Gov. Patrick To Give State Of State Address Monday

BOSTON (AP) — Gov. Deval Patrick is expected to discuss new ideas for bringing more jobs to the state when he delivers his annual state of the state address.

Patrick will speak to a joint session of the Legislature at 7:30 p.m. on Monday.

The governor is expected to point to the state's 6.8 percent unemployment rate as being well below the national average and he's promising new initiatives aimed at lowering the rate even further.

The speech comes two days before Patrick unveils his proposed state budget for the fiscal year starting July 1.

Despite the improving economy, administration officials have warned that state finances will remain tight in the coming months. On Friday they proposed hiking the cigarette tax as part of a $260 million package of new revenues.

Copyright 2012 The Associated Press.