Monday, October 5, 2009

Government Must Learn Modesty

A new transportation plan will be front and center of this next legislative session in Kansas. Legislators are already wringing their hands over what to do. Transportation Secretary Deb Miller and others want a 10 year, $13 billion plan. But with tax revenues plummeting, President Obama's "economic stimulus" failing miserably, and unemployment at a 26 year high, things don't look pretty.

Kansas Democrats, and some Republicans, are already thinking about which tax is going to be raised. But Republican and Appropriations Chairman Kevin Yoder has a novel idea: government should have some modesty.
“Most people are tired of government not paying its bills and instead focusing on a new shiny toy — and articulating the need for revenue for that — when our budget is in the red,” said House Appropriations Committee Chairman Kevin Yoder, an Overland Park Republican.
Like most families and small businesses during an economic recessions, things must be scaled back. Belts have to be tightened. Instead of forcing higher taxes down the throats of Kansans, the Legislature should look at a scaled-down version of a transportation plan. Government needs to learn modestly -- especially when the people are footing the bill. Raising taxes is in unpopular because it is destructive, especially with the economy in the state it is. Republicans need to get across that this isn't about a having a transportation plan or not having one. It's about passing a plan that is modest, yet remains focused on the most important transportation needs. Without a greater tax burden on the backs of middle class Kansans.

Unfortunately, we can be sure Democrats will fight tooth and nail for higher taxes in order to fulfill all of their transportation dreams. Modesty and the middle class be damned.

1 comment:

  1. Yesteday, I went to several state agencies. But first, I went to the State Capitol. What a dump. In 2002, there was a huge fence making it almost impossible to figure out how to get into the state Capitol. Yesterday, it was even worse.

    Regardless, since I like Ike, I went to the Eisenhowser Building housing KDOT. I talked to some transportation experts. There seems to be any kind of coordination among several states surrounding KS. We are the center of the country. We have the rail facilities to build the high speed heavy rail transport systems, just like China, India, France, and many other industrialized nations are doing.

    Number being developed in the US. Zero. Maybe we ought think like Ike. Transporation, vital to Kansas, and we have facilities to do so, we can build a 21st Century transportation system if we cooperate with the private rail industry and convince them, why they should do so with their money; instead of your tax dollars. Think like Ike. I do. I like Ike and what he did for our nation while he was POTUS.

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