State Rep. Patricia Duffy sits on several committees in the Massachusetts Legislature, including the crown jewel known as the Ways & Mean Committee. It is the members of this committee that propose where and how much money can be spent.

Gov. Maura Healey first draws up the budget based on how much taxpayers money the commonwealth has from local taxpayers in the tiers of local, state and federal taxes. Then she and team pour over what they think will come in based on current trends.

Then, when it becomes clear that the commonwealth does not have all the tax money it expected, it comes up with a modified $59 billion budget, which gets sent to the House Ways & Means Committee for review and edits. After the House pours over what is and what is not possible to fund — be it less money or no money — they send it over the Senate Ways & Means Committee.

The Senate will work on the budget and send it to the governor for her signature. Gov. Healey may decide to cut some funds or eliminate them entirely if the tax money is not available. Both the House and Senate would then have an opportunity to try to override the governor’s final budget.

This means that a final-final budget will be the official bank for the commonwealth’s 351 cities and towns and hundreds more schools, public works and programs.

Here’s the bacon:

• $75,000 for Holyoke Community College Thrive Center
• $35,000 Fiestas patronales
• $35,000 Homework House
• $15,000 for  Community Roots, veterans lunch every Thursday at St. Paul’s Episcopal
• $9,000 for comic book conference at Holyoke Library

Here is more information about Ret. Duffy.