Pihos: Budget Makes False Promises to Schools, Organizations

(Posted 05/21/2008) - State Rep. Sandy Pihos (R-Glen Ellyn) opposed the FY09 budget because it does not represent a balanced plan that allows the state to live within its means and instead proposes $3.1 million in new spending.

The budget-which was introduced in a piece-meal fashion by House Democrats-does not address the state’s backlogged Medicaid bills nor does it provide revenue streams for the various expenses that are being promised to agencies and organizations, Pihos said.

“House Republicans were once again kept out of the negotiation process,” Pihos said. “Speaker Madigan referenced that Democrats held statewide hearings on what constituents wanted in the budget. Republicans had a budget forum in DuPage County where organizations and constituents passionately expressed their fiscal year needs. Without effective communication from both sides of the aisle, we cannot meet the needs of all residents in the state.”

The budget ends the current FY08 year with at least a $500 million shortfall and estimated $1.7 billion in unpaid bills. The state is only expected to bring in $400,000 million in new revenues after the shortfall is taken out.

Pihos, who is a staunch supporter of increased spending in education, was disappointed with the education budget. While she would like to see additional funding for areas such as general state aid, early childhood education, and special education, she said the state does not have the finances to meet those obligations and it irresponsible to write checks that it knowingly cannot cash.

“This budget that was passed today ignores our fiscal reality and it promises money to schools and other organizations that in all reality is not there,” Pihos said. “We have education items from the FY08 budget that were never funded. How can we possibly fund new measures if we have key portions of last year’s budget that have not been addressed?”

Pihos added, “The process in which this budget has been crafted does not represent the needs of the people, nor does it hold the line on new spending. Hard choices have to be made and it takes a willingness to work with all parties and chambers to produce a budget plan that will allow the state to live within its means. It is hard to evaluate the worthiness of the individual budget bills when we are given virtually no time to review it.”