| You have to hand it to the Governor; he is fit for any challenge.
He's ready to cut the budget to make sure the state's checkbook is balanced.
He says he is looking high and low for ways to save money. (And, yes, a news release pronounces each one he finds.)
He'll continue to give it his best, but in the end, it won't be enough.
And, guess what?
Special session time.
My bet is that it will occur in mid-April.
That will be after the end of the first quarter of the calendar years. Revenue will continue to stagnate and decline. Couple that with larger than estimated tax refunds for 2009 and you have the makings of a first rate fiscal disaster.
The Governor is allowed only to make funding reductions on about 65 percent of the general fund. That total does not include monies distributed by the state to local school districts, all 438 of them. This total amounts to hundreds of millions of dollars annually. After the first week in May, it would nearly be impossible to change the total number of dollars each district would otherwise receive.
Without dipping into the basic state aid for school districts, the Executive cannot fix the state's checking account problem without practically shutting down the state's human services and corrections programs.
As the fiscal picture continues to deteriorate, there will be more and more pressure to spread the pain.
The Governor will be forced to bring is his pals with the temperament and knives to forge a fix during weeklong session.
The question remains: Can he work with another 150 fellow Montanans fix it? And, how?
Cant' wait to find out. |
