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Archive of Taxes & Budget on Tuesday June 30, 2009
Furloughs cut into state services
With states facing a $121 billion shortfall in the next fiscal year, a growing number of them have turned to squeezing their workforce for savings, and effects both great and small will be felt. Read More
US: States brace for shutdowns
INDIANAPOLIS and DENVER -- The last time Indiana missed its deadline for passing a budget and had to shut down the government was during the Civil War. But on Monday, as lawmakers raced to hammer out an agreement over school funding, state agencies began preparing 31,000 workers to be temporarily out of a job. Read More
PA: State budget agreement unlikely to meet deadline
Less than 24 hours remain for Democratic Gov. Ed Rendell and Republican legislative leaders to work out a new state budget on time, and neither side is optimistic about coming to an agreement anytime soon. Read More
AR: Tax cuts become law Wednesday
Arkansas grocers are hoping that budget-conscious shoppers, pinching pennies in a slow economy, will buy more food with the penny they when a 1-cent reduction in the state grocery tax goes into effect this week, a trade association spokeswoman said Monday. Read More
AZ: Brewer wants budget right away, but not those other, lesser bills
Gov. Jan Brewer sent her attorney to court last week to demand that lawmakers send her the bills they already have approved "immediately." Read More
AZ: GOP legislative leaders try to save budget deal
Fearing their vulnerable state budget deal might fall apart less than two days before the end of the fiscal year, Republican legislative leaders spent Monday figuring out a way to keep that spending plan alive. Read More
AZ: Ariz. lawmakers face midnight deadline on budget
Arizona legislators face a midnight deadline to approve a new budget to close a big revenue shortfall and prevent a possible state government shutdown. Read More
AZ: State services uncertain if government shuts down
The Legislature's fractured Republican majority struggled Monday to reach a budget agreement, bringing Arizona within hours of a nearly total government shutdown. Read More
AZ: Flat-tax compromise adds to budget logjam
If Arizona shifted to a flat tax, there would be a seesaw effect on tax bills: Down for high-income earners but up for some in the middle, according to an analysis in response to a last-minute policy proposal. Read More
AZ: Political Insider -- Harsh times make for harsh words
It's a given that tempers flare and nerves fray as the legislative session nears its finish. But on Saturday, an exchange got downright nasty. Read More
AZ: Lawmakers tackle flurry of bills
It was a manic Monday at the Legislature as the Senate and House flew through a flurry of bills in an effort to beat a theoretical June 30 deadline. Read More
CA: Lawmakers fail to fund volunteer program
CARSON CITY, Nev. — Nevada's AmeriCorps volunteer program is threatened because Gov. Jim Gibbons and lawmakers didn't approve $365,000 in state funds to qualify for $7.5 million in federal money. Read More
CA: State's most conservative county uses much cash
Sprawling across the northeastern corner of California, this huge, thickly forested county with more cows than people epitomizes the Western frontier - and what seems to be a two-faced political ideology. Modoc has the highest Republican registration of any county in California, it unfailingly elects anti-tax Republicans to office, and the vote here against last month's ballot measure that would have raised a variety of taxes was one of the most lopsided in the state. Read More
CA: No sign of budget with deadline approaching
Despite a deadline looming tonight, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and the Legislature were at a loss Monday over how to close the state's massive deficit, and there were no signs a compromise would be reached soon. Read More
CA: Rhetoric reigns as California IOU deadline nears
The quest to balance the state budget remained mired in sharp rhetoric and fruitless votes Monday, as the clock ticked nearer to California running out of cash and paying its bills with IOUs. Read More
CA: State might not be able to avoid issuing IOUs
With the clock ticking down on the current fiscal year, lawmakers and the governor appeared Monday like they might not be able to cut a deal to address California's $24.3 billion deficit before the state is scheduled to start issuing IOUs this week. Read More
CA: Schwarzenegger calls for two-tier state pension system
California public employee unions already reeling from pay cuts have been dealt a new blow by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger – a push to lower pension and retiree health care benefits for state workers hired after today. Read More
CA: California to issue IOUs to vendors, local governments
With the state poised to issue billions in IOUs in lieu of cash this week, California's budget crisis could create serious headaches for some private vendors and local governments. Read More
CA: Schwarzenegger says Democrats are wasting time on flawed budget plans
With only days before the state begins issuing IOUs, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger scolded Democrats Monday for "wasting time" on budget fixes he won't support while they accused him of making unreasonable demands. Read More
CA: Death row foes now fight the cost of executions
