June 26, 2009

1:53 PM

Responsible Budget Needs to be Passed Now

Last Tuesday, the Indiana House of Representatives was presented with a responsible, compromise budget that would have protected Hoosier taxpayers and kept our state from the brink of a shutdown on June 30. Unfortunately, it was rejected by Democrat leaders, who are resorting to their old habit of holding taxpayers hostage for more spending.

The Senate-passed proposal presented to the House met all five of Gov. Mitch Daniels’ budget parameters:

 No tax increases, now or in the future.
 Maintain reserves of at least $1 billion.
 If you add a dollar, cut a dollar.
Use one-time federal stimulus dollars responsibly.
 No trust fund or pension raids or other short term gimmicks.

House Republicans have held firm to these criteria throughout both sessions. These are commonsense parameters Hoosiers should expect every state budget to live by. 

Around the county, the majority of our sister states are either considering or have already passed tax increases, many are drastically cutting education and furloughing state personnel and a few are even proposing the release of convicted felons to cut costs. Thankfully, due to responsible stewardship over the last four years, Indiana is not in this position. 

The Republican supported budget proposal is a responsible compromise, and it can should received bipartisan support, if Speaker Bauer allows a vote.

In addition to meeting the five commonsense budget parameters, the proposal responsibly addresses our state’s pressing needs. For example:

 It contains funding for programs that both parties support. Funding was maintained for the CHOICE program, allowing older Hoosiers to remain at home instead of moving to nursing care. Funding for community health centers, the arts, public television and radio, Medicaid and the 21st Century Technology Fund, which helps bring cutting-edge companies to Indiana, and many other key programs were funded. 

 Public schools received small but reasonable increases in funding while other states are drastically cutting education, some by as much as 20%. Our universities were protected, and funding for student scholarship grants was increased. Finally, the budget recognized that parents desire and deserve expanded education choices for their K-12 children.

Most importantly, the proposed budget lives within our state’s projected means, just as Hoosier businesses and families must, and won’t set us up for a massive tax increase in the future.  The Democrat’s alternative proposed to spend everything on hand plus more, setting us up for a major tax increase in two years.
 
The time for political posturing is over. Hoosiers (and most legislators) are fed up with the bickering and disagreement. While Democrat leaders return to their old habit of threatening a shutdown of state services on June 30 unless more spending is accepted, Republicans in the House will do just the opposite: we will stand firm for Hoosier taxpayers.  They deserve nothing less.  

There is still time to do the right thing. One more chance to be responsible for the people of Indiana — Mr. Speaker, drop the political high jinks of the past and accept the compromise Senate budget.