1,500 Jobs and Higher Education Hit in Boston

Boston’s House Ways and Means Committee’s budget proposal details $750 million in cuts for the next fiscal year, threatening 1,500 government jobs and hit higher education with a $132 million reduction in funding.

The proposal would cut municipal aid by $234 million, MassHealth benefits, which includes dental coverage, to save $110 million.

The bill includes $1.5 billion in federal stimulus funds that are not likely to be there again in 2012.

“From a fiscal point of view, this is an improvement over the governor’s budget,” said Michael Widmer, Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation President. “The cuts are going to be difficult but they’re absolutely essential,” Widmer continued. When questioned about the local aid cut, Widmer said, “They need to share in the pain, given our fiscal realities. Human services has borne the brunt of cuts to date.”