The Voice of Merrill

Governor Mark Parkinson is one smart fellow.  The State of Kansas is looking at a $400+ million deficit for the 2011 budget.  The shortfall takes into account the nearly $40 million the State is still short on for the 2010 fiscal year.  In November, Governor Mark Parkinson pulled the trigger on the most obvious cost cutting measures, saving the State $260 million. 

The State of Kansas must make some drastic cuts.  Gov. Parkinson came out swinging late in 2009 and then proposed tax increases in 2010.  The Republican leadership in the Legislature is adamantly opposing any increase in the burden on already stressed Kansas households and businesses and patently reject any notion of tax increases.  Parkinson knows this but has already made the slashes least likely to cause much stir.  For Republicans to be successful in balancing the budget, they must acquiesce to accepting the “bad guy” label. 

To shore up the $400+ million gap in the 2011 budget, the Republican led Legislature must make significant cuts or break their covenants with the people and raise taxes.  Any cuts remaining will directly affect local schools, municipalities, Medicare/Medicaid funded agencies, social services and even infrastructure.  Gov. Parkinson will step forward, discuss the cuts he made and tell Kansans all of their pains could have been avoided if the big bad Republicans had just allowed a short three year sales tax to ease their burden.  His execution in political gamesmanship is masterful.  Young politicians should be taking notes.

Popularity: 1% [?]