Letter: Let's Think Long Term

Letter to the Editor

Comptroller Leslie Munger outlined some of the major consequences of a failure to reach a budget agreement in a press conference this week. In the short term, it is entirely possible a budget will not be signed by July 1st and the state will lose some of its authority to spend money. She also explained that funding would continue in certain areas because of continuing obligations and other legal provisions.

In the short term, the possibility of a government shutdown is a serious threat. But we must think past the short term, because passing a budget that’s $4 billion out of balance is not the answer, which is why I opposed the spending plan.

Passing an unbalanced budget may keep things going in the short term, but it’s the long term we need to begin thinking about. We need long term thinking that will break the cycle of fiscal mismanagement in Springfield. We need structural reform and property tax relief together to bring down the cost of government.

I hope we get there with out a government shutdown. A majority of my colleagues in the General Assembly just have to move past today’s sound bite and provide for our state’s future.

Margo McDermed
State Representative for the 37th district