Last week, I wrote about the tough job the Indiana General Assembly faced as the legislative session concluded. Little did I know we wouldn't finish by the deadline on April 29. Since a critical bill was not passed - House Bill 1001, the state budget - we will go into a special session announced by the governor. It is disappointing we weren't able to finish our task. But it's far less disappointing than the alternative: passing a budget that's polka-dotted with problems, leaving Indiana to inherit a plethora of problems when the two-year budget expires. I am glad that 70 other representatives joined me in voting against House Bill 1001. What worried me the most about the budget proposal is that it would almost certainly spur a tax increase by the time we begin work on Indiana's next biennial budget. The plan uses federal stimulus funds, which were intended for temporary programs to create jobs immediately. Using this money for the integral, base-line functioning of our state leaves a hole in two years, when there will be no more stimulus money to prop up the budget. It's a dangerous plan, especially since we don't know how long the recession will last. The plan also increases state spending by 14 percent. There's no way to justify this increase when families across the state are struggling to put food on the table. Like a family who operates on a tight budget, figuring out where dollars can be salvaged, we need to go through the budget carefully and determine what spending is superfluous. Finally, despite increased spending for education compared to what we spent last year, the bill deals education a hard blow. It contains charter school caps, instead of encouraging options for learning for Indiana's students. It could disqualify Indiana from the federal $5 billion Race to the Top grant program. While I agree with my colleagues on the other side of the aisle that providing for our children's future should be a top priority, I just don't see how this is the way to do it. The budget wasn't the only important bill I felt obligated to reject on Wednesday. The provisions of the unemployment insurance bill, House Enrolled Act 1379, were also financially irresponsible. During a time when the government must demonstrate stability for a cash-strapped population, the legislators shouldn't pass bills like this. House Enrolled Act 1379 passed by a party-line vote and increases taxes on businesses to attempt fixing the dead-broke unemployment insurance fund, which has been giving out more than it's been receiving for months. But you can't change one side of the equation without expecting an effect on the other side. If businesses' costs go up, they'll be forced to cut employment costs. Those cuts may come in the form of more layoffs, more hiring freezes and more hard-working Hoosiers out of work. I couldn't agree with a proposal that doesn't come close to solving the bankrupt fund's problems. However, the good news is lawmakers will have more revenue information and a clearer picture of how revenue intake will affect the state when we convene for a special session. It is my hope that we'll come together soon, and with a spirit of collaboration, united with a goal to do what's best for Indiana today, tomorrow and two years from now. |
