House set to debate fiscal 2011 state budget bill

The House next week is scheduled to debate and vote on a slimmed-down state budget bill that remains deeply affected by the economic recession.

The budget bill released by the House Committee on Ways and Means would cut the main municipal and education aid accounts by up to 4 percent for each community. As proposed, the main local aid accounts would be $148 million below the fiscal 2010 level of funding and about $159 million below what the governor proposed in his fiscal 2011 spending plan. This would mark the third straight year of deep local aid cuts.

With only weak growth in state tax revenues expected next year and temporary revenues running low, there is little prospect for amendments that would add much spending to any part of the budget.

Several budget amendments up for consideration would provide modest help to local governments or set the stage for improvements when the economy recovers. There are also a number of amendments that would harm or undermine local finances in the long term.