Indiana

Let Me Try This Again

By Abdul Hakim-Shabazz

Although I’m in “vacation” mode I still intend to do some blogging.  And from some reading I’ve done in the local blogosphere lately, I couldn’t do it to soon.

Some of my Democratic friends are screaming bloody murder over the Governor’s announced $300 million cuts to K-12 education funding.  Nevermind the fact that state revenue forecasts (which have a worse track record than the Chicago Cubs last season) showed Indiana coming in with $1.8 billion less over the course of the biennium.  Nevermind almost every other area in state government is experiencing budget cuts.  Nevermind average people are having to make due with less.

My counterpart at Indy Democrat is demanding to know “where the money went”?  The answer is real is  it’s going to keep this state running.  Some Democrats think this is some grand conspiracy to cut public education, here’s a news flash people,  Indiana has managed to hold out a lot better than other place for a lot longer, but it’s not immune to the national economy.

Think of it this way.  Your job has been kind of iffy lately, sales are down and your boss starts cutting back hours in various departments.  Your department is more efficient than most, but you’re still not immune so you put money in your savings account.  You and your wife debate about whether you should tap into it to pay day to day expenses.  You say yes, she says no, because things could get worse.   Everyday the news gets worse, and you still debate whether to tap into your savings.  However one day your boss comes in and says you’re taking a pay cut, ironically, one that’s equal to the amount in your savings account.

That’s “where the surplus went.”  It’s going to help this state meet it’s budget obligations for the rest of the budget cycle.   Frankly I think some of my Democratic friends should stop talking about the budget.   If my memory serves me correctly, had the Governor listened to his critics,   he would have tapped into the reserves a long time ago and Indiana would really be up a creek without a paddle.

Luckily no one took them seriously then, seems like good advice to follow now.

Full post as published by Indiana Barrister on December 21, 2009 (boomark / email).