Clouse Issues Statement on General Fund Budget

Matt Boster

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Posted by: Matt Boster
Date: May 14 2015 1:59 PM

Ways and Means General Fund Chairman Steve Clouse (R-Ozark) issued the following statement providing an update on the General Fund proposal:

“The House Republican Caucus recently offered a solution to the General Fund budget shortfall that included cost-cutting initiatives, agency consolidations, and a handful of targeted revenue measures, none of which were broad-based. The proposal would not have affected the vast majority of Alabamians, but level-funding of the budget would have been achieved.

After discussions with the Senate, we have been told categorically that the House proposal had no chance of passage in that chamber, but no funding solution was offered in exchange by the senators.

With few legislative days remaining, it is time to send the General Fund budget to the Senate and allow lawmakers there a chance to send us a solution that they find satisfactory.

The General Fund budget proposed in committee today includes an $202 million conditional appropriation which would allow for level funding of the Medicaid agency, the Department of Mental Health, the Department of Human Resources, and the Administrative Office of the Courts. It also provides additional funding needed to begin implementing critical prison reform measures in the Department of Corrections. Other General Fund agencies receive a 2% reduction in funding.

No revenue measures will travel with the budget. This spending proposal is simply meant to be a vehicle that will allow the budget to travel to the Senate.

With Gov. Bentley’s tax package generating little support and not a dime of guaranteed proceeds from any of the various gambling plans being floated, much work remains to be done on the General Fund budget before the end of the legislative session.”

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