On Monday, July 17th, Governor Charlie Baker signed a budget for FY2018 that includes $39.4 billion in spending. This comes ten days after the Legislature approved a state budget with a $40.2 billion bottom line. The Senate and House legislators struggled for weeks prior to arriving at a compromise, and an interim budget kept the state government afloat since the new fiscal year began on July 1st.

Governor Baker vetoed $320 million from the Legislature’s proposed budget as a result of an anticipated $749 million decrease in tax revenues. Governor Baker’s vetoes included $42 million in earmarks and $222 million in spending on MassHealth.