Not enough to go around
Posted: Thursday, January 19, 2006
Even if Gov. Tom Vilsack gets the beer and cigarette tax hikes he wants, Iowans still are going to have to do a lot of drinking and smoking to help pay for all the big spending plans being proposed down in Des Moines.
This year's legislative session isn't two weeks old, but so far there has been no shortage of grand proposals for use of taxpayer money, never mind that there isn't nearly enough of that money to go around.
Vilsack wants to add preschool kids to the state's school aid formula at a cost of tens of millions of dollars a year. Democrats want a 6 percent hike in allowable growth for public schools for fiscal 2007. Vilsack has asked for an additional $50 million for water quality efforts, another $50 million for the creation of biotech research facilities at state universities, another $30 million for a health insurance pool for small businesses. He also wants to build a new maximum security state prison in Fort Madison at a potential cost of $80 million.
Then on Tuesday, a state commission proposed spending $300 million over the next two years to improve teacher salaries.
Where is the cash for all of this supposed to come from?
In a recent editorial board session with The Journal, House Speaker Christopher Rants, R-Sioux City, correctly observed that lawmakers will have to be "frugal" and "careful" in their approach to the state budget this year. There is no big pot of discretionary funds sitting around waiting to be spent.
Revenues this year will be about 3 percent higher than last year, but that additional money largely is committed to built-in budget increases such as allowable growth for public schools, already negotiated raises for state employees and anticipated increases in the Medicaid program.
In other words, this isn't exactly the year for turning big spending dreams into reality.
Preschools, K-12 public education, teacher salaries, water quality, biotech research, health insurance, the state pen - these are all important priorities deserving of discussion and, in some cases, more money. But the fact is that Iowa's state budget simply isn't growing enough to give everyone everything they want and believe they need.
A difficult process of prioritizing and making tough choices will be required to craft a state budget. A heavy dose of reality in the capital city will help.
Just thinking about it all could drive a person to drink and smoke.
This year's legislative session isn't two weeks old, but so far there has been no shortage of grand proposals for use of taxpayer money, never mind that there isn't nearly enough of that money to go around.
Vilsack wants to add preschool kids to the state's school aid formula at a cost of tens of millions of dollars a year. Democrats want a 6 percent hike in allowable growth for public schools for fiscal 2007. Vilsack has asked for an additional $50 million for water quality efforts, another $50 million for the creation of biotech research facilities at state universities, another $30 million for a health insurance pool for small businesses. He also wants to build a new maximum security state prison in Fort Madison at a potential cost of $80 million.
Then on Tuesday, a state commission proposed spending $300 million over the next two years to improve teacher salaries.
Where is the cash for all of this supposed to come from?
In a recent editorial board session with The Journal, House Speaker Christopher Rants, R-Sioux City, correctly observed that lawmakers will have to be "frugal" and "careful" in their approach to the state budget this year. There is no big pot of discretionary funds sitting around waiting to be spent.
Revenues this year will be about 3 percent higher than last year, but that additional money largely is committed to built-in budget increases such as allowable growth for public schools, already negotiated raises for state employees and anticipated increases in the Medicaid program.
In other words, this isn't exactly the year for turning big spending dreams into reality.
Preschools, K-12 public education, teacher salaries, water quality, biotech research, health insurance, the state pen - these are all important priorities deserving of discussion and, in some cases, more money. But the fact is that Iowa's state budget simply isn't growing enough to give everyone everything they want and believe they need.
A difficult process of prioritizing and making tough choices will be required to craft a state budget. A heavy dose of reality in the capital city will help.
Just thinking about it all could drive a person to drink and smoke.
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