Issue Position: Spending Reform

Issue Position

In 2011 Republicans inherited a state government in financial ruin. The budget deficit was among the highest in the nation, the government was $5 billion in debt and Medicaid overruns totaled over $700 million. The only answer offered by the Democrats was to raise more taxes. We decided to tighten the reigns on state spending, payoff the state's debts, introduce reforms and focus on our highest priorities. We have balanced the State's Budget, paid down 80% of the unemployment insurance debt and ended this past fiscal year with a surplus in Medicaid. While achieving these goals we were still able to cut burdensome tax rates and provide the largest teacher pay raise in a decade.

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