5 Things Dec. 5: Legends and Liars, Budget Gap and More

Things You Need to Know Today is a Patch column that provides readers with essential, daily information at a glance. Check back later for more, and let us know what you think of the feature in the comments section.

1. Legends and Liars
EPOCH Assisted Living of Norton will welcome historical re-enactor Pat Perry of Sneak Peek Productions for a presentation entitled Legends and Liars at 2:30 p.m. This program tests your knowledge of historical myths and tall tales in an interactive program for all ages, and includes prizes for correct answers. This performance is free and open to the public. For more information or to R.S.V.P. call 508-285-3355.

2. Welcome Wednesdays at New Testament
New Testament hosts tours every Wednesday from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.  Please come by for a visit to meet some of the staff and learn about what goes on within our walls.  We would love to meet you and share with you who we are!  Call our school office at 508-285-9771 and let us know you are coming!  Feel free to visit the website www.newtestamentschool.org.

3. Prostate Cancer Support Group
Sturdy Memorial Hospital will offer a Prostate Cancer Support Group 7 to 8:30 p.m. in conference rooms A, B and C. The group is free and open to the public. For more information, call the Oncology Department at 508-236-7010.

4. Governor Patric lays out plan to close budget gap
The Patrick-Murray Administration revised the FY13 tax revenue estimate from $22.01 billion to $21.496 billion, a reduction of $515 million. The plan includes the reallocation of savings from the Commonwealth’s borrowing and health care costs. The Governor’s proposed plan ensures virtually all impacted programs and services will receive no less funding than last year and that no cuts will be made to Chapter 70 education funding.

Summary of Budgetary Reductions and Solutions

• $225 million or about 1% in the aggregate in spending reductions through 9C cuts in Executive Branch agencies.
• As a result of the hiring controls the Administration imposed in October, over 700 of the new positions that were originally planned and funded in FY13 are being eliminated and will not be filled.
• A number of new investments for projects and programs in FY13 have been reduced or eliminated, including limiting new or restored funding for investments across a range of government services.
• $200 million from the Rainy Day Fund.
• $25 million from a 1% reduction in the budgets of the Judiciary, Constitutional Officers and other non-executive departments.
• $98 million in additional federal revenues in support of safety net programs operated by the state on behalf low-income residents.
• $20 million from a total of $113 million in savings in state borrowing and health care reform costs.
• $20 million from a reduction in the amount of sales tax revenues that will automatically be transferred to the Massachusetts School Building Authority to support local school building costs.
• $11 million from certain reserve fund surpluses.
• $9 million from a 1 percent across the board reduction to unrestricted local aid. The Governor has filed legislation that ensures if lottery profits exceed the $1.026 billion amount currently budgeted in FY13, all of such excess proceeds be committed to increasing the amount of unrestricted local aid.

5. High near 56, low around 25
Today there is a 90 percent of showers, mainly before 11 a.m., and a temperature high near 56. West wind will be 10 to 15 mph. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible. Tonight will be mostly clear, with a low around 25. Northwest wind will be 13 to 15 mph.