This week I want to talk about Utah’s struggling state budget. Cache Valley’s own State Senator, Lyle Hillyard, is one of the most knowledgeable people about the state budget. He knows it backwards and forwards. He knows it inside and out. When my colleagues at Sutherland want to know how the budget works, they call Senator Hillyard.
My guess is that our current budget crunch isn’t the first time Senator Hillyard has had his mettle tested in about 40 years of service as a state legislator. But I’m sure he’d tell you that no down-turn in the economy is easy on the budget-making process.
Last session, our State Legislature carved off nearly a billion dollars. This time around, it will be more of the same – perhaps much more. But we should keep things in perspective. Between 2004 and 2009, the exact period of time that Jon Huntsman, Jr. was our governor, government spending increased 58 percent. Wait, is that correct? Let’s see…Jon Huntsman…a Republican…one of the most popular Republicans in modern history…58 percent growth in government spending. Yep, that’s right! We’ve had a 58 percent increase in government spending in five years.
Even if we knocked off a couple billion dollars we’d still have increased spending over the long-run. So what’s all the weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth? I’ll tell you: it’s the sounds of addicts being forced to do without.
I have to say it: even our stalwart conservative Republican-majority legislature has a hard time saying no. Huntsman increased state spending an unprecedented 58 percent by calling spending an “investment.” He pumped lots and lots of tax dollars into what he called “economic development.” Did you know that Utah has a government agency for “economic development”? We sure do. Its job is to lure new business to Utah…well…that and Hollywood movies. This agency takes your tax dollars and “invests” in projects. Don’t tell me it didn’t invest in your project!!!
We aren’t even close to cutting this budget to the bone. There’s a way to cut this budget and not give up one proper role of government.
President Obama’s chief of staff, Rahm Emanuel, is fond of saying that “crisis creates opportunity.” Now he means something a little different than what I mean. He means radical change to our American way life. I mean reasonable change to the size of state government. This new budget “crisis” gives our state legislature the perfect opportunity to undo the Huntsman legacy of big spending.
We can get rid of the Office of Economic Development. We can revisit health and human service programs and see which ones Utahns really need. We can use this opportunity to reflect on the power of the private sector to deliver goods and services assumed by fat and inefficient government programs. We can quit trying to do better what we shouldn’t be doing at all.
Most of all, now is exactly the wrong time to raise taxes of any kind. In bad economic times we shouldn’t turn to government. We should turn to ourselves to measure real needs and deliver those needs privately.
Admittedly, reversing a long-standing addiction isn’t easy. In fact, modern history shows that it’s nearly impossible. Breaking an addiction is tough enough when we’re dealing with drugs or alcohol, but when the addiction is to someone else’s money, fueled by greed, ego, and power, our prospects aren’t good.
Here is one easy benchmark to judge your elected representatives this coming legislative session: if they raise taxes or fees of any kind, then you’ll know who the addicts are. If they hold firm and bite the bullet and don’t raise taxes, then you should invite them back for another term.
I’m Paul Mero. Thanks for listening.
