“Dead on arrival.” That’s how Gov. Quinn’s budget is being described. Despite a delay granted to him to propose his budget, despite universal control of state government operations within his party, and despite record debt, record unemployment, and a stagnant economy that has countless Illinoisans hurting, the governor calls for $3 billion in new spending and a 33 percent tax increase.
It is this kind of policy from the controlling Democrat party the past decade-plus that has helped put us in the financial straits we’re in as a state – essentially bankrupt.
So how do we get out of it?
First, this budget mess took years in the making and it will likely take more than one year to get out of it, but do you trust the same old Springfield Democrat to do it?
We should not have $3 billion in new spending. Freeze spending. We’re in a recession with people struggling day-to-day. We should not be spending any more (once again) than we take in.
It is a shame too that the governor singled out education for massive cuts if his tax increase isn’t approved. Meanwhile his majority party lets commonsense reforms to welfare, Medicaid, and state spending languish. Example: HB 4810 to require drug testing for welfare benefits failed in a Democratic-controlled House committee. And yet we test high school athletes for drugs.
It seems clear to me, and I hope thousands of voters across the state, that the one party Democrat controlled state government must end. All we have seen is failed ideas, excessive spending, and more taxes on our hard earned money, all while too many schools are failing students, our infrastructure is crumbling and we’ve not enacted real government reforms that put people’s faith back in the system.
I’m committed to working for sound policy that respects and prioritizes those that fund this government, the taxpayers.
For more perspective on the governor’s budget, see the following articles:
Associated Press: http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5htoBBWAb5ILVe0HqQ1DGut3jWX-wD9EDCBQO0
The Journal-Gazette: http://www.jg-tc.com/articles/2010/03/14/opinion/editorial/doc4b9afd24a8b8e969152350.txt
Business Week: http://www.businessweek.com/ap/financialnews/D9ECMOJ00.htm
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"this budget mess took years in the making and it will likely take more than one year to get out of it"
ReplyDeletePlease, for the love of all that is good and true, stop with this line of discourse. Obama has already trade-marked the phrase. This is failed politi-speak, and the people see right though it.
Jeff, we have had enough of this kind of mindless statement of the obvious and the corresponding blame laying; we all know that the budget mess has taken years to create. It makes it seem as if you are predicting that you will not be able to enact real change, real soon.
The citizens need your focus to be on immediate and long-term changes to the financial and political state of our government.
You are going to need to make an impact in your first term, or your first will likely be your only.