June 30, 2005

To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives:

Pursuant to the provisions of Section 5 of Article 63 of the Amendments to the Constitution, I am today signing House 4200, “An Act Making Appropriations for the Fiscal Year 2006 for the Maintenance of the Departments, Boards, Commissions, Institutions and Certain Activities for the Commonwealth, for Interest, Sinking Fund and Serial Bond Requirements and for Certain Permanent Improvements.”

I commend you for completing this budget in a timely manner and without raising taxes. However, I am optimistic that the strengthening economy will result in tax revenues that exceed the estimate used in this appropriation bill by at least $400 million. I am also vetoing $110 million in appropriations that are not consistent with my House 1 budget recommendation. Therefore, I am reducing the use of Stabilization Fund reserves by $486 million.

I am encouraged that the Legislature provided additional resources for a number of priorities identified in my House 1 budget recommendation, including:

• $100 million to increase aid to our cities and towns;
• $9.3 million to fully fund suicide prevention initiatives;
• $6.4 million to enhance DNA and forensic analysis at the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner and the State Police Crime Lab;
• $4.4 million for one new State Police class; and
• $2.9 million for domestic and sexual violence initiatives.

I am also pleased to approve several increases in funding for critical education programs, including:

Together, we have taken significant steps forward in this budget, but there are still many more opportunities for reform. Specifically, we should merge the Massachusetts Turnpike and the Highway Department to eliminate unnecessary duplication of overhead costs, adopt comprehensive health care reform to eliminate the number of uninsured, and institute welfare reforms consistent with my House 1 proposal to ensure that the Commonwealth meets Federal work requirements. Finally, we should not retreat from reforms already implemented. I urge you to continue the benefit changes adopted in Fiscal Year 2004 regarding employee health insurance contribution levels.

Therefore:

• I am hereby reducing appropriation amounts in items of section 2 of House 4200 enumerated in Attachment A of this message by the amount and for the reasons set forth therein;
• I am striking wording in items of sections 2 and 2B of House 4200 also set forth in Attachment A, for the reasons set forth therein;
• I am striking in its entirety section 23 of House 4200 itemized in Attachment B of this message for the reasons set forth in that attachment; and
• Pursuant to Article LVI, as amended by Article XC, Section 3 of the Amendments to the Constitution of the Commonwealth, I am returning sections 10 and 30 with recommendations for amendment. My reasons for doing so and the recommended amendments are set forth in separate letters of even date, which are hereby incorporated by reference and included with this message as Attachments C and D.

I hereby approve the remainder of this Act.

Respectfully submitted,

Mitt Romney's signature

Mitt Romney

Governor