Say it ain’t so Deval! After four years of web-based Executive budgets, which permit instant and complete transparency in the budget process and which in turn led the House and Senate to compile their budgets online as well, the State House News says that the Patrick budget proposal “was sent to the printer today” for release next week. How 80’s is that? Please Gov, don’t let ’em harass you back to the days of quill pens and paper.
Please share widely!
I am no fan of the Gov., I have made that clear in many posts on this blog. But this could be the last straw.
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The way I see it, there are two possible reasons for this and neither is acceptable. 1) He is intentionally doing this to hide something in his budget proposal. 2) He and his people are to inept to use a computer.
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As one of the people that just lead my company through a paperless transition, I find this appalling. Why is he not using the web-based system? Hell, no one is even asking him to create it, just use something that is already there.
During the four years that Governor Romney’s budget was posted online, a printed, bound version was also printed and available at the State House Book Store and to libraries. After all, not everyone has and uses computers.
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I will be very interested to see if I am right AND the FY 2008 budget from Gov. Patrick does go up online, even though it has also “gone to the printers”.
If I remember correctly, Romney originally put the budget online rather than in hard-copy as some sort of cost-saving measure. The big complaint from legislators was that they ended up having to print out the budget on their office printers, which was time consuming and used up expensive inkjet or toner cartridges- making it more costly than a professional printer. So there is some value in printing out hard-copies of the budget for officials or the media- so long as it is being done to complement the online version.
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p>Is this the case? Will the budget still be online in addition to the hard copies? Was the phrase “sent to the printer today” just a figure of speech? Before anyone goes nuts and pillories the Governor for abandoning “transparency,” maybe we should find out if in fact the budget is not going to be available online. If it turns out that it won’t be made available online, then we can pillory the governor.
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Why does anyone need a hard copy? Get with the times, review it on your computer screen and save a tree.
Because people who don’t own computers should still be allowed to view the state’s budget.
a drive to the library is quicker than a trip to Beacon Hill. You can always download a copy of the budget on one of their computers, rather than trudge all the way up to the document room.
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$.15 * 500 = $75.00
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I think the analysis in this thread is best understood in light of this useful definition.
which post I’m replying to?
Answer – last year it cost $15.00.
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When I worked in the building I remember lining up on the 4th floor to get a copy. As we progressed into the Documents Room the guys there would give us each one copy – we didn’t have to pay for it.
then by all means, I’m not stopping him. The Statehouse is worth seeing for its own sake. But I’m sure there is a public library closer to home for him that is more easily accessible. If he has trouble using the computer I am sure the librarian would be more than happy to help him figure it out.
Without your eyes glazing over… For some of the more old-fashioned members of the legislature, I’d imagine they’re much more effective reading it off of paper than they are off of a 60hz monitor
I would imagine that if I was a legislator (or a member of the media) who was reviewing the budget, I might want to read it somewhere other than at my desk staring at a computer. Maybe I’d want to mark it up and write notes in the margin. If I was going to be reading something in any amount of detail and for any significant amount of time, I’d want a hard copy- whether or not it’s the budget, the Sunday paper, or a novel. If you’re interested in saving trees, just how many e-books have you read lately?
In short, all the books I have read lately do not kill trees. I have downloaded and read around 5 ebooks over the last couple of months. But more significantly I download audio books and listen to them when I commute. I also no longer buy newspapers, I read them online.
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As I have previously said, I recently lead my company through a paperless transition. Making notes and marking up can easily be done through Adobe. Adobe is a great program that has many assets that can help people be more paperless.
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As far as your comment “read it somewhere other than at my desk.” This is not the early 80’s, computers are not the size of 35″ TVs. I’d put money on the fact that the majority of the lege have laptops. Not to mention some of the other devices out there like tablet pcs, hand held computers, smart phones, etc. Most of those things are probably paid for by us.
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But fine, if your personal preference is to print it out and read a “hard” copy. Do that, but why should the state pay for it? Why can’t the legislator who wants that bear the burden out of their office budget?
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Come on man, get with the times.
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A more important question is how was the handled for the last four years, since Romney started the whole web based budget process? Is Deval doing the same thing that Romney did or something different? And keeping with the reducing paper theme, is Deval continuing to use electronic letter head or did he have expensive, heavy stock with his name on it printed?
The printer was a Union shop.
Romney’s practice was already answered below, long before you even posted it.
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Ironic, considering your avowed proficiency at reading electronically.
my post Deval is out of step with reality – Never mind, I am an idiot
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Alcohol has impaired my reading comprehension this afternoon.
NoPol has it exactly right – the Budget (all three of them) is a public document which must be available to ALL citizens of the Commonwealth, computer literate/equipped or not. Romney’s budgets were always published in hard copy as well, available in the 4th floor document room.
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Mind you, the on-line version is more fun. I amuse myself by doing a ‘find’ and searchign for the town or cause of a politically connected legislator and seeing how many hits I get (New Bedford under Montigny was ALWAYS a big winner, as was Chelsea).
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I think the phrase ‘going to the printer’ is vernacular use to say – it’s done. And there’s no going back….
A quick look at the home page for the great and general court will lead you the the Governor’s Budget Message. Click on the link and get:
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The budget always goes to “print” because there has to be a printed version of the bill that is filed with the House Clerk and becomes House 1.
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As Amber said copies are also available in the Sec of State Book Store for everyone who does not have access to a computer.
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The Governor will most certainly make his budget available online… The budget CAN also be accessed from the Legislative Web Page once it is filed.
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Lets not overreact to every line of information.
It beats freaking out over the drapes.
May all our problems be so small…