Is John Knight kidding?

Bigbee told lawmakers that state agencies have asked for more than $400 million in budget increases, despite the fact that there will be less money in the General Fund next fiscal year. That prompted a warning from Rep. John Knight, D-Montgomery, chairman of the House Government Appropriations Committee.

“I hope requests from department heads are based on actual needs in those departments,” Knight said. “I would ask agencies to take all of the fluff out of their requests.”

I don’t know what “fluff” Mr. Knight is talking about. What I know is that almost all state agencies are having to deal with the results of decades of underfunding for Alabama’s neediest citizens. There is very little that can be cut without impacting the women, children and elderly citizens of this state.

We need to seek out new revenue, not continue to cut.

montgomeryadvertiser.com :: Budgets to take big hits