ROMNEY RECORD: STRONG FISCAL LEADERSHIP

Governor Romney Has A Strong Record Of Fiscal Responsibility:

The Club For Growth: Governor Romney "Imposed Some Much-Needed Fiscal Discipline On A Very Liberal Massachusetts Legislature." (The Club For Growth, "Mitt Romney's Record On Economic Issues," Press Release, 8/21/07)

· The Club For Growth: "On balance, his record comes out more positive than negative, especially when one considers that average spending increased only 2.22% over his four years, well below the population plus inflation benchmark of nearly 3%." (The Club For Growth, "Mitt Romney's Record On Economic Issues," Press Release, 8/21/07)

Governor Romney Closed A Nearly $3 Billion Shortfall Without Raising Taxes. "When Mitt Romney became governor of Massachusetts in 2003, the state had a budget gap of almost $3 billion and was losing thousands of jobs a month. In Mr. Romney's four-year tenure, the deficit was eliminated without raising the sales tax or the income tax, and since the labor slump hit bottom in December 2003, the state has gained 81,000 jobs." (Pam Belluck, "Romney Candidacy Puts Massachusetts Economy In Spotlight," The New York Times, 3/16/07)

· To Close The Budget Gap, Governor Romney Forced The Legislature To Pass "Tremendous Spending Cuts." "Governor Romney receives credit for actual spending in FY 2003, even though he entered office halfway into the fiscal year, because of the tremendous spending cuts he forced down the Legislature's throat in January of 2003. Facing a $650 million deficit he inherited from the previous administration, Romney convinced the unfriendly State Legislature to grant him unilateral power to make budget cuts and unveiled $343 million in cuts to cities, healthcare, and state agencies. This fiscal discipline continued in 2004, in which Romney continued to slash 'nearly every part of state government' to close a $3 billion deficit." (The Club For Growth, "Mitt Romney's Record On Economic Issues," Press Release, 8/21/07)

Governor Romney Vetoed Hundreds Of Millions Of Dollars In Spending:

For All Four Of The Fiscal-Year Budgets That Crossed His Desk, Governor Romney Used The Line-Item Veto Power More Than 800 Times. Over the course of four budgets, Governor Romney made over 300 line-item reductions, 350 line-item eliminations and struck language 150 times. (Chapter 26 Of The Commonwealth Of Massachusetts Acts Of 2003, Governor's Veto Message, 6/30/03; Chapter 149 Of The Commonwealth Of Massachusetts Acts Of 2004, Governor's Veto Message, 6/25/04; Chapter 45 Of The Commonwealth Of Massachusetts Acts Of 2005, Governor's Veto Message, 6/30/05; Governor Mitt Romney, Memo To The Senate And House Of Representatives Of The Commonwealth Of Massachusetts; Fiscal Year 2007 General Appropriations Act Veto Items: Line Item Accounts, 7/8/06)

· Beacon Hill Institute Executive Director David Terck: "He Vetoed Hundreds Of Millions Of Dollars In Spending." (Fox News' "Journal Editorial Report," 3/31/07)

Governor Romney Cut The Size Of Government:

Governor Romney Successfully Consolidated And Restructured Several Government Agencies. "To his credit, Romney attempted to cut down on government spending by streamlining many duplicative and wasteful elements of Beacon Hill. … Governor Romney successfully consolidated the social service and public health bureaucracy and restructured the Metropolitan District Commission. Romney even eliminated half of the executive branch's press positions, saving $1.2 million. " (The Club For Growth, "Mitt Romney's Record On Economic Issues," Press Release, 8/21/07)