January 26, 2011 10:39 PM UTC

Gessler not willing to make cuts in SOS office

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• by: softie

(We don’t need no stinkin’ budget cuts – promoted by redstateblues)

Scott Gessler is making headlines again, and again, they’re not the good kind.  Gessler has concluded that his office will not do its part to balance the budget. As an (assumed) fiscal conservative, he wants the cuts to take place elsewhere, in less important programs, like school breakfasts and K12.

HuffPost reports, but was first reported by Tim Hoover.  

At issue: his predecessor Bernie Buscher found efficiencies, and was able to save $3.5 million.  This money would go to help the state balance its budget. Gessler now wants to keep the $3.5 million, and not allow the money for general use. This is money that would go towards mitigating the deep cuts the legislature must make this year.

And what does he want to use the $3.5 million for? Apparently he wants to help businesses avoid identity theft.  Perhaps an important service (editor’s note: Colorado is third in the nation in identity theft – rsb) but is it really the best investment when we will have to continue to make deep cuts from K12 and Medicaid?

And politically, what is he thinking? Why is it a good time to bring this idea up?  I believe that the JBC has authority over the amount of SOS funds in the first place, and I can’t imagine that they are going to want to increase funds to the SOS from what the original request was. That means that Gessler is creating these bad headlines and probably nothing will come out of it.

Does he enjoy negative press?