Lawmakers propose slashing Montana health department budget by $93M

[TexasTowelie]

HELENA — A legislative panel proposed Wednesday to slash the Montana health department’s budget by $93 million despite concerns that lawmakers don’t know which programs for the elderly and vulnerable would be cut.

The Republican-led panel’s proposed cuts to the state Department of Public Health and Human Services budget include $42 million in state and federal money to senior and long-term care programs in 2018 and 2019. That’s a 15 percent reduction compared to this year.

The cuts don’t include any details beyond the dollar amounts in the spreadsheets lawmakers used as a guide, said Sen. Mary Caferro, D-Helena.

“We just voted on services that some members on the committee haven’t even learned about yet,” she said.

Read more: http://www.greatfallstribune.com/story/news/politics/2017/01/11/lawmakers-propose-slashing-montana-health-department-budget/96459494/

[Doreen]

1. I have a question. What do they do with the 93million that they do not give people who

could have their lives saved from it?

[2naSalit]

2. Because the state

gets a lot of its revenue from taxes on oil and gas, you recall the crash in prices a couple years ago, it had the effect of diminishing the amount the state actually received which means the budget can't be met. That is where the money went. Our state budget is set for two year increments so now that it's budget time this ear, there is a lot of revenue that did not arrive so adjustments are taking place, all agencies are being pressured to give back large portions of their budgets in order to balance the books.

[Doreen]

3. OK, thanks for the explanation.