On Politics
BY RICHARD BORRECA
Incumbents suffer
from a bad case
of the budget bluesShortly after Speaker of the House Calvin Say predicted that the soon-to-be-passed state budget bill will result in layoffs, one reporter cracked, "I know who the first 76 will be," nodding to the entire membership of the state Legislature.
In truth, the state's budget, designed mostly to deal with a $300 million deficit, probably is not that bad.
It is not that good, either.
Any time the most glowing description your work gets is "It could have been worse," you might want to consider another profession.
It is the possibility of a sudden, forced change in careers this fall that is raising legislative stress levels this weekend as lawmakers get ready to close out this session and start campaigning.
The problem is the budget. Last year's budget, heavy with public employee pay raises, was barely balanced. This year's budget came in with a $300 million deficit.
Hawaii is not alone in trying to dig itself out of a yawning budget hole. In fact, more than two-thirds of the states are running in the red or projecting deficits. A report from the National Conference of State Legislatures puts the combined budget shortfalls in all states at $27 billion.
Many of them are responding dramatically. New Mexico's Gov. Gary Johnson, for instance, just vetoed his state budget.
In Arkansas, where the average teacher salary is $34,641, teachers were denied a promised $3,000 raise and told to take $525 instead.
Michigan, New Jersey and Maryland are all raiding their rainy-day funds and even Iowa has ordered furloughs and employee layoffs.
Back here in Hawaii, the Legislature is still in the nibbling-around-the-edges stage. The rainy-day fund, a pathetic $35 million compared to the brawny Michigan pot that had $1.2 billion until it was nearly drained, is being tapped to help make the budget balance.
The problem for incumbents facing elections in November is that the budget simply will not please the loyal Democrats engaged in social services, education and community-building programs. Programs will be cut.
The budget also does not approach any sort of organized, wholesale reform of state government. The push of lobbyists had as much say in the direction of programs and budget reform as did any members of the Legislature.
The end result is likely to be a budget that election opponents will find easy to pick apart and incumbents might well label "Open with caution."
Richard Borreca writes on politics every Sunday in the Star-Bulletin.
He can be reached at 525-8630 or by e-mail at rborreca@starbulletin.com.
