State Senate Democrats Failed Leadership
February 18, 2008
Letter to the Editor submitted to local papers
News accounts of State Senate and House budget plans fail to mention the real cause for the discord in the Senate Finance committee. For the last three decades Senate and House budget committees have each unanimously approved their respective budget packages -- regardless of whether Democrats or Republicans were in the majority. But not this year. Democrats blame the break in precedent as the Senate Republicans being sore losers, having lost their majority status.
But here's the untold story. The Senate Finance Committee failed to hold working sessions with Republican senators to hammer out a Senate budget. This was the break in precedent. Normally committee members from both parties wrestle with the details of the budget, working for compromise that all members of the committee can support. This has been the practice in both the House and Senate for the last 30 years and explains why they have garnered unanimous support each year. Instead the Democrat controlled Senate Finance committee just rubber stamped the Governor's budget on a party line vote. The Democrat majority didn't bother to do their job. They just went along with Kaine's budget, including cuts in school construction and public safety, both of which would shift more costs to local government – that means our local taxes will have to go up even more! Taxpayers shouldn't endure these increases so Kaine can fund new and expanding programs such as 4 year old kindergarten that has budget implications year after year.
Voters should insist that Senator Herring keep the promises he made last year and show leadership in the Senate rather than sit quietly while the Democratic Leadership fails in its responsibility to govern.
But here's the untold story. The Senate Finance Committee failed to hold working sessions with Republican senators to hammer out a Senate budget. This was the break in precedent. Normally committee members from both parties wrestle with the details of the budget, working for compromise that all members of the committee can support. This has been the practice in both the House and Senate for the last 30 years and explains why they have garnered unanimous support each year. Instead the Democrat controlled Senate Finance committee just rubber stamped the Governor's budget on a party line vote. The Democrat majority didn't bother to do their job. They just went along with Kaine's budget, including cuts in school construction and public safety, both of which would shift more costs to local government – that means our local taxes will have to go up even more! Taxpayers shouldn't endure these increases so Kaine can fund new and expanding programs such as 4 year old kindergarten that has budget implications year after year.
Voters should insist that Senator Herring keep the promises he made last year and show leadership in the Senate rather than sit quietly while the Democratic Leadership fails in its responsibility to govern.