Over the past several days, some Democrats in the State Senate have criticized Governor McDonnell for failing to send down comprehensive amendments to close the $2B shortfall that remains in the state budget. These criticisms are insincere and misguided.
These Democrat legislators would be well served to remember that it was not Governor McDonnell who created this budget shortfall. Rather, the shortfall was created by former Governor Tim Kaine, who chose to balance the budget by proposing $2B in tax increases, rather than additional spending reductions.
Governor Kaine’s proposed tax increases will not survive legislative scrutiny. The House of Delegates has already rejected higher taxes by a vote of 97-0, and several Democratic members of the State Senate have indicated that they will not support these tax increases. Clearly, the vast majority of the members of the General Assembly understand that we should not be raising taxes in the midst of the worst recession in 60 years.
The legislators who have been accusing Governor McDonnell of failing to provide leadership on the budget would also be well served to remember how the legislative process works.
In December of 2009 Governor Kaine proposed his budget for the 2010-2012 biennium. It then became the responsibility of the General Assembly to offer amendments to that budget. Once the General Assembly completes its work on the budget Governor McDonnell will then have the ability to offer his own budget amendments.
I certainly understand that legislators do not relish the responsibility to make an additional $2B in spending reductions. However, at this stage of the process it is their responsibility to do so.
Even though Governor McDonnell is under no obligation to offer comprehensive budget amendments at this time, he has repeatedly expressed a willingness to meet with budget conferees and discuss possible budget reduction strategies that could be supported on a bipartisan basis.
While most Democrats have been appreciative of the Governor’s willingness to work with them to find mutually acceptable budget reduction strategies, some have chosen to politicize the process because they do not want to make these difficult decisions.
If these legislators feel that we should balance the budget by raising taxes, as opposed to reducing spending, they should bring their tax increase proposals before the General Assembly. Then the votes could be taken and we would know who supports higher taxes and who does not.
Of course, they do not want to do that either. They are not really interested in providing leadership or fulfilling their legislative responsibilities. They are only interested in trying to score some cheap political points and blaming someone else for their own failure of leadership.
If these Democratic legislators are not prepared to advance specific tax increase proposals, they would be better served by working with Governor McDonnell to reduce spending and restore fiscal integrity to the budgeting process.
If they are not prepared to do this, they should at least stay out of the way and let other members of the General Assembly provide the leadership that they are unable or unwilling to provide.
