Top Democrats in the Massachusetts Senate have firmly denied claims that county sheriffs informed them about significant budget overruns. This reaction comes as the legislature moves forward with a multi-billion-dollar spending bill that mandates an investigation into the financial practices of sheriff’s departments.
Senate President Karen Spilka stated that sheriff’s departments unexpectedly alerted the House, Senate, and Governor Maura Healey about their overspending for fiscal year 2025. According to the Healey administration, sheriffs overshot their budget by $121 million. Spilka emphasized the need for oversight, remarking, “Just think, if all other agencies did the same, the state would be bankrupt.” She noted that there was no prior notice regarding these financial issues.
The House recently approved a $2.2 billion spending bill aimed at closing the fiscal year 2025 budget but withheld funds requested by sheriffs to cover their deficits. Senate lawmakers are also in the process of passing a similar bill that includes an oversight council, a body that would provide one of the first statewide checks on sheriff financial activities.
Bristol County Sheriff Paul Heroux countered the senate’s assertions, stating he had requested around $72 million for his department’s budget during the initial planning for 2025. However, the state legislature approved only $61 million, which led to a shortfall of $11 million. Heroux remarked, “For anybody to suggest that the supplemental budget request is out of the blue is just very disingenuous.”
He further asserted that his department’s chief financial officer maintains regular communication with the budget offices within the administration and legislative committees. The overspending, according to Heroux, was largely due to pay increases for union employees, state-mandated medical treatments for prisoners, free phone calls for inmates, and necessary repairs to outdated facilities.
Senator Michael Rodrigues, who oversees the budget-writing committee in the Senate, acknowledged the complexity of the situation. He remarked, “There is a lot of spinning going on right around what the facts are and how notifications or communications happen.” Rodrigues stated that the governor’s office had not made them aware of the extent of the sheriffs’ overspending until the supplemental budget was filed.
The ongoing dispute highlights a significant challenge for Massachusetts lawmakers as they navigate budgetary constraints while addressing the needs of various state departments. The push for increased oversight aims to ensure that all departments adhere to their allocated budgets, something Rodrigues noted is not always feasible.
As the Massachusetts Senate Democrats continue to confront the budget overruns reported by county sheriffs, the outcome of this fiscal dispute remains uncertain. The legislature’s commitment to greater financial scrutiny may lead to a re-evaluation of how funds are allocated and managed across the state’s law enforcement agencies.