State Legislature Will Prioritize Spending
By Senator Ted Little
This nation and this state are experiencing economic times unlike anything we've seen in our lifetimes. In plain words, our state and our families are hurting, pounded by rising jobs losses, declining home values, foreclosures, unrelenting health care costs, and credit card companies squeezing all they can out of card holders.
One thing is certain: Nobody in our nation's capital, or even here in Montgomery, foresaw the complete economic meltdown that we find ourselves in today, an event unseen since the Great Depression. Thankfully, during good years we had the foresight to save for such a rainy day, and our savings accounts' reserves, championed by the Alabama Legislature, have spared our schools and our seniors from what could have been a catastrophic financial scenario this year.
A conservative approach to budget forecasts, saving money for tough economic times, stretching every dollar and investing in our many needs when resources are available, are the best approaches to funding state budgets.
It is during these lean times that Alabama families, sitting at their kitchen tables paying bills, prioritize their spending. They decide what is truly important to them and fund it. They cut waste and needless expenditures. And that is exactly what state government should do as well: Follow the lead of Alabama families and prioritize spending.
Just like Alabama families, state government faces a shortage of funds for the 2010 budget year, more than a combined $1 billion for the General Fund budget and the Education budget. And this amount is already on top of prorated amounts announced in the current budget by Gov. Riley last month.
Such lean times present challenges, but they also present opportunities. In this year’s General Fund budget, we increased funding to the Medicaid Agency by $150 million and supported programs that many of our seniors depend upon. We also increased funding for the Children’s Health Insurance Program, our first-in-the-nation program that provides health care to children of working families.
Also, in the Education budget, we doubled the funding for pre-kindergarten. By making this program a priority, more than 1,000 additional children can now participate in our pre-kindergarten program, giving them an important head start in school.
The present economy is impacting all of our lives adversely. Several months ago, I pushed for and voted for a $57 million income tax cut for Alabama families. By exempting your federal stimulus rebate check from state income taxes, we were able to keep more money in your pockets where it belongs. That means more money for YOUR priorities.
In the next two weeks the Senate Democratic Caucus will announce its agenda for the upcoming legislative session. One thing should be clear: We will concentrate on helping Alabama families save their homes, on creating new jobs for our workers, on keeping our neighborhoods safe from crime and on ensuring that every Alabama tax dollar is used to its maximum potential.
We also reach our hands across the aisle to our Republican counterparts. It's time to stop the games, silence the partisan bickering, and go to work for the people of Alabama. The economic challenges facing our citizens demand our complete and non-partisan attention. These times demand more leadership, harder work and all of us, Democrats and Republicans alike, must work together for the common good. Failure is not an option. As was highlighted in the President’s inaugural address, it is time for all lawmakers, federal and state alike, to put aside childish games.
Senator Ted Little represents District 27 and can be reached at 334-887-3472, 1-800-835-4885, tedlittle@mindspring.com or www.tedlittle.com.