HB 500 – Supplemental Appropriations

HB 500 exemplifies fiscal irresponsibility by using supplemental appropriations as a backdoor to inflate state spending without accountability. It adds $13.7 billion in general revenue and nearly $12 billion in total funds, despite declining federal support in some areas. Much of this funding goes to ongoing programs, politically driven handouts, and deferred maintenance—not true emergencies. By treating temporary surplus funds as a slush fund, HB 500 sets the stage for new recurring expenses that will burden future budgets and crowd out tax relief. It also acts as a shell game to increase the base-year budget, expanding the spending cap for the next session. Instead of directing surplus dollars toward compressing and eliminating school M&O property taxes, HB 500 prioritizes pet projects and interest group giveaways. It deepens government bloat, undermines trust in budget transparency, and rewards lobbyist-driven politics over taxpayers. Fiscal conservatives should view this bill as a clear violation of prudent budgeting and oppose it outright. Taxpayers deserve relief—not more permanent spending disguised as one-time appropriations.