To: Members of the House and Senate
July 17, 2002
If the Speaker of the House and the Senate President are so
smart, how come they've done such a poor job with the state budget over the past few years?
The genius Speaker, the Rhodes scholar Senate President who
wants to be governor, and our "full-time" elected representatives are tossing their primary job over to the lame
duck governor, because cutting pork, perks, waste or a decade of gross overspending is just too
difficult, too politically risky, or at best no fun.
We think we get the choreography.
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Gov. Swift's tax hike vetoes will be quickly overridden
by the Legislature, whose final budget will whip through and be moved to Swift's desk by the end of the week with the
expectation that she will do the tough job that the Legislature wouldn't face. Most legislators
will blame her for cuts, but will not vote to override. It's time to go
home and simply collect paychecks, campaigning (if opposed) at taxpayer expense until the November election.
The taxpayers must also pay the bill for this appalling lack
of responsibility on the part of the Legislature, which could have used the fiscal downturn to get state spending under
control and prepare for tougher times ahead. Now the choice is impulsive cuts or using the rest of
the rainy day fund. Well, it's raining legislative incompetence so use the fund.
We hope of course that legislators will dispute our cynicism
by coming to their senses and voting to sustain the governor's vetoes. We appreciate Gov. Swift's veto of higher taxes and
the attempts of those few legislators who made an effort to do their job responsibly, balance
the state budget, defend initiative petition votes, and avoid tax increases. We will do
our best this fall to make the public aware of the arrogance and incompetence of the present
legislative leadership and its flock, in order to elect you some allies who respect the voters
and the taxpayers next year.