A Better Budget is Possible

Relentlessly slashing at the budget for the last three years, Congress effectively handed off responsibility for services to the states. "If devolution is the future," quipped WiLL President Rep. Nan Grogan Orrock (D-GA), "then the future of our states is bleak."

Scrambling to meet growing needs, some states have been heartened by growing revenue from a booming economy. "But it's not booming everywhere, and it can't last. Planning for the future is our responsibility," commented Rep. Pan Godchaux (R-MI), who passed the Better Budget Resolution in the House in Michigan. "I told my congressman that it's priorities that matter, and he said, 'let's talk.' He needs to hear that exotic weapons systems and unneeded subs and bombers are not what taxpayers want their money spent on. The Better Budget Resolution (BBR) sends this message."

The BBR is modeled after legislation passed by State Senator Jean Ankeney (D-VT). Over a score of states launched campaigns with WiLL members leading the way with multi-state, simultaneous press conferences in March. WiLL legislators were joined by WAND members and other activists to alert voters to the facts.

The Washington press conference unveiled the State of the States report ("Are You Winning or Losing? How federal choices affect you and your community") by the National Priorities Project. [www.natprior.org] Each of the participating states revealed the gloomy facts about their states as to how many tax dollars go to Seawolf submarines and not job training, etc.

"There are winners in the federal budget, that's for sure," commented Greg Speeter of NPP. "But the losers in the states have much to fear. The cuts that have been made will be a long time in being reinstated unless money is freed up by Washington. And there is plenty of money; it's being wasted in the military budget."

In 1998 the BBR was introduced in Alabama, California, Georgia, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota (as a sign-on letter), Rhode Island and Washington.

Simulateous press conferences were held in California, Georgia, Massachusettes, New Hampshire, and Washington.

The BBR has passed in Massachusetts, the Michigan House of Representatives, and Vermont.

This year, work has already begun to see a BBR passed in additional states.


For more information about passing a BBR in your state, contact the WiLL DC office 202-544-5055 or will@wand.org

Why A Better Budget Resolution?

Members of Congress tell us again and again that it is imperative that they hear from constituents on legislative issues. Messages and opinions from voters in the home district can play a major role in influencing the vote of your member of Congress. Passage of a State Resolution provides a strong indication of statewide voter support. Your members of Congress will get a loud and clear message that you, the CONSTITUENT, want to see meaningful cuts in military spending.
[click here to reach your member of congress]

This is the Resolution as passed in Vermont in 1997 by WiLL member Senator Jean Ankeney in 1997:
Vermont Senate Journal, January 14, 1997
Joint Senate resolution of the following title was offered, read the first time and is as follows:

J.R.S. 8. Joint resolution relating to an increased distribution of federal monies out of the military budget to the several states sufficient to meet increased domestic needs.
Whereas, although we believe that the United States should retain its position as the strongest military nation in the world, we also believe that the security of our nation is fundamentally not on military might, but on the well-being and vitality of our citizens, and
Whereas, programs which sustain and improve the health, education, affordable housing, environmental protection, and safety of our citizens are being transferred from the Federal to the State Governments, and
Whereas, the funds being provided by the Federal Government to the States are insufficient to fulfill these responsibilities, and
Whereas, the seven countries currently identified as our potential adversaries have a combined military budget of $15 billion, while the U.S. military budget for 1997 is $265 billion, and
Whereas, the U.S. military budget remains at Cold-War levels and contains: $11.4 billion not requested by the Pentagon, $25 billion for 10,000 nuclear weapons and their delivery systems, and $40 billion excess of what many former military leaders and leading business executives consider sufficient, and
Whereas, current Pentagon spending outweighs all military threats, and creates fewer jobs than increased spending on domestic programs would deliver, and
Whereas, shifting funds from the military to repairing our infrastructure would dramatically improve the well-being of our citizens and strengthen our ability to compete successfully in the world market, now therefore be it
Resolved By The Senate And The House Of Representatives;
That sufficient amounts of money be redirected from the military budget to the several states so that we can meet the critical needs of rebuilding our communities and inner cities, repairing our schools, educating our children, eliminating hunger, providing housing, improving transportation, protecting our environment, and obtaining a decent level of health care and safety for all of our citizens, thereby increasing fundamentally our security and well-being, and be it further
RESOLVED: That a copy of this resolution be forwarded by the Secretary of State to the President of the United States, to both of our U.S. Senators, to our Federal Representative, and to the governing bodies of our 251 towns with a request that this resolution be placed on the agenda to be voted on at Town Meeting in 1997, and be it further
RESOLVED: That copies of this resolution also be distributed by the Secretary of State to legislative leaders of all 50 states.