A Spending Summit: Let's Have One

The Union Leader argues now that the Ways and Means Committee has held a two day Tax Summit, it's time for legislative leaders to put the same attention into spending.

We were happy to see that so many competing points of view were presented at this week's tax hearing. We'd be surprised if any Ways and Means Committee member had his or her view changed, but at least there was a wide-ranging discussion of how the state's revenue structure works and how the state would change if its tax base changed.

Legislators would benefit from a similar, but not identical, hearing on spending. The thoughts of analysts and economists are useful. And we might be able to learn a thing or two from the experiences of other states. But given the economic reality facing the state -- revenue declines with no end in sight -- the most useful presentations might come from administrators and other employees tasked with finding better ways to spend what money we have.