members are taking the time they need to get the spending plan right.

Baker said given the rough winter, he's not surprised the budget it taking a little longer to get to his desk.