The State's Fiscal Issues
On Friday morning, the Governor will present his plan to the Maine State legislature regarding the $129 million revenue shortfall in the '09 budget and the overall $570 million revenue shortfall through the '11 budget.
The discussion so far has been what programs will get cut and where will the people suffer because of it.
To me, the answer is bigger than chopping off a budget line item and calling it good.
It's about overall efficiency and attention to what gets done within those budget line items.
Simply put - I think the answer to the State of ME's fiscal issues is not "what programs we trim" but "where to trim w/in the program" to ensure it stays viable.
Clearly there is a problem without a direct solution. As unemployment continues to rise and the needs of the people grow with it, there are essential services that are designed for those in need.
The state is in need of economic engines that help create new jobs as well as lay the foundation for growth in sectors of opportunity.
These are parallel conversations and should not be discussed as one or the other. We can cut and grow at the same time.
The Governor's proposal will address the immediate and not the long term issues of a broken system.
However, it's a good start but we must be smarter than that to be better in the long run. But we must do it with clear goals and open communication and not use tactics to push agendas.
Why must we resort to scare tactics and say that budget cuts will bring more sick, more hungry and more homeless? Why can't we say that the sick, hungry and homeless will benefit from these actions as we're making strategic cuts to ensure the programs that are most deserving survive in good economic times as well as bad.
There are smart people working in state government. But they are handcuffed by protocols, procedures, status quo and an environment that does not promote efficiency but rather measures success by how well the money is spent and not how wisely it is spent.
They say the light bulb does not cause the roach problem - it only shows you where they are.
Well the light bulb is bright and it's time to go to work.
posted by cary @ 8:04 AM
