ASHCROFT BUDGET POLICIES PRUDENT IN TODAY'S TIMES

Some members of the Missouri General Assembly criticized Gov. John Ashcroft last week for not providing his clout in generating more revenue (i.e., raising taxes) for state services, particularly education. We disagree with their assessment. We believe Ashcroft is supplying strong leadership in holding the line on taxes and demanding more services for the dollars already being paid into Missouri coffers until there is better accountability, performance, or restructuring.

Outlining a sound strategy during his "State of the State" address, Ashcroft voiced the need to:

Reduce the size and cost of state government by cutting 467 employee positions and $100 million from the budget;

Restructure programs for greater cost efficiency; and

Redirect money to keep public schools and colleges safe from spending cuts.

The governor made a statement about the coming year that is interesting. "Funding for business as usual," he said, "is not on my agenda." He botched his comparison. In fact, Ashcroft's agenda is "business as usual" ... and we consider that a good thing.

Businesses that operate as poorly as government usually don't survive. We see Ashcroft taking the prudent and necessary steps of a business manager when income expectations fall short. Missouri's treasury has been weakened by a slowdown in the national economy. In addition, mandates from the federal government, including higher Medicaid payments and the drain of court-ordered desegregation payments, have limited the state's fiscal choices. (Ten years of desegregation have drawn $1 billion from the state budget; benefiting are St. Louis and Kansas City, which are rebuilding their school facilities at the expense of taxpayers throughout the state. Desegregation costs represent 6.5 percent of state general revenue expenditures.)

Do you raise taxes on all Missourians to benefit these two cities? We think not. Cutting costs, in some cases cutting employees, is a lamentable but business-like way of addressing the problems of revenue shortfalls.

Ashcroft contends that he is not against higher taxes if some bang can be shown for the bucks. Often, that has not been the case. The governor points out that between 1982 and 1991, Missouri added $425 million to its education foundation expenditures, providing a 60 percent increase that significantly exceeded inflation. While enrollment is lower now than in 1982, total state aid spending to public schools has more than doubled.

Reforms in education, such as expansion of the school year from the current 174-day minimum, must be in the works before Ashcroft is willing to support a tax increase. Everywhere but in government do we admire someone who won't buy a pig in a poke.

Is Ashcroft lacking in leadership qualities? Urging the best use of taxpayer dollars simply by asking for more of them, as many lawmakers are doing, doesn't seem like such a tough trick; the taxpayers do all the work. Citizens should hope for more from their public officials. We view belt-tightening as prudent administrative policy, not gubernatorial reticence. And we support Gov. Ashcroft for using good sense to streamline government.

At a recent event, Ashcroft pointed out that we Missourians pay average to above in personal income taxes and sales taxes. We pay below average in property (generally local taxes) and corporate income taxes. He observed that our average student-to-teacher ratio is 16 to 1, much below the 20 to 1 in most states. If we spent the same money for fewer teachers and a higher ratio, our teachers would be some of the best paid in the nation, though he did not advocate that.

Two business groups, the Associated Industries of Missouri (AIM) and the Missouri Chamber of Commerce, have recently endorsed a 10 percent increase in personal and corporate income taxes to pay for improvements in public schools.

They also called for stretching the school year from the current 174 days - one of the lowest in the world - to 200 days; more emphasis on performance when determining teachers salaries; and revision in the school aid formula (which we do not agree with).

These are goals and actions that Ashcroft says are necessary for his support of any tax increases.

We agree.