Press Release

The States Applaud the New Presidential Budget Proposal

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Dan Reynolds

Email: dreynolds@alec.org

The States Applaud the New Presidential Budget Proposal

ARLINGTON, VA – (FEBRUARY 10, 2020) Today, President Donald Trump released his administration’s proposed budget for 2021. The proposed budget provides a pathway to a balanced budget and shrinks the federal government from its current excess. Federal agencies – excluding defense – are proposed to cut 5% in 2021 and 2% per year thereafter. The American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) applauds this proposal to balance the budget. State decision makers are required to pass a balanced budget every year. Once again, this White House turned to the states to find its next best idea.

ALEC Chief Economist and Executive Vice President for Policy Jonathan Williams states, “While state policymakers put in the hard work every year to balance their budgets, we have rarely witnessed that type of fiscal discipline in Washington. However, President Donald Trump’s budget proposal takes the essential step to cut wasteful spending and reduce our budget deficit by $4.6 trillion. Importantly, the budget also provides significant taxpayer savings by making recent tax relief permanent for individual taxpayers.”

Chairman of the ALEC Center for State Fiscal Reform New Hampshire State Representative Ken Weyler states, “At the state level, we don’t have the luxury of printing money and we are required to balance our budgets, so we make difficult decisions like any small business or family makes about their own finances. I’m pleased the new budget from President Trump moves the federal government soundly in the direction of fiscal responsibility.”

Jonathan Williams continues, “This is the first budget in recent memory to call for real fiscal rules that protect hardworking taxpayers. ALEC members have been at the forefront of developing effective fiscal rules in the states. One example of an effective state fiscal rule is Colorado’s Taxpayers’ Bill of Rights, which was placed in the state constitution by voters in the 1990s and restrains the growth of spending and taxes to ensure prudent financial management.”

ALEC is the largest voluntary membership organization of state legislators, who are dedicated to enabling individual liberty and free enterprise in the states. ALEC provides ongoing educational opportunities for state legislators on things like sound fiscal policy with tools like www.RichStatesPoorStates.org, the State Budget Reform Toolkit, and many more. ALEC serves as the voice of its state-based members in Washington, D.C.

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The American Legislative Exchange Council is the largest nonpartisan, voluntary membership organization of state legislators in the United States. The Council is governed by state legislators who comprise the Board of Directors and is advised by the Private Enterprise Advisory Council, a group of private, foundation and think tank members. For more information about the American Legislative Exchange Council, please visit: www.alec.org.

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