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Monday, Nov. 29, 2010 | 2 a.m.
As the chairman of the Republican Governors Association, Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour has been one of his party’s key spokesmen this past year. Barbour, who is considering a run for president in 2012, has made himself out to be a conservative budget cutter.
“Anyone who says there isn’t a part of state government that can’t save money doesn’t know what he’s talking about,” Barbour said at the association’s meeting this month, according to The Wall Street Journal. “There is no department — the highway patrol, the crime lab, the highway department — that can’t save money.”
Barbour and his fellow Republican governors and governors-elect talked about how they could save money during their meeting. Certainly, any government can save money just by cutting, but it’s not that simple. Just ask Barbour.
In Mississippi, Barbour made cuts but he also signed off on two tax increases — he called them “little” — and he had access to more than $2.6 billion in stimulus money. So much for cutting and saving. But Barbour wasn’t alone. Budget cuts, tax increases and the stimulus helped many states, including Nevada, get through the last budget cycle.
But states won’t likely have that money this coming year, and Barbour and his Republican colleagues can thank themselves. Fueled by the Tea Party, the Republicans used anti-tax, anti-stimulus rhetoric to win major victories in this month’s elections.
But now that the election is over, reality is beginning to sink in, and without new revenue, the budget cuts will be deep and painful.
So what’s a governor to do?
• Nevada Gov.-elect Brian Sandoval has been vague about what budget cuts he might make. He did, however, meet this month with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid to discuss ways the federal government could help the state, particularly with Medicaid. Sandoval has also looked for other ways to raise revenue that will get around his no-new-taxes pledge. For example, he has suggested shifting state responsibilities to local governments — and letting them raise taxes.
• In Mississippi, Barbour said he doesn’t think there should be another round of federal stimulus money, but he’s not against taking federal money. He told the Journal that he doesn’t think it’s “wrong or bad policy for the federal government to give money to state and local governments for certain purposes.”
• Texas Gov. Rick Perry, who takes over for Barbour as the Republican Governors Association chairman, just published a book blaming the federal government for the nation’s problems. But as the Dallas Morning News recently noted, he doesn’t offer any solutions. Meanwhile, the National Conference of State Legislatures reported that no other state relied more heavily on stimulus dollars during the 2010 fiscal year to close its budget shortfall than Texas.
So much for the Republican governors “saving” their way to prosperity. We can’t wait to see what they do this coming year, because they are facing a monumental task. The Wall Street Journal reported last week that more than 30 states are facing budget deficits of more than $127 billion over the next two years. Nevada’s budget shortfall over the next two years is expected to be $3 billion.
Will the Republican governors maintain their anti-Washington rhetoric while they keep a hand out? Or will they make massive cuts, crippling services and taking all of that money out of the economy? Perhaps they’ll find some other sources — maybe there’s $127 billion under the couch cushions.
Is the LV Sun already starting the negative campaign of 2012?
Democrats plan to fight deficts.
Step 1: Greatly increase the size and scope of government
Step 2: Greatly increase taxes
Step 3: Cut defense a little
Step 4: Borrow more money
Step 5: Repeat steps 1 to 4
Great plan
The last time we had a balance budget was with a moderate Democratic president and a conservative Republican leglisature.
We are missing the moderate Democratic president. How come you guys did not nominate Hillary? Instead we got Bozo the Clown for president.
Sandoval will be Gibbons Times Two. Every indication shows he will slash everything and strangle Nevada to death.
Just the Republican way of doing things: I got mine. And I did nothing to earn it. Keep your hands off. It's mine. You can't have it. Not my fault you're poor and have no other alternatives. (All this said while he has his boot on the neck of a laid out flat Nevada taxpayer.)
As usual, the Sun targets R's for criticism and ignores D's. R's deserve criticism but it does no good if you let anyone currently in office off the hook. The states all overspent and didn't save enough to cover a downturn. The Federal Government did the same and cannot afford to bail out the states a 2nd time without adding even more to the deficit. At the state and Federal level, our representatives (R's and D's) have failed us. Budget cuts are hurtful because when they are made people lose their jobs and some benefits to others are lost. Raising taxes hurts because our citizens are already struggling. We can't address our problems by simply taxing the rich or cutting taxes. More serious and painful decisions are required. The Sun should criticize both paties equally because they both most certainly deserve criticism.
Michael
Corporations are posting there biggest profits EVER. The disparity between rich and poor is at an all-time high in America, including the Great Depression, with the rich still getting richer than ever. Nevada has among the lowest taxes in the union, but large corporations still won't come here even with the some of the most pro-business atmosphere in the country because of the low quality of life our low taxes have provided.
We need to stop the partisanship, and not like Obama says he's bipartisan. We need to go beyond simple soundbite theologies like "taxes are bad" or "conservatives are racists" and find some elected officials willing to look out for the common man. Good luck finding that pol in either the Democratic or Republican party!
The Democrats have no answers for the future, except to re-elect Obama and he will figure it out...
One can measure the increased level of Liberal/Democrat insecurity by the amount of negative rhetoric against FOX NEWS.
These Progressive types have demonized George Bush, Dick Chaney, John McCain, Sarah Palin and the Tea Parties.
Name calling and demonizing has become the platform of the Democrat Party...
Hmmmmmm....I see one of our leading Independents on this board, LarryVegas, has again taken time to throw rocks at one side (Democrats) and not the other (Republicans).......
No surprise there....
Hmmmmm....maybe my little buddy, LarryVegas, isn't an Independent at all?
Here is a cup of crow to go with that koolaid....
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/U...
No rock throwing from LarryVegas, just a few well placed rotten eggs...
The only plan that greedy republicans have is
to keep stealing fron the poor and keep giving
to the rich.
Also, break Social Security and stop health
care reform.
These are the most heartless people on the face
of the earth.