Looking Around the next Corner!! Take steps now ......

Three, no four different newspapers in the ONE Mass News Roundup are publishing the same story covered by the AP in today's Herald.

Quoting Secretary Kirwan's memo to departments in the Executive Branch

“In the interest of prudence and sound fiscal management, Governor Patrick has asked us to take steps now to closely monitor and control spending and also to prepare for a possible downturn in revenues given the larger economic context nationally,” Kirwan wrote.

Questions for you dear reader. What is around the next corner? Clearly this looks like the Governor is laying the groundwork for some 9-C cuts. (Below the fold is the law on 9-C we got from Secretary Kirwan's website.)

Sounds like the "hard choices" faced by towns and cities every spring under 2 1/2 .  Cut if you can't raise revenues. 

PART I. ADMINISTRATION OF THE GOVERNMENT
TITLE III. LAWS RELATING TO STATE OFFICERS
CHAPTER 29. STATE FINANCE
Chapter 29: Section 9C. Deficiency of revenue

Section 9C. Whenever, in the opinion of the commissioner of administration, available revenues as determined by him from time to time during any fiscal year under section 5B will be insufficient to meet all of the expenditures authorized to be made from any fund, whether by appropriation or distribution, he shall within 5 days notify in writing the governor and the house and senate committees on ways and means of the amount of such probable deficiency of revenue and the governor shall, within 15 days after such notification, reduce allotments under section 9B, and submit in writing a report stating the reason for and effect of such reductions, or submit to the general court specific proposals to raise additional revenues by a total amount equal to such deficiency. Any action challenging the legality of an allotment reduction pursuant to this section shall be commenced in the supreme judicial court for Suffolk county.

Whenever the governor reduces allotments under the preceding paragraph, the governor shall notify the house and senate committees on ways and means in writing 15 days before any alterations to the original allotment reduction plan. Any alterations to the original allotment reduction plan that would seek to increase an allotment must provide an equal reduction in other allotments or propose to raise additional revenues to total the amount of the allotment increase.

As an alternative to the submission of such proposals to raise additional revenues and to the extent funds are available, the governor may recommend an appropriation equal to such deficiency from the Commonwealth Stabilization Fund in the manner provided in section 2H.