TRUSSVILLE, Ala. — In an op-ed published by the Trussville Tribune, State Sen. Slade Blackwell (R-Mountain Brook) rejected Gov. Bentley’s contention that taxes are the only way out of the state’s fiscal hole.
“We have serious budgetary issues, but the Republican majorities weren’t elected to raise taxes on Alabamians,” Sen. Blackwell said. “That is more than a simple political statement. As legislators, we know what it means: Either we find revenues through ending waste and duplication or we must choose which programs to end or reduce.”
Blackwell’s op-ed offers a stark contrast to the tax increases recently floated by Governor Robert Bentley. Smart-sizing government and encouraging growth should still be the first options, according to Sen. Blackwell, not raising taxes.
“Contrary to Bentley’s suggestions, our state government is not yet as fiscally sound as we can make it. Taxpayers have heard that the only remaining savings are ‘nickel and dime’ cuts that may not add up to enough to fill our budgetary gap. The problem is that those nickels and dimes come from Alabama’s taxpayers, and we have an obligation to make sure they’re not wasted before we even think about asking for a penny more.”
Unlike Governor Bentley, who likely just won the last election of his career, Alabama’s state legislators will have to answer to their constituents in the next election. Paying more in taxes is not what the people in their districts want, Sen. Blackwell says.
“Simply put, our responsibility is to work within the parameters provided by our constituents. If Alabamians would rather pay more taxes than face cuts to state programs, they had a funny way of showing it at the ballot box in November.
“Legislators shouldn’t be afraid to honor the wishes of our constituents who want a state government that meets their needs while keeping taxes as some of the lowest in the nation. That merely means we have a lot of work ahead of us in the state legislature.”
The Alabama State Legislature will convene for the 2015 session on March 3rd, and the budget will be one of the first things on their plate. The Governor is expected to submit his proposed budget and revenue increases the following day.
Alabama is constitutionally mandated to pass a balanced budget, though the the legislature has gotten around that in recent years by tapping into various rainy day funds. Medicaid, prisons, and transportation are just a few of the major programs that will need to reformed in order to make the budget work.
Senator Blackwell isn’t the only member of the state legislature who has spoken in opposition to the Governor’s tax-and-spend proposal.
State Sen. Del Marsh (R-Anniston), the leader of the Alabama Senate, has been adamant in his opposition to tax increases.
“I’m not going to support any tax increase,” he said. “I look at this as a further opportunity to right-size government.”
“There’s a lot that needs to be done before you talk about raising taxes on working families,” State Senator and chairman of the General Fund Budget Committee Arthur Orr (R-Decatur) added to the Decatur Daily.
While many in the legislature disagree with Gov. Bentley’s approach, the bottom line is there is a $265 million shortfall in the general fund budget, and an estimated $700 million of liabilities over the next few years that must be patched during the 30 legislative days of the upcoming session.
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