Time to get on with it

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June 4, 2009

Anonymous The Kokomo Tribune Thu Jun 04, 2009, 05:53 PM EDT

In announcing that he would convene a special legislative session on June 11, Gov. Mitch Daniels said he hoped that would give lawmakers plenty of time to agree on a spending plan before the current budget expires at the end of the month.

“Let’s get on with it,” he said.

We agree that there is no time to waste. Not only are lawmakers facing a deadline, they will also be spending precious tax dollars every day they are in session.

Still, it’s hard to say how close they are to reaching agreement on a new state budget.

Republicans are happy with the plan Daniels put forward this week. They say it protects taxpayers, supports public education and public safety, and maintains a healthy reserve.

They note that the governor’s budget proposes across-the-board spending cuts in every area except for public schools and public safety.

They say it also creates jobs by investing $450 million in capital projects at state universities in addition to $1 billion in road and bridge projects, paving the way for investment and expansion in Hoosier hometowns across the state.

At the same time, the governor’s budget increases funding for education, giving schools an average increase of 2 percent over the biennium and giving all school corporations more money per child than they receive today. In addition, should state revenues exceed the amounts forecasted, an “education trigger” would automatically invest $1 for every $2 of excess revenues received.

Democrats, of course, are not yet convinced. They say they’re happy that the governor has agreed we can use some of the reserve to boost education funding and invest in capital projects to stimulate job growth.

But they say the details still need some work.

The governor, meanwhile, says he’s serious about that $1 billion in reserves.

“A billion means a billion,” he told the committee. “It’s not a starting point for negotiation.”

We’re glad to see the governor offering some firm direction on the new budget. Our hope is that lawmakers will work quickly to come up with a spending plan and get it approved.

– Pharos-Tribune, Logansport, and Kokomo Tribune

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