budget

Gov. Deval Patrick has until the end of the week to take action on a $34 billion budget approved by state lawmakers.

Just when it seemed to be over, the New Bedford City Council has slashed $4-million from the School Department's Fiscal Year 2014 budget. Councilor at Large John Saunders proposed the $4-million cut as a way to keep the department's expenditures under control until it was clear more funding was necessary...

The City Council is next in line to take a close look at the Fiscal Year 2014 New Bedford School Budget. The School Committee passed the $109-million budget Thursday night, including the layoffs of 250 positions. Fine Arts positions, librarians, nurses, and others will be laid off in addition to more than 100 teachers if the budget is finalized by the City Council...

There are other cuts that can be made without putting teachers on the chopping block first. That's the word from New Bedford Educators Association President Lou St. John as the school committee weighs laying off 250 people, at least 100 of them teachers...

State Senator Mark Montigny says New Bedford is in line to recieve a portion of money set aside in the state budget for an education initiative. The senate has reserved $2.6-million for the Math and Science Initiative, which awards teachers for having students who score high marks on AP tests...

Mayor Jon Mitchell says his proposed fiscal year 2014 budget takes a "steady as she goes" approach. Mitchell says his $263-million proposal will keep the city at status quo, while also restoring a third of the Rainy Day Fund. The proposal sets $109-million aside for the school department, the statutorily required level...

The city's School District is facing a budget shortfall, and is looking to the City Council for help. The School Committee discussed the $3.5 million dollar gap Monday, most of which lies in salaries and pay-outs to retired employees...

The Massachusetts House is weighing a $33.8 billion state budget proposal for the fiscal year starting July 1.

Automatic spending cuts start taking effect sometime today. Roughly 85-billion dollars in across-the-board cuts have been mandated in a so-called sequester.

Governor Patrick's 35-billion dollar budget proposal will likely meet with resistance from lawmakers on Beacon Hill.