State Auditor Tim Berry closed the books for the state fiscal year today.  It was a rough one.  The state brought in $957 million less than the state budget contemplated when it was passed in June of last year.  Under the leadership of Governor Mitch Daniels, state spending was cut $669 million and the state surplus was reduced from over $1 billion to $870 million.  Gov. Daniels had this to say in response to the news:

“Staying in the black when most states are broke and cutting taxes while they are raising them is the best way to help Hoosier families through this recession and out-compete other states for the new jobs we need. Thanks to our agency heads and state employees who are helping us find new ways to stretch tax dollars and do more with less every day.” — Press Release, Office of the Governor

While Democrats in Washington are busy wishing the economy back to good health with tax and spending increases, Republicans in Indiana have worked in recent years to cut spending, cut taxes, and keep regulation in check.  So far, the results of those policies speak for themselves.  Indiana is home to over 60 corporate consolidations.  When companies decide to consolidate, they do so into Indiana.  While the federal government takes credit for hundreds of thousands of private sector jobs created and funded by taxpayers, Indiana public employment is at levels lower than when I was born in 1979.  While we have only 2% of the nation’s population, we are home to 10% of the nation’s private sector job creation.

Credit an environment within state government that serves taxpayers and the private sector, not the other way around.