Lt. Gov. Beckwith Responds to Five-Percent Budget Cut Proposal for ISDA
Just days after taking office, Governor Mike Braun (R-IN) detailed his proposed budget for the State of Indiana—and he’s asking each of his cabinet secretaries to identify five-percent savings — “on average” — across the board for each agency—including the Indiana State Department of Agriculture (ISDA).
“We’re going to make it happen to where farmers are blessed and not hurt by this,” said Lt. Governor Micah Beckwith (R-IN), who also serves as Indiana’s Secretary of Agriculture. Hoosier Ag Today spoke with Beckwith on Friday to see if he and his team have identified where those budget cuts within ISDA may come.
“Within ISDA specifically, not yet,” said Beckwith. “We are in conversations with Director [Don] Lamb. He’s doing a great job. But I think overall, I’ve have looked into some other agencies that we have a hand in, and what we’re finding is—just on the generalization of most agencies—five percent is not hard to trim because there’s a lot of waste, there’s a lot of double jobs, and there’s been a lot of mismanagement of taxpayer funds, and I think we’re going to be able to do that.”
How does Beckwith respond to those who may feel that a five-percent budget cut would have a negative impact on the services the agency provides to Indiana’s farmers?
“Well, it’s certainly valid concerns, because right now, farmers are really doing everything they can to hold the line,” said Beckwith. “I’m going to fight for everything that farmers need. I’m going to fight for more resources anywhere we can get it. Now, this is not a willy-nilly cut. We’re not going to just go in and swing the blade and see where the chips fall. It’s going to be with wisdom. We’re going to make sure that it’s done strategically.”
“Honestly, I think it will benefit farmers in the long run because you’ll have an agency that’s more efficient and effective at helping with the needs of everyday Indiana farmers,” said Beckwith.
He adds that the budget cuts from ISDA and the other state agencies would go a long way to offset the other proposal by state lawmakers to provide property tax relief to Indiana’s home and farmland owners.
“If we can trim government from a state perspective, you don’t need as much taxpayer funds to prop up this bloated government. Maybe then, we can transfer those savings onto farmers by cutting back on things like property taxes,” added Beckwith.
CLICK BELOW to hear Hoosier Ag Today’s full conversation with Lt. Governor Micah Beckwith, as he dives deeper into the five-percent budget cut proposal for the Indiana State Department of Agriculture and other state agencies.
