Chopping block

As many states nationwide are feeling the tightest budget crunches in decades, cuts are coming swiftly and surely. Massachusetts is certainly not going to be spared as Governor Mitt Romney looks for ways to close a $650 million shortfall for the current fiscal year, which is barely halfway over. And that's not all _ there is still a $3 billion gap for the next fiscal year.

Romney certainly can't look to tax revenue as a bailout. Not only did the governor run on a platform of balancing the budget without raising taxes, but Massachusetts voters nearly passed a ballot proposal last November that would have done away with the state income tax altogether.

By virtue of this, the ax must fall squarely on state discretionary spending, which includes funding for Tufts' School of Veterinary Medicine. Though $3.6 million had been budgeted, Romney last week cut spending for the vet school entirely for the current fiscal year.

Granted, Romney has to make many tough calls to end Massachusetts' budget woes. But unlike raising healthcare payments for state employees or raising recreational fees for boating and golfing, cutting funding that has essentially already been spent will put the vet school in the red at once.

Romney hasn't cut a projected budget amount that will affect Tufts in the near future. He has taken away money already granted to the University; money that is already gone.

Without further state intervention, the vet school will have to immediately make drastic cuts to remain solvent. Such a restructuring will have a damaging effect on research and treatment programs, program staffing, and all other areas of the vet school.

President Bacow has indicated that he is already speaking with state officials regarding the funding elimination, and hopefully such dialogue will be fruitful. But Bacow is also wise to investigate the legal ramifications of the late spending cut.

Tufts has weathered financial storms before, and there is no reason to believe it cannot overcome this one. But the message is clear _ in tough economic times, a good name and a noble purpose just aren't enough.