| mySPIN |
 Low Expectations for Short Session
by Tom Campbell
May 8, 2008
This Tuesday the General Assembly will convene for what is commonly known as the “short session.” For many years our legislators met every two years, in odd-numbered years, but as state budgets increased rapidly and issues became more complex, lawmakers determined it necessary to meet in even-numbered years to make adjustments to the budget and deal with urgent issues.
What can we anticipate from this short session? There is much that could be done. We could hope that lawmakers would take some action concerning the failed mental health reforms they passed in 2001. A legislative study committee has recommended an increase in funding to mental health of 60 million dollars. We hear the Governor’s 21st Century Transportation Committee will recommend a bond referendum of more than one billion dollars, along with a reduction in transfers from the Highway Trust Fund. There are many serious education concerns that deserve attention, as well as problems with our probation and parole system, outdated tax codes, uninsured children, aging and inadequate infrastructure, school facilities and much more. The recent court ruling on the death penalty should spark debate about whether to continue the moratorium on executions.
There isn’t a lot of money to spend, even though our state is more fortunate than many states. Our legislators and budget writers were wise in projecting conservative revenue growth and spending. Many in the legislature remember well what happened when projections were overly optimistic and the state experienced serious budget shortfalls. Lessons learned in those times have served us well.
April tax returns generated more revenue than projected. Lawmakers heard predictions that we might end the year with as much as 150 million dollars more than projected, a far cry from last year’s billion dollar surplus, but a surplus nonetheless. Fortunately, our lawmakers wisely set aside more than 200 million dollars last year for use this year. These are nonrecurring revenues, however, from which to fund growth in school enrollments, mandated cost increases in health programs like Medicaid, teacher bonuses, and perhaps some adjustment in pay to teachers and state employees. These dollars will evaporate quickly and legislators have been warned that budget projections for the fiscal year starting July 1 must be reduced, requiring a compensating reduction in spending so as to balance the budget as mandated by our Constitution.
Many of the House and Senate members have just completed primary elections; all 170 members of the General Assembly stand for election in November, even though many are unopposed.
But the rule of thumb is that election-year sessions do not attempt bold initiatives.
With little money to spend, elections on the horizon and a new administration taking office in January all signs point to a brief session with little of significance accomplished. We expect adjournment in late June or early July. While our state needs and deserves to have some of the serious needs debated and resolved, we do not have high expectations for this session. Pity. |
|
