Monday, January 05, 2009

Wasson Thinks Projected Budget Deficit May Be Exaggerated

"I think a lot of people are posturing."
Nixa's State Representative Jay Wasson tells the KY3 Political Notebook that public estimates of the state's projected budget deficit may be being exaggerated so "it doesn't look quite as bad."
"I think a lot of people are posturing. Some of the same people that now are saying $350 million in the red are the same people, the day before the election were saying $830 million in reserves. I think more a more reasonable number is probably $300 million, $250 million. I don't know exactly where we're at," said Rep. Wasson. "I think everybody likes to hopefully make it a little worse than it might be, hoping that it doesn't look quite as bad when it actually happens."
Wasson thinks the deficit could even end up being as low as $150 million.
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PLUS, MORE FROM WASSON:
  • Called 2008 "a bad year in the Governor's race" for the G.O.P., but noted gains in the State House and State Senate. "Jay ran for awhile, he did a good job running. Give him credit," said Wasson. "I don't see him as a liberal. He might be a liberal on an issue or two, but he might be a moderate on an issue or two," Wasson said of the Governor-elect.
  • Noted a benefit of term-limits is you can't waste time. "Ron will be there two years," he said of Incoming House Speaker Ron Richard. "When you're only there two years, you don't have time to really battle and fight and plan for how something is going to happen later. You got to get something accomplished now."
  • On Richard: "Ronnie . . . he's as straight-forward as you're going to get. What you see, is what you get. Probably not maybe as polished, but I've never seen a hidden agenda."

Also, Wasson said he's contemplating a bill that would ban elected officials from serving on the state housing commission. Republican nominee Kenny Hulshof championed this cause during the campaign, but Governor-elect Jay Nixon has signaled he's opposed.

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