Gov. Jon Huntsman and GOP lawmakers haven't even gotten into the session yet, and they are bumping heads. The Guv has come up with a carefully streamlined budget plan to deal with the state's revenue shortfall. He wants to protect education and human services.But the conservative Lege, never big on subtlety, doesn't think that's near enough. Nor do they like the Guv's plan to borrow money for highway construction. They want Huntsman to call them into a special pre-session session where they'll fix things — mostly by chain-sawing out 15 percent of state spending — about twice the Guv's recommendation.
Huntsman, for some reason, fears his fellows Republicans are prone to overreacting and refuses to call the special session (only the governor can do that).
It appears the Guv is buying time until a federal stimulus package comes through, he hopes, before the session starts in mid-January. That aid, again he hopes, will reduce not only the need for deeper cuts, but legislative panic.
All things considered, this session is going to be the test of Huntsman's leadership.
4 Comments:
Huntsman is a Rino Republican! Rino= Republican in name only just like McCain! He is gone next time around I guarantee it!
"...carefully streamlined budget plan..."
Waiting for a federal bailout? Carefully streamlined budget plan? Whatever.
Thank you Governor Huntsman. It's nice to have a voice of reason in a sea of diversion and constipation.
Another point: Maybe GOP legislators want their stimulus now by getting getting paid for a special session.
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