Scott Wagner discovers zero-based budgeting

In the 1980s a buzzword in government circles was “zero-based budgeting.”  It was said to be the answer to government red ink.  Instead of starting with last year’s budget and adding or subtracting, you began at a zero base and budgeted proposed funds as you felt they were needed.  Of course, any manager of any agency would look at what his or her department did last year and adjust up or down accordingly.  The idea was great in theory, but in practice not so much.

Now Republican gubernatorial candidate Scott Wagner, not generally considered the sharpest knife in the drawer, says that the Pennsylvania legislature has “money lying around.”  He will fix it by zero-based budgeting.

This is the majority leader of the Republican Senate.  The Republicans also control the Pennsylvania House of Representatives.  Why is that money lying around?  

I’ll tell you who is “lying around.”  It is Scott Wagner  If you are a Republican, vote for Mango.