Deval's Budget Goes Up

"Gov. Deval Patrick has hiked his office payroll by $1.1 million since taking charge, a 33 percent jump over what former Gov. Mitt Romney paid his staff in 2006, a Herald review found, even as a top House lawmaker now warns of deep cuts to key state services."

"'These increases seem exorbitant given the fact that they’ve sounded the alarm about the potential deficit,' said Senate Minority Leader Richard Tisei (R-Wakefield), referring to Patrick administration projections of a $1.3 billion gap in fiscal 2009.

'How can they make the case to cut other people’s budgets when their own budget is exploding?' Tisei added."