When it comes to cutting state pork, there's nobody better than Sen. Tim Huelskamp.Huelskamp announced yesterday that he intends to scrutinize every penny of state spending in the face of a $1 billion state deficit. In light of some Senate Republicans refusing to discuss possible budget solutions and still blaming the budget shortfall on "tax cuts" rather than their own over spending, Sen. Huelskamp's comments are a breathe of fresh air.
“In the last two fiscal years alone, Kansans have forked over more than $550,000 to this organization,” said Senator Huelskamp. “There is simply no reason in the world why the taxpayer dollars of hundreds of thousands of pro-life Kansans should be used to underwrite abortion providers in this state, particularly those under criminal indictment and investigation.” Huelskamp promised to seek budget language that would prohibit such funding.One does have to wonder why, if the face of a $1 billion deficit, the state would continue to fund someone under criminal investigation. Just as it pains the citizens of Illinois to pay Gov. Blagojevich's salary, it too should pain Kansans to know their hard earned tax dollars are going to an organization charged with 107 different felony misdemeanors.
And before liberals start howling about the "anti-abortion" activists, Huelskamp's press release notes actions already taken by the state of Virginia, a state that voted for the most liberal Presidential candidate in history.
If Kansas were to defund Planned Parenthood funding, they would not be the first state to attempt to do so. Citing concerns about the racist foundations of Planned Parenthood, their documented willingness to cover up for rapists and other child predators, and their illegal promotion of pornography to teenagers, other states such as Virginia have made moves similar to that proposed by Huelskamp.Senate President Steve Morris and Vice President John Vratil have blamed the budget crisis on tax cuts passed under their leadership the past few years. But as AFP's Alan Cobb pointed out, it isn't the tax cuts that are to blame but the over indulgence of a majority of Kansas Senators, Representatives and Gov. Sebelius herself.
“Isn’t it worth mentioning the impact of four years of large budget increases on the current budget situation? If the budget had simply increased at 5 percent, hardly a small number, each year since 2004, we would have more than $2 billion in the bank now.”2004 is the year Sen. Morris and Vratil took over leadership of the Kansas Senate.
Personally, I think the CPI is the most a budget should increase without the approval of the voters. But isn't it interesting to know that if legislators had just had a little self control...not even a lot, but just a little bit...that we'd now be in the black instead of the red
Kansans can rest assured that Sen. Huelskamp will examine every penny in Washington just like he has the past 12 years in Topeka.
