Archive for State Budget
GOP Strong-arms Budget Bill
Posted by:House and Senate Republicans strong-armed their budget bill through a conference committee last night. After hours worth of Democratic amendments to restore severe cuts Republicans have made, the GOP voted to send their bill to the full House and Senate for final votes.
The bill rejects more than $100 million in federal funds to provide heating assistance to low-income families and funds for food assistance for children.
Governor Brian Schweitzer has made it clear that the budget as it stands is not acceptable to him and will likely be vetoed.
During the committee debate, Democrats were able to reinstate a small amount of funding to the Montana School for Deaf and Blind. However, in a Republican caucus meeting today, Sen. Lewis (R-Helena) commented of the amendment, “I did lose control of the committee at one point and they managed to put a little bit of money back into the school for deaf and blind.”
The bills will now go to both the House and Senate next week for concurrence. If both bodies agree to the committee’s version of the budget, it will go to the Governor and perhaps his veto brand.
No Fooling With Our Future
Posted by:Nearly 2000 people, from all across Montana came to Helena to voice their opposition to the GOP’s irresponsible and politically motivated cuts to our state’s budget. They were joined by dozens of Democratic elected officials as well as Governor Brian Schweitzer.
The Governor underscored the importance of working together to continue moving Montana forward. Schweitzer said the reason Montana has been so successful is because he has actively worked with our teachers, firefighters and other Montanans to pursue policies that are in all of our best interests.
Schweitzer also showed off his VETO brands. One for big nasty bills, one for smaller bad bills and a pocket veto just in case.
Other speakers at the rally highlighted the damage that would be done by the GOP budget. They included businesses owners, clergy, firefighters and health providers. They all echoed the same message: Montanans will lose under the GOP’s budget and jobs will be lost. They urged Republicans in the legislature to work with Democrats to come up with responsible solutions that meet the needs of all Montanans.
Budget Passes the Senate
Posted by:In a late-night session, the Senate Republicans pushed through their irresponsible budget last night.
The budget severely underfunds many of our state’s most important services, including those that provide home heating assistance to low-income families during winter and programs that provide children with health insurance. In addition, the GOP budget proposal underfunds our colleges and universities by $32 million.
During debate on the measure, Democrats presented a series of amendments that sought to restore funding to some of these important programs, however on most of these amendments they were rebuked. Democrats were successful in reinstating more than $30 million in federal funds to help our rural hospitals upgrade their technology.
Democratic Senator Mitch Tropilla was able to convince a few Republicans to reinstate just $34,000 to school for the deaf and blind. Immediately after this money was reinstated, Republicans took a break from debate to caucus. While in caucus, Republican leaders attempted to strong-arm their colleagues to make sure they rejected the restoration of any further funds and put party affiliation over the needs of important institutions such as the school for the deaf and blind.
The budget received initial approval from the Senate by a 27-23 vote, with Sen. Hinkle, a Republican, voting with the Democrats because he felt too much money had been restored to vital services.
The budget now faces a final vote in the Senate, before the House and Senate begin to work out the differences between their two versions.
Standing up for Montana Values
Posted by:As Montanans, there are certain things we all value–a quality public education system, knowing our seniors, veterans and children are cared for and having an economy that works for all Montanans. These are the things Democrats in the Montana Legislature have been fighting for over the past 3 months and these are the things Democrats in the Senate continued to fight for today.
The most important bill of the session, HB 2, the state budget, came to the floor of the Montana Senate today. The Republicans in the House severely and unnecessarily cut funding to some of our state’s most vital services. This included a $32 million cut to our colleges and universities, cuts to the Healthy Montana Kids program and the refusal of millions of federal dollars that were designed to help our rural health centers serve their patients better.
Today, Senate Democrats were able to put some of that money back, including the money for our rural hospitals, as well as fully funding our tribal colleges. Unfortunately though, most of the services that Montanans depend on were did not have their funding reinstated to appropriate levels.
While the Senate is generally referred to as the deliberative body of the legislature, Republicans sought to jam their irresponsible budget through the body in record time. They are attempting to finish debate and votes on the budget in a single day. Earlier this session, the House took 3 days to debate the measure. Generally, the budget receives 4 days of debate before a vote. This is simply another example of Republicans ignoring the voice of the people and the impacts of their decisions.
Senators will likely be debating the bill until late tonight. Take a few minutes and thank your Democratic Senators for standing up for Montana values.
GOP Farm Subsidy Hypocrisy
Posted by:One of the things we’ve seen over and over and over this legislative session is the hypocrisy of Republican leadership in the legislature. First, it was increasing their health benefits, while trying to cut benefits for Montanans. Then, it was the hypocrisy of Sen. Lewis, who after years of serving as a state employee, he now wants to cap state employee pay.
However, the latest incident takes the hypocrisy cake.
A recent study released by The Policy Institute, examines farm subsidies that members of the legislature receives. It particularly focuses on those legislators that have railed against federal assistance to state government, while helping themselves to thousands or millions of federal dollars.
The study found that from 1995 through 2009, current legislators received more than $7 million in federal farm subsidies. Republicans received 98.8% of the money. The top recipient was Rep. Janna Taylor, who received more than $1 million for a farm that she is part owner of.
We need to be clear, farm subsidies from the federal government are an important thing. They help keep food prices low, provide an abundance of food for communities and help support local farmers who are integral parts of our rural communities.
The problem is (as it usually is with the GOP) hypocrisy. These extreme Republican lawmakers are demonizing federal subsidies that help rural hospital upgrade their technology to better serve their patients and federal dollars that help maintain our infrastructure, all while taking money themselves.
The Republicans who have received these federal subsidies have an obligation to make their deeds match their words. They either need to stop accepting federal subsidies for their own personal gain, or they need to admit the fact that these federal dollars play an important role in building stronger communities and businesses in Montana.
"We believe that the current budget, heading to the Senate Floor next week, unnecessarily pits Montanans against, creating winners and losers” 