State Budget to Face Revisions

Governor Michael S. Dukakis' economic bugdet for Massachusetts for fiscal year 1988, submitted earlier this year, is expected to pass through the legislature with few alterations, legislators said.

The Governor's request for a $10.2 billion budget--a 6.8 percent increase over last year's budget of $9.5 billion--includes unprecedented spending on aid to cities and public education.

But many Bay State lawmakers said that the governor's proposal will be substantially revised as many legislators oppose the increased size of the budget. In addition the budget may also run into the opposition of those legislators who feel he hasn't placed enough emphasis on basic social problem.

"The governor's proposal is in its early stages, and it will be ammended many times," said State Rep. Stephen J. Karol (D-Attleboro). "Some of his initiatives will be incorporated, but the final budget will have a definite legislative imprint on it," he added.

The size of the proposed budget increase has raised questions among legislators who think that the state may already be exceeding its spending capacities.

"The senate and house seem to feel that we cannot continue increasing the spending levels," said State Rep. Thomas M. Finneran (D-Boston). "Things are slowing down and it will require some belt tightening and the ability to say 'no, not at this time.'''

The governor's proposed budget increase "might be a little hard to swallow-we may have to take a bit more cautious and prudent approach" to state spending, Finneran said.

The governor's budgets are generally fair, said Karol, but the state has limited resources and the governor must realize that. "Unlike the federal budget, our budgets have to be balanced," he said.

Despite the size of the budget, other legislators said that it still does not effectively fund many "priority" social programs.

"There is still a serious need for an increase in funding for women, infants and families, and issues that are important to the Black Caucus," said State Rep. Gloria Fox (D-Roxbury).

"I would like to see a larger budget for housing, health care and employment for women and their families, but in some cases [the governor proposed] cuts or level funding," Fox said.

State Rep. David B. Cohen (D-Newton) said that the final budget will differ from Dukakis' proposal because the legislature will try to fill in some funding gaps that have not been adequately met.

"I would have preferred to see more spending in human service, and I am hopeful that the House will come up with some proposals," Cohen said.

The governor's proposal includes $192.6 millionin new direct state aid to cities and towns, thehighest amount ever to be allocated, an additional$83 million in educational aid to fund theEducation Reform Act of 1985, and an additional$1.6 million for AIDS research and services.

His proposal also includes $65 million more forhuman resources programs, such as funding forelderly services, increased payments to humanservice providers and wage hikes for theiremployees, nearly $9 million extra for childsupport enforcement.

In addition Dukakis, who is contemplating apresidential campaign, is requesting almost $24million more for his widely-heralded Education andTraining Choices (ET) program. ET is a uniquestate program that is designed to employ those whohad been receiving state support.

The final budget is expected to be ready forimplementation by late June, just before FiscalYear 1988 begins on July 1