In a rare display of fiscal sensibility, the Student Services Finance Committee has decided to drastically trim the pork from the budget presented to them by a student organization.

We applaud them for such a move.

Less than two weeks ago, SSFC voted to minimally fund Collegians for a Constructive Tomorrow for the 2006-07 fiscal year. As a result, the organization's budget request of $385,921 was reduced to the minimum amount of around $5,000. CFACT has received segregated fee funding the past three years and currently operates under a budget of $126,435 for the 2005-06 fiscal year.

Like other groups on campus who do not receive substantial segregated fees, CFACT will now have to find other ways next year to finance its hefty salaries, among other expenses, without the benefit of student welfare.

While we are pleased that SSFC has minimally funded CFACT for the next fiscal year, this organization is not the only group deserving of a drastic hack to its budget.

SSFC has concluded their business for the year, and within the next few weeks the Associated Students of Madison must approve all budgets decided by SSFC for the 2006-07 fiscal year. ASM should take it upon itself to continue the precedent SSFC has established by minimally funding all organizations similar in nature to CFACT, including a certain organization that had a budget of $123,209 approved this semester by SSFC. The examples of student groups deserving of a significant reduction in their budgets are not limited to the aforementioned case, but it would be a start.

SSFC's work this year may be over, but that doesn't mean ASM should rubber stamp the budgets approved by SSFC. ASM should critically analyze the budgets approved by the fee distribution organization, and with each vote, ASM should consider the wallets of the students of this university.

It's time the student government on this campus looks to help all students, instead of subsidizing the pockets of a select few.