Are Utahns dedicated to limited government? I’m Paul Mero. I’ll be right back.
According to information from the governor’s office, between 1990 and 2009 the state’s total budget grew 120 percent, and that is after adjusting for inflation. Without the inflation adjustment, state spending growth was a whopping 261 percent. By comparison, Utah’s population over that same period grew by only 62 percent, and our median household income – a key consideration for government spending since every dollar the state spends starts out in taxpayers’ pockets – grew only 17 percent after adjusting for inflation. Even California’s state budget, adjusted for inflation, grew by a relatively modest 78 percent over the same period.
The difference between Utah and California over the past 20 years is that California has been on a spending spree much longer than and pre-dating Utah’s dramatic increases. But the end point will be the same – state bankruptcy – if we don’t act quickly. As long as the state’s spending policies and practices remain unchanged, Utahns can continue to expect more of this cycle of euphoric spending growth followed by painful budget cuts.
Of course, political pressure on public officials from special interests that gain from higher levels of government spending is a difficult temptation to resist – even among the most conservative politicians. This indiscriminate, equal-opportunity pressure is a sign that Utah government’s spending problem is actually grounded in human nature – meaning simply swapping out current elected officials for new ones is not the solution.
So what is to be done? Are we doomed to follow the unwise paths of states like California? Fortunately, the answer is no.
Sometimes we need help with maintaining our principles. If excess spending afflicts us all, perhaps we need to incorporate principles of limited government into our laws. One example would be a constitutional spending limitation.
Limited government is not a political slogan. It has real meaning. It has real boundaries for political decision making. We actually have to work to limit the role of government in our lives and, when we do, it will bear fruit for generations to come.
