A libertarian think tank found that out of the Republican governors and former governors running for president, only Louisiana’s Bobby Jindal actually presided over an average annual reduction in spending.
The study by the Cato Institute also found that former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush and Ohio Gov. John Kasich exhibited the biggest average annual budget increases among their fellow GOP candidates.
“One benefit of candidates with gubernatorial experience is that we have full record of policy decisions to review,” Nicole Kaeding, a Cato budget analyst, told TheBlaze. “Where a senator is one of 100 members, a governor has much more direct influence over policy.”
The Cato analysis looked first at the average annual increase for each candidate with gubernatorial experience. Separately, the study looked at average annual spending hikes per capita of each state. The study evaluated the four current governors and four former governors.
(Credit: Cato Institute, Cato.org)
Jindal cut spending by 1.76 percent per year in his state, according to the Cato report. Bush had the highest spending with 6 percent average annual increases. Kasich had a 4.95 percent average annual increase. Former Texas Gov. Rick Perry was third at 4 percent. However, on a per capita basis, Kasich’s average annual increase was more than Bush’s budget, whereas, Jindal’s spending actually decreased by even more, according to the study.
“Jindal has the best spending record of any of the candidates with gubernatorial experience,” Kaeding said. “Spending has decreased dramatically in Louisiana under his leadership. But that is not to say that Jindal is perfect. He pushed a large tax reform proposal in 2013, but it was revenue-neutral. On the other hand, Bush increased spending, but pushed through several large tax cuts as governor. Both of these types of decisions matter.”
Jindal campaign spokeswoman Shannon Dirmann said the study demonstrates Jindal is the most fiscally conservative candidate in the 2016 race.
“This report shows that Governor Jindal is the only presidential candidate who reduced the size of government,” Dirmann told TheBlaze. “It is further proof that while other candidates enjoy talking a big game about spending cuts, Governor Jindal is the only candidate who has actually done it for taxpayers.”
Kasich campaign spokesman Scott Milburn contested Cato’s findings, citing the Ohio governor’s record for holding down spending.
“If you twist the numbers long enough you can make them tell you anything, but the truth is that Gov. Kasich has held average annual spending to less than traditional inflation every year he’s been office,” Millburn told TheBlaze. “On top of that he reduced the state payroll to its lowest level in three decades and turned an $8 billion shortfall into a $2 billion surplus without a tax increase—in fact he cut taxes $5 billion. It doesn’t get more conservative than that.”
(Credit: Cato Institute, Cato.org)
TheBlaze also contacted the Bush campaign, which did not immediately respond.
The Cato analysis, which used data from the National Association of State Budget Officers, also evaluated Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee and former New York Gov. George Pataki. It didn’t include former Virginia Gov. Jim Gilmore because of his late entry, Kaeding said.
Kaeding stressed there are multiple factors at work in a state’s budgeting, and the governor is not the only factor to consider.
“Control of the state legislature matters, among other factors. Something like inflation would have an effect on spending levels,” Kaeding said. “This effect is stronger for longer-term governors like Pataki or Perry, than someone like Walker. Where the economy was in terms of the business cycle also impacts things. Many state programs are countercyclical, so a governor who is in charge during a recession might look worse from a spending point-of-view than someone during a boom cycle.”
She added, the report looks narrowly at taxing and spending, which is just one way to evaluate the fiscal record of a governor.
“For instance, much of the increase in spending in Ohio is due to Kasich's decision to expand Medicaid,” Keading said. “That deserves more weight than spending in Texas, which increased in large part because of a large population increase.”
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