BOSTON, Mass. - The House released their proposed budget Wednesday for fiscal year 2025, and if it feels like there is always budget talk coming out of the state house, its because there is, as sometimes legislators can debate three budgets at a time.

Wednesday’s budget released by the House is their proposal for next fiscal year which actually starts this summer. 

The $57.9 billion budget released Wednesday is similar to what Gov. Maura Healey proposed in January, but with a bit less spending. It’s a 3.3% increase over this current fiscal year spending without pulling from the state’s rainy day fund. After a tough year in tax revenue, this felt like a win for Ways and Means Chairman Aaron Michlewitz. 

"We were able to navigate through what was nine months of difficult fiscal numbers, be able to implement the tax cuts, be able to keep our bond rating strong," said Michlewitz. "Allowing us to be able to do investments, not dip into the stabilization fund, not raise taxes, and also be able to give real, you know, real investments in different in different sectors here in this budget, I think was received well."

In order to increase revenues, the budget would legalize online lottery sales to compete with online sports gambling. Using the revenue to help balance spending. Despite a tax season bump in revenue, House Speaker Ron Mariano doesn’t want to be overzealous.  

"Until you get three months of positive numbers, you're not changed much at all. So, you know, we still have a ways to go before we know," said Mariano. 

The Massachusetts Fiscal Alliance disagrees that this budget is responsible, worried that shortfalls will eventually come down to the taxpayer to add up. 

"Only in the Massachusetts legislature can this type of math add up," said Paul D. Craney, a spokesman for the Massachusetts Fiscal Alliance.

This budget is set to be debated in two weeks. After that the senate will take over.