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11/25/2009 Independent study confirms budgeting changes needed in Wisconsin By Brett Davis The column below reflects the views of the author, and these opinions are neither endorsed nor supported by WisOpinion.com. Recently, the think tank Pew Center on the States released a report outlining the top ten states with the worse state budget situations. The report, “Beyond California: States in Fiscal Peril,” analyzed state budgets all across America and compared them to California’s notorious fiscal problems. It is estimated California is projected to have a budget deficit of over $14 billion, even after $60 billion worth of cuts and tax hikes this past year. Although Wisconsin’s budget problems are not quite to the level of California’s, the report stated we are well on our way. In fact, Wisconsin ranked in the bottom ten along with California, Michigan, New Jersey and Illinois. Even fiscally-challenged New York ranked better than Wisconsin. Specifically, the study ranked Wisconsin poorly based on multiple money management criteria including poor previous fiscal decisions, raiding segregated funds like the transportation fund, and running budget deficits for years even before the economic recession started. We can and must do better. Our state budget’s fiscal problems are very serious and threaten our quality of life here in Wisconsin. We need to take action and change the way we budget in Madison. If we do not implement changes now, then I fear we never will. Over the years both sides of the aisle are to blame, but now is not the time to point fingers. Instead, we need to move forward and implement common sense ideas designed to put Wisconsin back on the road to fiscal recovery. In fact, over the past year I have continuingly been calling for the passage of the Truth in Budgeting Act, which I have authored along with Representative Leah Vukmir (R-Wauwatosa). This bill would ban harmful budgeting gimmicks that have been used in the past and resulted in Wisconsin being the only state with a budget deficit every year for the past decade. Quite simply, the legislation would require Wisconsin to actually balance its budget just like any family or small business would have to. The bill also includes implementing a common-sense and money-saving concept known as zero-based budgeting, which would require state agencies to make budget requests based on actual needs, instead of just simply asking for more and more money. Although this one piece of legislation will not solve all of our budget problems, it will be a good start. This reform, combined with other common sense budget reforms like increased transparency, prohibiting segregated fund raids, eliminating the practice of putting billions on the state’s credit card, and not relying on one-time money to pay for future programs, will go a long way toward repairing Wisconsin’s broken budget. -- Davis, a Republican, represents Wisconsin's 80th Assembly District and is a candidate for lieutenant governor. |
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