More than $16 Million in legislators’ discretionary spending accounts.
DOVER — Senator Colin Bonini (R-Dover South) calls for the suspension of Community Transportation Fund (CTF) appropriations for the coming year’s budget in order to help avoid the need for state employee salary cuts. CTFs are discretionary spending accounts through which legislators were given $16,750,000 to spend this year, and are expected to receive this amount or more in fiscal year 2010.
Senator Bonini said "The Administration claims that we need to cut state employee’s salaries by $91 million this year as part of the effort to balance the budget. Saving $16 million by forgoing CTF for one year would solve almost 20 percent of the problem as we look for solutions to prevent salary cuts and to avoid major tax increases."
"In good budget times, the discretionary street funds serve a legitimate purpose to enable legislators to expedite minor road projects in local communities. In the current times, this is $16 million of spending restraint that we can certainly live with."
"It is apparent from recent revelations in the news that the other $75 million of the state employee ‘salary problem’ could be erased by simply giving state agencies and employees direction and leadership on when to write checks and when to use credit cards. State employees want to do the best job possible, and I know they will jump at the chance to have guidance to be more efficient on behalf of the taxpayers. This is one action to control spending that could save the state tens of millions of dollars, and it could start tomorrow...or even today."
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