Budget fix demands courage, candor

BY JOHN LEHMAN

Sunday, March 30, 2008

Journal Times

http://www.journaltimes.com/articles/2008/03/30/commentary/doc47efc86494a57294350600.txt

I read with interest Representative Robin Vos’ recent commentary describing the Senate Democratic proposal to close our state budget gap, and I must say that I would agree with him if his description of the Senate budget repair bill was accurate.

But as you might suspect, the spin peddled by my Republican colleague overlooks some of the facts. To help readers make an informed decision about the merits of the proposed budget fixes, here’s the rest of the story.

No one is happy about our current fiscal situation. A national economic slowdown requires us to make hard choices in Wisconsin. Our fundamental choice is to truly address the budget gap or take the easy way out by pushing problems off to the future, after the fall elections. On that score, the analysis of the nonpartisan Legislative Fiscal Bureau shows the Senate Democrats’ plan has a future gap almost $270 million less than the Republican plan.

There is no question that spending cuts must be made. The Senate plan calls for $240 million in general fund spending reductions in this two-year budget.

But we ought to have the courage of our convictions in these matters. Republicans engage in “cut spending” chest thumping yet fail to identify a single specific program to receive less funding, leaving every dime in cuts to the discretion of someone else.

For example, Representative Vos makes no sense at all on the hospital assessment. One might think in the context of closing a budget gap it makes good sense to bring over $400 million in federal dollars home to Wisconsin. Let’s help our hospitals by increasing Medical Assistance reimbursements and benefit health care consumers by reducing cost shifting triggered by these low rates. The Wisconsin Hospital Association, the big business lobby Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce, our own Wheaton Franciscan and Aurora hospitals and many others (including 75 percent of likely voters in a recent poll) seem to agree. Yet Republicans turn this common sense solution into a “tax and spend” attack.

Finally, the Senate budget fix prudently attempts to generate new growth to fight the economic slowdown. Unless you are so doctrinaire as to reject the lessons of history, it is clear that government spending — like public works project during the Great Depression and federal rebate checks — can help combat business cycle downturns. That’s why moving forward with the KRM rail line projected to create over 3,000 new jobs and identified by large local employers and business advocacy groups as critical to the economic future of Southeastern Wisconsin makes sense.

At the end of the day, Democrats and Republicans, Senate and Assembly, Governor and legislature must reach an agreement. The Senate proposal moves us forward and accepts some of the solutions offered by Assembly Republicans, some of the solutions offered by the Governor and some ideas from the Senate. I’m hopeful that the best interests of the people we represent will prevail and that our budget situation can be addressed responsibly, effectively and quickly.

Lehman represents Wisconsin’s 21st District in the State Senate.