[speedgibson] Speed Gibson: This time, it's a cut

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Posted by Speed Gibson:
This time, it's a cut
http://speedgibson.powerblogs.com/posts/1245810339.shtml


   Our friends on the left always seem confused about cuts, even when
   confronted with the dictionary definition. It looks to me like some of
   us on the right may need some clarification as well this year.
   Accounting shifts have been a time-honored, bi-partisan technique for
   balancing state budgets in Minnesota. Usually, the shifted, "borrowed"
   funds are restored in a year or two. This time, it's different. The
   $1.7 billion shift of K-12 funding is not going to be undone anytime
   soon. For bad as this biennium is, the next one is worse, much worse
   according to [1]Politics in Minnesota. If the DFL wins the Governor's
   race, it's hard to see how the Minnesota economy will ever recover to
   the point where these funds can be made up. Even so, I wouldn't be
   surprised to see yet another K-12 shift.
   So let's be honest here. That $1.7 billion is a cut. The individual
   districts will absorb the hit via lower fund balances, "stimulus"
   money, tax increases, or borrowing across the fiscal divide. But it's
   money they won't likely ever see, and that's the way they should be
   doing their long range planning. Adding it back four or six years from
   now doesn't educate today's students.
   In my humble opinion, we have finally crossed the line where our state
   government has become so large that even our once vibrant and creative
   economy can no longer overcome it. It is lagging national averages for
   the first time. It's not a lack of "investment" in the public sector
   as the Democrats say. That has gone up, way up some years, certainly
   not down. What has gone down, away if you will, is our business
   climate. Besides the ever increasing taxes, we have also seen a
   dramatic rise in regulation the past 15 years or so. We are following
   California's lead, and such folly doesn't work here either.

References

   1. http://tinyurl.com/lqdtan