The Senate Revenue and Fiscal Affairs committee met this morning, but they could not yet act on the revenue bills sent over by the House, since those bills have yet to be officially referred to the committee by the Senate. They did, however, take public testimony on them, including the Capital Outlay budget, HB 2.
Angela Lorio is a citizen who has been a regular speaker during this year’s session, primarily advocating for disabled children. She had quite a bit to say about the state construction bill.
“Even though this exact money cannot be used to fund services, this is a reflection of priorities,” Lorio said.
Waving her copy of the many pages of the bill, she continued: “Look at this, and just follow the money, follow the lobbyists, follow big business! HB 2 sends a message loud and clear: We’re more worried about golf, soccer, bricks and mortar, money and big business than we are about the people of this state.”
Committee chair J.P. Morrell responded, gently.
“I understand and appreciate your frustration with the message HB 2 sends. Perhaps your testimony would be much more on point if it dealt with all the revenue bills that seem to not be leaving the House.”
Morrell then made it clear he was addressing the audience in the committee room, as well as those following along via the internet.
“There is a misconception that still is going around this state that there is secret revenue, and that our efforts to raise revenue are not to patch existing holes,” Morrell said. “Because budgets historically have been put together with spit and bubblegum, and don’t actually have real money in them, but allow the fiction that money exists, families for too long have believed that no matter what we do, we’ll pull a rabbit out of the hat and the budget will be whole.”
He then made a prediction -- for citizens, but also for the House.
“If and when we leave here in 9 days, we don’t raise additional revenue, there will be plenty of pain to go around.”