Tuesday, February 16, 2010

Budget Hearings Begin



Today the Ways and Means Committees of the House and Senate begin the process of holding hearings around the state to hear testimony about the state budget for the upcoming fiscal years, FY’2011. These hearings provide committee members with a sense of the financial needs and priorities that the budget should address. The hearing today, which I am attending as a member of the Senate Ways and Means Committee, is focused on the budget of our Constitutional Officers.

The schedule for other hearings is as follows:

February 19th, 10:00am, Waltham High School, Cannon Lecture Room, Waltham, MA

February 22nd, 10:00am, UMASS Amherst, Lincoln Campus Center Auditorium, Amherst, MA

February 23rd, 10:00am, Sudbury Town Hall, 322 Concord Road Sudbury, MA

February 26th, 10:00am, Mass. College of Pharmacy Auditorium, 19 Foster St, Worcester, MA

March 1st, 10:00am, Tantasqua Regional High School 319 Brookfield R Sturbridge, MA

March 2nd, 10:00am, Bristol County Comm. Commonwealth College Center 777 Elsbree St, Fall River, MA

March 5th, 10:00am, State House, Gardner Auditorium, 24 Beacon St, Boston, MA

While the committees hear substantial testimony from government officials at these hearings, public input is equally as important but not as common. I encourage you to consider participating in these events. Please contact my office if we can assist you in this regard.

Throughout the process of developing the budget for next year I will be seeking and exploring opportunities to capture savings, gain efficiency and create a climate for economic growth and job creation, and would welcome your thoughts.