In Oklahoma, where the budget gap equals 15 percent of the state budget, Democratic lawmakers are blocking a budget agreement because it doesn't pay for a nutrition program for senior citizens. Republicans warn that the stalemate will result in state trooper and prison guard furloughs, but Democrats say Republicans can find another way to free up the cash.
Child welfare programs to prevent child abuse and neglect are also on the chopping blog in Oklahoma, and some say those programs have reduced abuse cases. But at least one lawmaker wants to cut tax exemptions, including those on corporations, instead. The effort could raise about $260 million, which isn't quite enough to cover the entire gap.
Still, you probably won't see lawmakers increase taxes during a recession, despite evidence that it might hurt less than spending cuts. And the choice between worker furloughs and feeding senior citizens is a tough one. But at some point, the costs become more than monetary. Some goals are worth spending money on in order to have a functioning, ethical society. But the response to budget deficits is always to cut spending, rather than make a moral appeal for more money to pay for them.
-- Monica Potts
