I found reading Rep. Mark Smith’s column of April 20 quite interesting, in a laughable sort of way. Rep. Smith bemoans the fiscal irresponsibility of the current GOP controlled legislature because their conservative budgets exceeded the revenue forecasts provided by the nonpartisan Iowa Revenue Estimating Conference over the last two years. These revenue estimate shortfalls have been largely due to falling agriculture commodity prices over the same time frame making it very difficult to accurately forecast state revenues will be.

What he does not admit to is that these same GOP legislators have responsibly, using common sense Iowa values, replenished all the special use accounts and the state’s reserve account which had been emptied by Rep. Smith and his associates when they were in control of the legislature. The actions of Rep. Smith and his associates stifled economic growth and increased unemployment, putting at risk the financial health of the state. He also fails to point out that had his irresponsible budgetary proposals the last two years been enacted those accounts would most probably once again be empty or close to it and the budget shortfalls currently in the tens of millions would undoubtedly be multiples higher.

Thank goodness the GOP-led legislature has been as diligent and cautious while prioritizing the state’s budget recognizing the money is yours. This has resulted in lower unemployment and a healthier economy. By contrast, Rep. Smith has a well established track record of spending (or proposing to spend) state revenues without regard to their limited nature. It’s as if the money were his and not yours.