U.S. Rep. Joe Donnelly, D-2nd, who has constituents in Jackson and Pine townships, has voted against the Fiscal Year 2009 budget proposed by House Democrats, on the ground that the budget would increase spending above the rate of inflation.

“While I commend congressional efforts to control spending this past year by adopting pay-as-you-go rules and cutting earmarks by more than 40 percent, I cannot support a budget that increases spending above the rate of inflation,” Donnelly said in a statement released on Thursday. “Families all across my district are stretching their paychecks to cover the rising costs of gas, health care, and just about everything else. Congress needs to stretch those families’’ tax dollars just the same. The Democratic budget should be learned in these economically uncertain times.”

Each year, the statement said, Congress considers a budget resolution which establishes the spending priorities for the federal government for the upcoming fiscal year.

The proposed Democratic budget passed the House 212 to 207.

Posted 3/14/2008