Wayland Town Crier 12/31/08: Midyear cuts to local aid could be ‘devastating’. Aid to towns and cities could be on the chopping block in a second round of midyear state budget cuts that local officials were grimly expecting, but have little capacity to absorb. Gov. Deval Patrick announced he will ask the Legislature for expanded authority to cut the state budget because tax collections may drop another $1 billion below projections. This comes just two months after declining tax revenues triggered $1.4 billion in cuts that included state layoffs, but steered clear of the local aid that fuels municipal departments and schools. Patrick said this time, however, local aid is now on the table.