Friday, March 21, 2008
Where's the Little Red Hen?
Governor Napolitano calls Treasurer Dean Martin a Chicken Little about the budget and criticizes him for grandstanding. But who got us into this mess and continues to slap her face on billboards and taxpayer-funded printed material at every turn? Last year's budget, I recall, was passed by Democrats and a minority of Republicans, and promoted by and signed by Napolitano resulting in today's $1.2 billion deficit. With the deficit growing daily, the governor vetoed the spending freeze and accused Dean Martin of overreacting because "he doesn't know the numbers". Heaven forbid he should overreact to a mere billion dollar deficit cascading to $2 billion by next year. Unfortunately, the Little Red Hen who should be busy fixing this problem appears to be on vacation leaving us with Janet who seem oblivious to being second only to California in debt.
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4 comments:
Who got us into this mess? I would think it might be the GOP legislature that continues to spend money on a host of things and lower taxes at the same time...and lower taxes...and lower taxes.
You might also pin it on Tim Bee who broker the compromise to support the Governor's budget versus that of the legislature's.
Try all that you want, but the truth is that everyone knows that the GOP is a bunch of hypocrites on the issue of tax and spend. The national economic disaster has happened on George Bush's watch and do to his tax and spend policies...just like that of the state legislature here. The governor simply tried to restore funds...has found numerous ways to pay for things and the GOP keeps ramming tax cuts down her throat.
She did sign the bills..yep...but they were GOP led and passed bills.
Everyone sees through this deception. It is also why the GOP will lose more seats in the AZ legislature, more seats in the House delegation, and will lose the Presidency.
The Governor knows our state needs this spending for education, health and frankly economic development. So does the chamber and business types that are partnering with Government for contracts left and right.
The honest thing is that she wants to pay for what we spend...the GOP hides like little ninnies and throws away my son's future left and right...and with a straight face.
Ok rant over and a question...
You support war Ace, how do you wish to pay for it? You support massive spending on homeland security...how do you wish to pay for it? You appaar to support the contracts made by government to folks like Raytheon...how do you wish to pay for it?
They just aint enough wasteful spending or earmarks that would ever ever do the job.
It is why we have a deficit...a massive one...
It's okay Roger. We all need a good rant now and then.
This post was referring specifically to the state problems. Yes, Tim Bee has to take some responsibility for supporting the governor's budget last year and pushing it through over the objections of most of the Republicans. The fact that most Republicans did NOT support the budget is a plus for the GOP. However, they don't get a pass (and neither do the Democrats including Janet) for the massive spending spree the governor and lawmakers enjoyed the past five years when property values were going out of sight and the state was realizing a windfall from it. Doubling spending over that period was irresponsible regardless of the party one represented. There is just no excuse for being the number two state in indebtedness when you've been the number one state in growth and subsequent property tax revenues.
And what did we get for all that spending? Are the students scoring higher and dropping out less? Is our crime rate any lower? Is the economy stronger? Are more individuals able to afford healthcare? Are energy costs lower?
I think there's a lot of blame to go around for this situation, and I'm not willing to let anyone off the hook for irresponsibility when it comes to fixing it.
Good for you ACE!
I think we tax too low and I think the philosophy for cutting govt. rather than finding good programs and supporting them is very bad for our economy. I think that we desperately needed the funding for education that was, in fact, restored from past cuts.
I agree, we aren't seeing big benefits yet because we are still next to last in most everything that business wan't...save for cheap land, which has been the most important factor in the high growth of our state (as well as retirees seeking that cheap land). Now the land isn't so cheap anymore...and it isn't because of taxes. The rest of us have to live here, raise our children, and need the basic infrastructure, good schools, and the jobs that an excellent education system, transportation system, and other programs that only govt. provides well and equally.
Cheap land? You obviously haven't lived outside of states mostly owned by some government entity or other.
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