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House Gives Initial Approval to Use State's Rainy Day Fund

April 8, 2002
By: Justin Herndon
State Capital Bureau
Links: HB 1114

Governor Holden fails an important test for his budget.

Justin Herndon has more.

Story:
RunTime: 4:05
OutCue: SOC

House republicans denied the governor the two-thirds majority it would take to use the State's rainy day fund.

Still, the House gave initial approval to the legislation but only received 71 votes in favor, well short of the 109 needed.

House republicans didn't say a word in opposition to the use of the emergency funds. A plan House Republican Leader Catherine Hanaway says was designed to speed up legislation.

Actuality: Cathy2.wav
RunTime: 11
OutCue: other things this week
Contents: It was a decision that we couldn't persuade anyone on either side anymore and we spent time on the budget last week so it was time to move on to other things this week.

Democratic Representative Tim Green, who chairs the Budget committee, first proposed an amendment lowering the amount to borrow from 75 million dollars to 53 million.

Actuality: GreenJ.wav
RunTime: 25
OutCue: out of balance
Contents: I have said from day one we can do one of two things...we can send a budget thats not balanced or we can step up to the plate and make cuts...I feel that right now we are 53 million dollars out of balance.

Even at 53 million dollars, though, only one Republican representative voted in favor of the bill. House Majority Leader Wayne Crump says nothing could have pleased House republicans.

Actuality: CrumpJ1.wav
RunTime: 20
OutCue: how to balance the budget
Contents: Even if we had taken it down to one million dollars, I don't think they woul have voted for it. They don't have a plan

Regardless of the amount, Green syas the general assembly has no other choice but to take from the emergency fund.

He says state government is similiar to a business in its need for a loan.

Actuality: GreenJ2.wav
RunTime: 17
OutCue: those shortfalls
Contents: I don't own a business but those who do borrow money when they have to to keep operations going and then they pay it back

Representative Bill Linton says the problem started when the governor first created a budget with an expected shortfall.

Actuality: lintonJ1.wav
RunTime: 14
OutCue: without using the rainy day fund
Contents: He should have sent us a bill without needing a rainy day fund.

Linton says the reduction to 53 million dollars didn't help and, in fact, no amount of reductions could change his vote.

Actuality: lintonJ2.wav
RunTime: 30
OutCue: an emergency in my mind
Contents: take it down to without using a rainy day fund. its for emergencies and this spending crisis is not an emergency like a flood is.

Governor Holden says the Republicans are making a mistake by not using the emergency fund.

Actuality: gov1.wav
RunTime: 21
OutCue: a fiscially responsible budget
Contents: They are fiscally irresponsible...I will not have this state become an Enron...send me a fiscally responsible budget.

But Hanaway says the governor is wrong in beliving Republicans have been fiscally irresponsible.

Actuality: cathyJ1.wav
RunTime: 21
OutCue: to keep this budget balanced
Contents: we are responsible, we did the right thing and we believe he has other options...I don't think we need to mortage the future to keep this budget balanced.

The preliminary approval doesn't mean the fund will be used for sure yet. The perfection vote only moves the bill into position for vote to send it to the Senate. This vote may have only quieted the debate over whether to use the rainy day fund or not *for now*.

Of course, most legislators are just waiting to find the calm after the storm.

In Jefferson City, Justin Herndon.