The Vincent Gray version of fiscal responsibility

D.C. Mayor Vincent C. Gray has cast himself as “Mr. Fiscally Responsible,” claiming to have reduced the size and cost of government while keeping the city within its approved budget. That’s all propaganda and sleight of hand. Consider this: Last December, Chief Financial Officer Natwar Gandhi revised upward by $42.2 million revenue projections for Fiscal year 2012. Gray has submitted to the city council a supplemental budget that would consume that entire amount, plus another $2.5 million. That’s amounts to $45 million over the current $10 billion budget.

Staying within the budget means sticking with authorized appropriations — not sticking with a budget you keep expanding. Gray has never seen a taxpayer dollar he doesn’t want to spend.