Gov. Baker's Budget Calls For Cuts

Gov. Charlie Baker has released his budget blueprint for the fiscal year beginning in July, and it contains some steep spending cuts thanks to a $1.5 billion gap that has to be filled.

As promised, his proposal avoids tax increases and spares the state's rainy day fund — and it increases overall state spending by 3 percent.

Baker proposes to close the gap by slowing the rate of increase of medicaid spending, shrinking the state's workforce, doing away with a tax credit for filmmakers and ending the use of motels as family shelters.

It would increase funding for the MBTA, the Department of Children and Families, higher education and aid to cities and towns. Much of the savings would come from simply maintaining existing spending levels.

"By level-funding, and being able to level-fund the vast majority of state accounts, most people will see some belt-tightening," said the governor Wednesday afternoon. "But, they won't see wholesale changes in existing services."

Noah Berger, president of the Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center, which tweets @MassBudget.

Jim Stergios, executive director of the Pioneer Institute. He tweets @JimStergios.

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