THE FINAL CUTS

In a dismal end of eight years as governor, Angus King will go through his budget once again, this time looking for another $40 million or $50 million in savings to match an expected shortfall in the current budget. It is, of course, not what he hoped to be doing in his final weeks and it is made worse by the fact that the current Legislature won’t have time to experience its usual shock and resignation before agreeing to the cuts.

Because the Rainy Day Account is now down below the level where the state would qualify even for free checking, a hiring freeze is made permanent and unexpended balances and little caches of funding for programs that are nice but not essential have all been swept up to meet the $240 million shortfall, finding the next $40 million in savings will be considerably more painful than the first cuts. The governor could try to simply curtail spending in various departments by 2 percent or 3 percent, but state money often is linked to federal money and regulations demanding compliance discourage or prevent cuts in many areas.

The state’s revenue forecasters are expected to offer final budget numbers through June sometime next week. Agencies by then will have submitted ways of achieving needed savings. But even if the governor can make decisions and get them to lawmakers in just several days, it is still unlikely the Legislature can act on them in time before the Dec. 4 swearing-in of a new Legislature.

But Gov. King should not regard this lack of time to mean he is on his own. He should invite legislative leaders, especially those who will return next session, to meet at each step of his decision-making process. He should do this not because he needs their approval beforehand but because they, far more than he, will have their eyes on next two-year budget, with its $1 billion shortfall, and so are more likely to encourage any cuts now to consider the consequences for the next two years.

This is not a comment on the governor’s ability to repair the budget; it is recognition of political reality and the lateness of the hour. The last thing the next Legislature wants is to open its next session arguing about how the last one ended. Close consultation now with those who would lead or squelch such an argument would be of particular help by January.