Budget Gap Finally Recognized, but will Democrats do anything to Address it?

BOSTON—House Minority Leader Bradley H. Jones, Jr. issued the following statement today after hearing Governor Patrick’s A&F Secretary Jay Gonzalez finally recognized the “significant” budget gap the state of Massachusetts is facing going into the next fiscal year.

The fact that this Administration is only now recognizing the enormity of next year’s structural deficit is mind-boggling to say the least. The deficit has been an ongoing issue and the Administration has chosen to continue to put this major problem on the back burner.

Now that the election has passed, it is my hope that Democratic leaders on Beacon Hill, especially the Governor, will make an effort to be more receptive to the many reforms Republicans have offered and will continue to offer.

The only way we’re going to begin to move forward is by being open minded. We must find ways to make government run more efficiently, to improve the business climate in order to foster growth and most importantly we must get people back to work. The only way to tackle this challenge is head on.