McKinley’s Memos June 19, 2009
June 19, 2009 2 Comments
McKinley’s Memos
Senate Republican Leader Paul McKinley
A few weeks ago, Governor Chet Culver signed a $6.3 billion dollar state budget, the largest budget in the 163 year history of the state. Days earlier, he added his signature of approval to $1.7 billion dollars worth of borrowing and spending bills that will literally leave future generations of Iowans to foot the bill for this decades of debt. This year’s high school graduating seniors will be nearly 50 years old before that debt is paid off and Iowans will only see the benefit of some short-term temporary make-work positions as a result.
Prior to this year’s session, Governor Culver and legislative Democrats ballooned the size of government by nearly a billion dollars – a 21 percent increase in spending. How many family budgets have grown by that much in such a short period? Iowans expect their government to live within its means just as any family must do.
As a result of all of this new spending, borrowing and growth in state government, the non-partisan Legislative Services Agency estimates that next year’s budget deficit will be over $900 million and could easily exceed $1 billion dollars if the economy does not begin to pick up steam. Iowa did not even have a $1 billion dollar budget until 1976 and now we could be looking at a deficit that exceeds $1 billion dollars.
Yet, Governor Culver said yesterday that there’s “no need for alarm”. Because the governor and his party counterparts in the Legislature grew government instead of cutting it this year, Iowans will either see drastic cuts next year or they will feel the chilling affects of major tax increases at a time when Iowa families and businesses can afford it least.
A Radio Iowa story written by O.Kay Henderson does a very good job laying out the situation. I would encourage you to read this short but informative story. CLICK HERE to read the entire article on the Radio Iowa website.
“Governor Chet Culver says there’s “no need for alarm” about the condition of the state budget, while Republican legislators accuse the Democratic governor of a “wrongheaded” approach to a pending financial crisis.
The state’s fiscal year ends June 30th. State tax collections have fallen below expectations, causing some to question whether the budget may wind up in the red. Culver says he does not share those concerns.”
“Senate Republican Leader Paul McKinley of Chariton says it appears the governor is opting for a “wing and a prayer” approach.
“That’s his decision. He’s in a position to do that,” McKinley says. “…But I think to imply that the state’s fiscal matters are in good shape is absolutely wrongheaded.”
“McKinley, the Republican leader in the senate, counters that Culver “refuses to accept reality” and start making dramatic cuts in state spending.
“You know, I’ve traveled all over the state…and people are really up in arms over the fiscal condition and the lack of attention to the fiscal state of affairs of Iowa,” McKinley says. “
To read the entire article, please CLICK HERE to read the Radio Iowa story titled, “Culver, GOP quibble over state of state budget”
As always, I welcome hearing from my constituents and can be reached by phone at 515-281-3560 or by e-mail at paul.mckinley@legis.state.ia.us
Paul McKinley
Iowa Senator
“Iowans expect their government to live within its means just as any family must do.”
I agree we like to look at the speck in someone else’s eye before we look at our 2×4 in our eye. We have a $14 trillion personal debt problem in this nation. As a people group of debtors and being a representative government, how can we expect our representatives to act any different than its people? I am confident that if we, personally and corporately, learned how to manage our own money & stay away from debt, than we would start electing people that would do the same in government.
I can understand what you are saying BDO, but it isn’t the public that should be the good economic role models. It is the government that should be setting the standards. The citizens are just following the governments example.