Blue Mass Group

Reality-based commentary on politics.

There are $140 million in vetoes by Gov. Patrick

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You can find the vetoes by agency or line item within Budget tracking

It is noteworthy to me that the already underfunded judicial branch was further cut by 18 million dollars.  

As it is, I cannot get timely hearings for parents who have had their children removed [some directly from the hospital to foster care based on anonymous, undisclosed, unreliable testing of birth blood or meconium].  I call these so-called results unreliable because actions are taken without knowing who did the tests, what tests were done, what software was used to analyze the results, or even how the samples are taken and kept free of cross contamination.

It is taking as much as five to seven weeks to complete temporary custody hearings because there are not enough judges or sessions to hear them all.

In part, that is because there is a huge increase in filings and removals by the Department of Children and Families, at least in the courts where I am appointed to cases.

Today, once again, though the court house is allocated three judges and has three court rooms there was only one judge.  

Inability to hear cases in a timely fashion is a major access to justice issue – and this veto will make it worse.

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      1.  Mass Bar Assn – Martin Healy, Esq.
        2.  Boston Bar Assn – Deborah Gibbs, Esq.
        3.  MassJudges Assc. – Chaired by Hon. Peter Agnes
        4.  Middlesex County Bar Assn. – President Frank Ciano

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      p>And yours truly, with the Middlesex County Bar Assn [I am on the Board – we are all volunteers, of course, in that organization].

  2. From CW Unbound’s Bruce Mohl

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    p>

    Talk about star power: The fear that a Tom Cruise movie might decamp Massachusetts for Georgia prompted Beacon Hill lawmakers and Gov. Deval Patrick to flip-flop on a proposal to reduce the cost of the state’s film tax credit by $20 million.

    The flip-flop was particularly embarrassing for Patrick, who included the $20 million change in the revised budget he filed in early June. The House and Senate both went along with the proposal, and it became law on Monday when Patrick signed the state budget legislation  But moments later Patrick restored the film tax credit to its original form by signing a separate spending bill that repealed the $20 million savings initiative.

    A spokeswoman for Leslie Kirwan, the governor’s secretary of administration and finance, who crafted the tax credit change, said she needed to look into the issue further before commenting.

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    p>Maybe it was a typo because

    The Patrick administration for weeks has been sitting on a Revenue Department report laying out the cost of the state’s film tax credit.

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    p>On the other hand

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    p>

    Mariano said the $2 million cap was a mistake. He said the state sometimes needs to spend money to make money and noted that if the Cruise movie ends up going to another state, Massachusetts will end up with no jobs and no film spending here.

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    p>So what do you think is a better investment for $20 million, 25% of Tom Cruise’s (and other stars slaries or more access to the courts for your kids Amber?

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    p>Why do I think I already know the answer?  Breathe deep before you reply my friend.  

    • Child welfare cases are the family law equivalent of murder cases.  These cases mean life or death to a struggling family.

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      p>I would choose human beings over “photo ops” and donations.

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      p>So, yes, I would choose fully staffed courts, court clinics, probation departments, and judges over a gravy train for movie stars and makers who don’t leave the money in our state anyway.

    • You have to go to http://www.mass.gov/budget and on the right hand side bar under Online Services click on 2010 Budget Tracking and then keep clicking on each government area to find the veto message

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      p>For instance under Judiciary

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      p> 03212205 – Suffolk County Social Law Library
      Data Current as of:  6/29/2009

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      p>printer friendly

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      p>    * Account
           Language
         * Account
           Detail

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      p>Account Description FY2009
      Spending FY2010
      GAA
      0321-2205 Suffolk County Social Law Library
      For the expenses of the social law library located in Suffolk county
      2,229,671 1,000,000

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      p>Veto Explanation:  I am reducing this item by an amount not recommended in light of available revenues.

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      p> where you see the to see the final conference committee numbers click under keep clicking on the   e  

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