Budget Balancing

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Mitt Romney : The budget Balancer

In this article from The Boston Globe, it tells of Mr. Mitt Romney 's calls for "high-level resignations so it can move past the "ethical scandal" surrounding lobbyist Jack Abramoff." This is definitely one thing that sets Mr. Mitt Romney apart from other republicans in that he has a squeaky clean record when it comes to ethics. Later in the article he also chided Senator Ted Stevens from Alaska for his $223 bridge project to an island of 50 inhabitants. "I understand Congress is reluctant to give up the power it has to allow individual members and potentially influential lobbyists to insert wasteful, unnecessary projects into key pieces of legislation that the country needs," Mitt Romney said.

Quotes from Governor Mitt Romney on the Budget

2006

“Rainy day funds should not be spent during periods of robust revenue growth to support a level of spending that is not sustainable. We are repeating the mistakes of the past, and it would be irresponsible to allow this budget to become law without making significant reductions.”
- Governor Mitt Romney, 07-08-2006 Press Release

2005

“Two years ago, the state budget was out of balance and the economy was in a deep recession. Working together, the Executive Branch and Legislature took decisive action to control costs and manage the budget without raising taxes Today, our economy is strong and producing jobs and the budget outlook is positive.”
- Governor Mitt Romney, 03-15-2005- Press Release

2004

He added that his budget will not raise taxes on the working families of Massachusetts and that he will propose a modest increase in local aid. “I will present a balanced budget. And in case anybody has any other ideas, let me be clear about one more thing: I will not raise taxes.”
- Governor Mitt Romney, 01-15-2004 Press Release

“Being fiscally responsible isn’t easy – and it’s not always popular – but it has its rewards. If we continue the hard work of reform, we can do even more for the people of Massachusetts,” said Romney.
- Governor Mitt Romney, 06-03-2004 Press Release

2003

"A true partnership means sharing in good times and bad. In good times, the Commonwealth shared its prosperity with cities and towns," said Romney in an address to the Massachusetts Municipal Association. "Now that the state has hit hard times, we need cities and towns to join us in tightening their belts," Romney said. "Our problem is simple: spending is high and cash is low. When we began our transition two months ago, every indication was that the current budget was balanced. That is not the case, and immediate, hard action is required to achieve fiscal balance," said Romney. According to Romney, his current "9C authority" would force disproportionate cuts on the elderly, poor and disabled. "If we are forced to balance this budget on the backs of our seniors and the poor, we will expose the core services of government to disproportionate cuts," said Romney. "That is not fair. The best solution is to spread the burden." ** Governor Mitt Romney, 01-10-2003 Press Release

While he is sacrificing $2 million in savings by blocking some of the proposed changes, Romney said programs that provide shelter to the homeless “should not be gutted,” calling them “essential services.”
- Governor Mitt Romney, 01-17-2003 Press Release

“The current communications structure in government makes no sense. It grew over time without any planning or thought. It’s an extremely wasteful system,” said Romney. “By streamlining our communications function, we can do a better job with less people for the taxpayers of Massachusetts.”
- Governor Mitt Romney, 01-28-2003 Press Release

“Throughout this process, we have been guided by a desire to simplify our health and human services agencies to better serve recipients. Rather than requiring families to navigate the current red tape jungle, we are consolidating functions to better help those who cannot help themselves,” Romney said. Families requiring HHS services now face a confusing alphabet soup of state agencies to access the help they need.
- Governor Mitt Romney, 02-24-2003 Press Release

Romney said the HHS agencies would be divided into four different groups – Children, Youth and Families; Disabilities and Community Services; Health; and Elder Affairs – based on their common functions. Romney said, “We want to make sure that any person or family in need of an HHS service will be able to get that service easily. Under my plan, the bureaucracy will be simpler to navigate while saving significant time for state employees and significant money for taxpayers.”
- Governor Mitt Romney, 02-24-2003 Press Release

“It would be impossible to reach unanimity on every aspect of our budget, but it’s clear there is widespread support for the concept of change. We face a choice between either cutting waste out of government, or facing a new job killing tax increase every year from here on out,” said Romney.
- Governor Mitt Romney, 02-27-2003 Press Release

“We will continue to be a generous state when it comes to caring for the poor, the disabled and the elderly. We will be far less generous when it comes to patronage, waste and inefficiencies,” said Romney.
- Governor Mitt Romney, 02-27-2003 Press Release

“The members of the Legislature and the Administration have successfully closed the $650 million budget gap and set a precedent of cooperation that will help us produce a fair and balanced budget for the next fiscal year,” said Romney.
- Governor Mitt Romney, 03- 05-2003 Press Release

Press Releases on the budget:

2003 press releases

01-10-2003, Mitt Romney seeks expanded authority to balance budget

01-17-2003, Mitt Romney signs bill giving him broader budgetary powers

01-28-2003, With budget crisis looming, Mitt Romney moves to cut press operation

02-04-2003, Mitt Romney nixes state printing contract for budget

02- 04-2003, Dispelling the myths, commonly asked questions on the budget

02-24-2003, Mitt Romney announces HHS reorganization as part of budget

02-27-2003, Advocates show broad based support for Mitt Romney budget

03- 05-2003, Fiscal year 2003 deficit closed, focus shifts to 04

2004 press releases

06-03-2004, Mitt Romney delivers first dividend on reform

2005 press releases

03-15-2005-, Governor Mitt Romney announces bond rating upgrade for commonwealth's debt

2006 press releases

07-08-2006, Governor Mitt Romney signs $25.2 billion fy 2007 state budget

Wikipedia

Beliefs about Mitt Romney and the Budget

Mitt Romney is the best candidate to help balance the budget.

