Issue Position: Demonstrating Fiscal Responsibility

Issue Position

Idaho, unlike the federal government, is required by its constitution to end each fiscal year with a balanced budget. As a 6th generation Idahoan, that's how my family operates its budget -- like a family, the state can't spend more than it brings in. Our state's founding fathers were wise to draft this important sideboard on spending into our constitution -- it's called being fiscally responsible. But there are other important elements of being fiscally responsible that are worth discussing, too.

For me, a big part of being a staunch conservative means working to stem the growth of government (including reducing its size and influence when it makes sense to do so), and always being a team player with my partners in state government. I have a solemn duty to spend your tax dollars -- your hard-earned money -- as prudently and conservatively as possible.

As a conservative Republican, I'm committed to maximizing the efficiency of your tax dollars. Within the controller's technology budget, I believed we had an opportunity to revert a significant amount of funding back to the Legislature without degrading our ability to provide the IT services needed by our state agency customers. That said, in the end of Fiscal Year 2013, I returned $2,000,000 back to the Legislature.

Another element of fiscal responsibility is demonstrated by the budget request for the Controller's Office submitted to the Legislature in January of 2013 (for Fiscal Year 2014). Politically speaking, elected officials, especially those who are true conservatives like me, generally seek to avoid adding any additional dollars to their budgets. Yet, in this instance, by requesting that the Legislature and Governor approve a modest one-year only increase to pay for the retirement of expensive and outdated computer systems, my office will be able to save a lot of your precious tax dollars over the long run.

Understanding the big financial picture, being honest with the citizens, and putting politics aside when making important financial decisions -- that's fiscally responsible, too.

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