It was the first day of March on the Vineyard; snowflakes cut through the air and the busier days of the summer seemed an eternity away. Main street Vineyard Haven was a ghost town, as a handful of shoppers shuffled in and out of stores.

But tucked inside the Katharine Cornell Theatre on Spring street, a small group of people was busy tackling the pressing issues of the day: unemployment, homelessness and the ongoing financial struggles of the Island Affordable Housing Fund.

The occasion was a visit from the Island’s state legislative delegation, Sen. Robert O’Leary and Rep. Tim Madden, who were holding open office hours.

The two men sat together at the front of the room, framed by the oversized murals of Island scenes painted by the late Stanley Murphy. Mr. O’Leary, who announced recently that he would run for Congress if U.S. Rep. William Delahunt decides not to seek reelection, has represented the Cape and Islands since 2001.

The senior lawmaker appeared relaxed, the sleeves of his blue dress shirt rolled up, glasses pushed down on his nose, a blue and yellow neck tie long ago loosened.

Mr. Madden, a relative newcomer who was elected in November of 2008, appeared groomed and dapper in a crisp purple shirt and gray sports jacket.

The two men were there to listen to what Islanders had to say. There were some light moments when old friends dropped by. “The last time I saw you we were in the presence of the United States,” Mr. O’Leary quipped to Tisbury selectman Jeff Kristal, a reference to President Obama’s visit to the Vineyard in August. “I never got my pictures from that day . . . did you get any pictures?”

But for the most part the discussion was about serious issues, some as bleak as the weather outside. And if there was a single theme, it was money.

Renee Balter, representing the Friends of Oak Bluffs, was looking for help for a new visitor center in town. “I know everyone is looking for money, and everyone has worthy proposals, but do you think there is any money for this type of thing?” she asked.

Mr. Madden exercised diplomacy in his reply.

“There are programs for that sort of thing; we’ll look into it. But funding is tight right now . . . all the towns are competing for a shrinking piece of the pie,” he said.

The line of money seekers continued throughout the afternoon. Derrill Bazzy of Aquinnah needed money to bury the utility lines that run along Moshup Trail; Susan von Steiger of Oak Bluffs asked for more money for a fuel assistance program; Connie Teixeira asked for money to assist the Island’s newfound homeless population, and to help people find housing who have lost their jobs.

Mr. O’Leary finally offered a blunt response.

“The reality is that we are facing some major state budget issues. I know you don’t want to hear it, but I am going to tell it to you anyway, because the reality is that funding for these types of programs is being decreased right now, not increased,” he said.

He continued: “The senate position is that we are going to have to cut the governor’s budget this year; usually the legislature will add money back in, but this year we will be cutting. We are going to have to cut local aid for the first time, and that means Chapter 70 (education) money . . . economic development is being cut something like 60 per cent; other agencies are down 70 to 80 per cent.”

He said there is little interest in increasing funding for social and health service programs.

“We just can’t when we have to start cutting school programs and laying off teachers, which is basically where we’re heading. Nobody wants to do that, but we just don’t have the revenue. Last year we got a lot of federal revenue that allowed us to save the jobs of thousands of policeman and teachers . . . and most of that money will be gone this year,” he said, concluding: “Right now there is no wiggle room. We are at the bottom.”

Someone in the audience expanded the point. “Are we at rock bottom?” she asked.

“In terms of state revenue, the feeling is yes, this year is the bottom,” Mr. O’Leary said. “Someone the other day compared it to a lure on a fishing rod that is scraping along the bottom, but I think we’re ready to reel it in.”

Following his frank evaluation, Mr. O’Leary looked around and offered one final bit of levity.

“I know what you’re thinking: why did we even get into this racket,” he joked. “Sometimes I ask myself the same thing.”