Reasons to agree:

Mitt Romney is willing to veto excess spending.
Mitt Romney balancing the 2002 Olympic budget.
Mitt Romney balancing the Massachusetts budget without raising taxes.
There are many down to earth example of Mitt Romney 's Frugality.
Mitt Romney turned around Bain.
No other candidate has had as much success with Mitt Romney and budget turnarounds. He knows how to work the systems and get people on board.

Mitt Romney likes balanced budgets

Reasons to agree:

"Our problem is simple: spending is high and cash is low. When we began our transition two months ago, every indication was that the current budget was balanced. That is not the case, and immediate, hard action is required to achieve fiscal balance," said Mitt Romney .
Governor Mitt Romney today unveiled a long overdue restructuring of the Commonwealth’s 16 Health and Human Services (HHS) agencies, replacing the current confusing maze of bureaucracy with a user-friendly system that is more responsive to the people it serves.

Mitt Romney is not afraid to make difficult decisions, like lay people off, in order to balance the budget.

Reasons to agree

Number of press secretaries is downsized, saving $1.2 million annually
In a move that will save $50,000 in printing costs, Governor Mitt Romney today announced that the budget proposal he files later this month will for the first time be available online to all members of the public.
Why are school nurses being laid off? A reduction in the Smoking Prevention and Cessation program eliminates grants to over 150 communities to supplement school health programs. Some districts used the monies to increase their school nursing staffs. This was an enhancement of the basic program requiring a school nurse for every school district. In a time of financial emergency, preventative programs like these have been de-emphasized. Chapter 70, the funding source that provides $3.3 billion in direct aid to local schools, was not cut, and that should allow schools to maintain the necessary level of school health services.
Why is Governor Mitt Romney curbing growth in the Prescription Advantage program? Isn't that a core service? Massachusetts is the only state in the nation that provides a universal senior prescription insurance program. It was an expansion program added during the go-go days of the 90s, when the state was projecting huge surpluses. New enrollments have been suspended. The state is seeking a Medicaid waiver to pay a portion of the program's cost. If the waiver is not forthcoming, the program will have to be scaled back to only the neediest seniors.
Have housing programs been gutted by Governor Mitt Romney 's spending cuts? No public housing units will be vacated and no units currently under renovation will be delayed. No rental assistance or homelessness programs have been cut. A lot of attention has been focused on $7.5 million that Governor Mitt Romney has proposed transferring out of the Affordable Housing Trust Fund to help balance the budget. Of the $7.5 million cut, $5 million will be completely covered through capital funds. The remaining $2.5 million has yet to be awarded, so obviously no one is directly affected.
Is it true that the mentally ill will no longer receive MassHealth coverage for psychiatric services? No. While psychiatric day treatment coverage has been eliminated, MassHealth clients will continue to receive coverage for medically necessary outpatient mental health services. These services include individual, group and family therapy, medication evaluation and management, psychiatric emergency services and inpatient psychiatric services. In addition, the Department of Mental Health is reviewing the list of people who had received psychiatric day treatment services to determine how many are DMH clients and whether they are eligible for DMH-funded day rehabilitation and support programs.
Do the reductions to the Employment Services Program mean that welfare recipients are no longer receiving career assistance? No. The Department of Transitional Assistance will continue to offer services to people moving from welfare to work through its on-site career centers. Over the last five years, while the welfare caseload has declined nearly 30 percent, funding for the Employment Services program has grown by nearly 20 percent. In the context of all the services the state provides to welfare recipients, including cash benefits, housing, food stamps, health care and child care, this seemed the least harmful program to reduce.
"Plan closes more than 30 under-utilized local offices, achieves $90 million in savings...(more)"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mitt_ Mitt Romney

Wikipedia Article on Governor Mitt Romney and the Budget

Upon entering office, Mitt Romney faced a $3 billion deficit. Facing an immediate fiscal crisis, the Governor asked the state legislature for emergency powers to make "9C" cuts to the fiscal year 2003 budget. Refusing to raise taxes, Mitt Romney cut spending and restructured state government.26. An unexpected windfall in capital gains taxes reduced the deficit by $1.3 billion, and Mitt Romney raised an extra $500 million in revenue by increasing hundreds of fees (such as driver's license and marriage license fees) and by closing tax "loopholes."2 The state also cut spending by $1.6 billion, including $700 million in reductions in state aid to cities and towns.27 In response, cities and towns became more reliant on local revenue to pay for municipal services and schools.

Massachusetts finished 2004 with a $700 million surplus and 2005 with a $500 million surplus.28 29.

With the help of a reviving economy, Mitt Romney was able to balance the state budget and replenish the states' "rainy day fund" through government consolidation and reform. As a result of the fiscal turnaround, Mitt Romney has repeatedly pushed the state legislature to roll back the state income tax from 5.3% to 5.0% (Massachusetts has a flat income tax).