Still no 2016 State Budget!

[yallerdawg]

This is after the end of the special legislative session which was specifically called to pass a 2016 State Budget!

Gov. Bentley (R) has proposed a variety of targeted tax increases which could fix the budget shortfall of at least $200 million dollars.

The Republicans of the super-majority in both Houses are afraid they will not be reelected if they raise any taxes. The governor will call a final special session in September for the State Legislature to meet its constitutional obligation to submit an annual budget (some legislators are arguing they met the obligation but governor vetoed the draconian government cuts). The voters of this state are notorious for opposing any tax increases. Our legislators will hear from their constituents they oppose tax increases - if they hear anything at all.

There is no organized Alabama Democratic Party to help the cause.

After October 1, the residents of Alabama will likely discover what it means to have virtually no services from their state government, other than essentials like collecting taxes so at least elected state officials will continue to get paid. Since they saved their jobs.

No 'appetite' for taxes? Gov. Bentley says the lack of appetite is for cuts to state services

Some lawmakers believe the solution is to cut the budget by $200 million. Some lawmakers led by state Senate leader Del Marsh, support legalizing gambling and taxiing it to fix the long term problems with the General Fund, a solution that would not solve the problem by Oct. 1.

Marsh has maintained that if the House of Representatives pass a tax package and send it to the Senate it will likely die. Marsh has said repeatedly he does not believe the Senate has an "appetite for tax increases.

"Do I believe when you go up to people and ask them do you support raising taxes the answer you get is yes? Of course not. What fool is going to say yes?" Bentley said as the audience laughed. "So when I hear people in the Senate say there is no appetite for raising taxes I say of course not."

"But there is an appetite for not closing down hospitals. There is an appetite for making sure children are immunized," Bentley continued. "There is an appetite for making sure we don't fire pediatricians at Children's Hospital in Birmingham. There is an appetite for making sure we have enough troopers on the road."

[PatrickforO]

1. Well, this is what happens when you cut taxes to the point where

the government can't function. The people will be screaming as soon as they don't have the services they need. Step 2 USUALLY is to then blame the Democrats for stoppages in services, but since there is 'no organized Alabama Democratic Party,' I wonder how they will 'spin' their malfeasance so it looks like the Democrats' fault.

[yallerdawg]

2. This is a deep red Republican state.

The blame is already on the Democrats. Democrats get "food stamps." Democrats get Medicaid. Democrats get disability. Democrats commit crime and go to prison in extraordinary numbers.

Democrats are black!

The State House just proposed and passed a budget essentially ending Medicaid, virtually putting all the budget shortfall in Medicaid funding cuts amounting to almost $500 million in lost funding including Federal match. The State Senate rejected this when the governor said, "Don't even think about it!" (definite veto), and pointed out what it would do financially to healthcare service providers and facilities all over Alabama. Even worse crisis!

This is what the voting majority of the people wanted.

This is government so small you can drown it in the bathtub.

Elections and voting really do matter.