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By Lyle Hillyard
Senate Chair of Exec Approps

Everyone knew as the past legislative session began that the budget would be the tough challenge. I did not think as late as Monday, March 1st, that we would make it because the Governor and the Legislature were so far apart. Many people wonder how we can do this in just 45 days and the simple answer is that we have to.

This session was especially difficult because of the continuing cuts that had to be made. Last year, the cuts could be made in committee without really seeing the impact they were having. Those impacts were seen since that session and it made everyone more cautious about what we were doing. At the same time, legislators were seeing what was happening to the private sector. There was no mood to raise the taxes to the level many people dependent on government funding were requesting. It is a very stressful process both mentally and emotionally to try to ensure the proper balance.

I want to complement the Governor, his staff and the agencies for their willingness to step up and help with the process. I have seen many times when there is no cooperation and the changes the legislature was trying to make were done without the local expertise agencies could have offered.

Second, I can’t say enough good about our staff members who in my mind are the unsung heroes. I know how much time Rep. Bigelow and I spent reviewing budgets and programs to see how to best allocate the money we had but staff was there before we arrived and stayed until after we left. Jonathon Ball, Steve Allred and all of those men and women who serve in the Fiscal Analyst office did a yeoman’s job. I cannot remember a time that a question was asked that they either had an immediate answer or would get us one in minutes.

Third, we tried to involve all legislators in their role as members of appropriations subcommittees and we relied greatly on their recommendations. From the feedback I received, I believe that even the members of the minority party felt a part of the process and their input was given careful attention.

I for one am tired of cutting budgets and hope next year that more people are working and comfortably spending most of their earnings so that we can concentrate on building the programs that are really needed and talk about a tax cut again.

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