Taxed Enough Already?
Our new super-majority Republican legislature is nearing the end of the 2015 session.
We are halfway to across-the-board 5-9% cuts in Alabama government.
The 5% cut to the state Medicaid program would include a loss of 2 to 1 Federal match, so a loss of around $100,000,000 to Alabama Medicaid.
They are saying we have to make them fix it - but all they are getting is, "Taxes are too high!"
The Alabama House of Representatives today passed a budget for 2016 that would slash spending, causing cutbacks in funding for services for the poor, children and the mentally ill and layoffs of state employees.
Rep. Steve Clouse, R-Ozark, sponsor of the budget bill, said he was still hopeful the Legislature would approve tax increases to offset the most severe cuts.
The budget plan would spend $1.64 billion from the General Fund, a reduction of $204 million, 11 percent, from this year.
Rep. Patricia Todd, D-Birmingham, said the budget would cut in half funding for a program that provides medication assistance for low-income and uninsured people infected with HIV.
"People are going to die because of this budget," Todd said.
http://www.al.com/news/index.ssf/2015/05/alabama_house_debates_budget_t.html