The following memo is from the Governor’s Office of Management and Budget Director Tim Nuding to members of the House of Representatives regarding House Amendment 1 to HB 2990 and House Amendment 1 to House Bill 648. They are the latest in a long line of unbalanced budget proposals to be considered today in the House of Representatives.
###
The Governor’s Office of Management and Budget opposes the latest in a long line of unbalanced budget proposals to be considered in the House of Representatives, House Amendment 1 to HB 2990.The package of bills consisting of House Amendment 1 to HB 2990 and House Amendment 1 to House Bill 648 is yet another proposal where expenditures wildly exceed revenues. House Amendment 1 to House Bill 2990 appropriates approximately $3.7 billion, of which $3.0 billion is appropriated from
General Funds. House Bill 648 frees up $454 million in resources, an amount not close to covering the spending proposed in HB 2990.
This package of bills is not affordable because the legislature has already allocated all existing resources to other programs. Because of those decisions, there are no resources remaining to fund the programs highlighted today without reducing spending in other areas or identifying additional resources.
Today, the Comptroller’s Office reports a backlog of bills totaling $7.2 billion, with almost 50,000 unpaid vouchers on hand. Vendors continue to wait months and months to get paid. Voting for this bill adds to the state’s debt, causes those who are already waiting for state payments to wait even longer and potentially jeopardizes payments to the pension systems and general state aid payments for school districts.
HB 2990 does not appear to be a serious attempt to address problems. Knowingly promising way more than can be delivered is disingenuous at best, if not downright dishonest.
HB 2990 is a giant step backward being touted as a compromise. Reasonable proposals have been filed in the legislature to provide emergency funding for public universities and the Monetary Award Program which include the requisite resources to cover that spending.
