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Nov. 9, 2005
BYRD’S EYE VIEW: A Broken Budget for West Virginia
From the desk of U.S. Sen. Robert C. Byrd (D-WV)
Washington, DC (HNN) -- In the coming weeks, the Congress will vote on a new
federal budget. This budget jeopardizes many initiatives that are important
to our state, while setting the stage for massive cuts in services and a
huge hike in our nation’s debt in the months ahead.
When President Bush took office, his Administration was handed a balanced
budget with record surpluses. The economy was moving full-speed ahead. But
now, record surpluses have been replaced by record deficits, and the
national debt is growing at an alarming pace. In fact, the budget crafted
by the Republican Senate Leadership will cause the national debt to rise to
more than $11.3 trillion in the next five years. But, this irresponsible
budget doesn’t stop there.
This unfair budget plan increases Medicare Part B premiums while slashing
$24 billion from Medicaid. In West Virginia, 350,000 senior citizens, many
on fixed incomes, rely on Medicare to help pay their doctor bills. Medicaid
provides health care for 300,000 West Virginians, primarily the poor and
uninsured children. These West Virginians are not given a choice about the
cuts in services; they are simply told to deal with the reductions.
The cuts in the proposed budget help to make room for massive tax breaks for
multi-millionaires and Washington, D.C., special interests.
Certainly these budgetary tax cut goodies do not help most working West
Virginians very much. People with incomes between $50,000 and $200,000
would see a tax break of only $112, while those earning less than $50,000
would receive a tiny $6 tax cut.
The median West Virginia household income is $31,504. Cutting programs
vital to the people of our state is an unfair way to pay for tax cuts for
millionaires.
As Americans, and as people who believe in a Creator and a moral society, we
share a responsibility to protect those who may need help.
