State Sen. Ross Talks About State Budget, Local Aid

State Sen. Richard Ross (R-Wrentham) was appointed as a member of the Senate's Ways and Means Committee earlier this year.

He spoke last week about the upcoming budget process, and how it would affect towns like Wrentham.

Ross said the legislature does recognize the importance of state aid to the commonwealth's towns and cities.

"Obviously, the real lifeblood of communities is local aid," he said. "All of us have been diligent about protecting that."

He said, though, that the times call for careful spending, and said Governor Deval Patrick's proposed budget was the biggest ever.

"It doesn't show the governor has been prudent in spending money," he said. "We need to be more vocal about the things that need to be trimmed."

Ross said the state legislature can often spend beyond its means.

"Unfortunately, the legislature many times doesn't get that, if you run out of money, you can't spend more," he said. "The legislature has to set an example for prudent spending."

Ross is also a member of the Senate's Ethics and Rules Committee, and is the minority whip.

According to a release by the senator, he's a member of the legislature's joint committees on Economic Development and Emerging Technology, Education, Higher Education, Judiciary, Mental Health and Substance Abuse, Municipalities and Regional Government and Public Safety and Homeland Security.