Nearly 3 1/2 years into a court-ordered suspension of executions, opponents have embraced a new argument: that Californians can't afford to carry out the death penalty in a constitutional manner. Read More
CO: Federal stimulus funds go to Colorado health care
Colorado will receive nearly $17 million in federal stimulus funds to repair and renovate 15 health-care centers across the state. Read More
CT: State budget talks continue as fiscal year winds down
If there are no last-minute dramatics today, the state's fiscal year will run out without a new state budget and the government will need to begin paying its bills by executive order Wednesday, when the new fiscal year begins. Read More
DE: Casino developer targets Delmar
Tucked away in Sussex County's southwestern corner, tiny Delmar is known for its state-straddling status, its historic highball railroad signal and its close-knit community. Read More
DE: With gap nearly closed, last day should be quiet
With the contentious battle over tax increases nearly completed in the House, today's final-day push in Legislative Hall could be strangely anticlimactic. Read More
DE: Critics -- Gross receipts tax damages local businesses
An impending hike in Delaware's gross receipts tax will bring in millions more to the First State's coffers in coming years, according to state projections. Read More
DE: High, low tax brackets spared
The highest- and lowest-paid Delawareans would catch a break under a measure that passed Monday night in the state House, a personal income tax hike that doesn't include proposed hits to those making less than $60,000 or an even greater burden on those making $150,000 and up. Read More
FL: Cigarette tax increase among new Fla. laws
Smokers will pay an additional $1 tax on a pack of cigarettes under one of 65 new state laws going into effect Wednesday, including a $66.5 billion budget. Read More
FL: Florida offers help to some with home down payment
Starting Wednesday, Florida hopes to stoke its real-estate market by becoming one of the few states to offer $8,000 in down-payment assistance to qualified homebuyers so they can benefit upfront from a new federal tax credit. Read More
FL: Top Florida officials spent $51K on plane commutes
Top Florida officials misused state resources to travel between the capital and their homes, costing taxpayers at least $51,000 and raising potential IRS violations, according to state investigators' findings that were removed from a final auditor's report. Read More
FL: State auditors say Florida officials are misusing travel system
Top Florida officials misused state money to travel between the capital and their homes, costing taxpayers at least $51,000 and raising potential IRS violations, according to state investigators' findings obtained Monday by the Times/Herald. Read More
GA: Ga. DOT awards 22 stimulus program contracts
Georgia's Department of Transportation says it has awarded 22 more projects worth $56.7 million under the federal stimulus program. Read More
HI: Governor signs budget bill for fiscal years 2010, 2011
Gov. Linda Lingle has signed into law a state spending plan for the next two fiscal years that begins this week. Read More
HI: Candidate faults Lingle's leadership
U.S. Rep. Neil Abercrombie, in a dig at Gov. Linda Lingle, said last night that bashing public-sector labor unions and making unilateral decisions is not the kind of leadership that can move the state forward. Read More
HI: University of Hawaii sports down $2.58M
Battered by what he termed "one of the toughest economies we've ever faced as an athletic department," University of Hawai'i athletic director Jim Donovan said he expects to report a $2.58 million deficit for the fiscal year that closes today. Read More
IA: Iowa program funds jobs projects
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa - Seven of the first eight projects funded by the state job creation and infrastructure rebuilding program are in Cedar Rapids, a city that officials say sustained more than half of the damage caused by June 2008 flooding in the state. Read More
IA: Proposed Casino Site Moved
HAMPTON, Iowa -- The site for a proposed casino in northern Iowa has been moved. Read More
ID: Do Idaho cars, trucks pay their fair share to use the roads?
A state advisory committee will oversee a study, using new federal methods, to see whether highway costs are fairly allocated among road users. Read More
IL: Lack of state budget deal won't be felt right away
The state's budget year ends today, and lawmakers are nowhere near a deal on a spending plan with Gov. Quinn. Does that mean someone shuts off the lights of state government at midnight? In a word, no. Read More
IL: House votes to borrow money amid budget mess
The Illinois House wants to borrow $2.3 billion to help piece together a new state budget. Read More
IN: Legislators may vote on budget today
A vote is expected today on a new state budget that gives Democrats and Republicans some, though not all, of what they wanted for education. Read More
IN: Budget deals going down to wire
With a state shutdown looming, negotiators reached a tentative agreement Monday night on a two-year, $28.5 million state budget that splinters both the Northwest Indiana delegation and the Democratic majority in the House. Read More
IN: A shutdown would ripple far beyond Statehouse
Ashley Graves, a 23-year-old Franklin resident, has a special reason for hoping legislators strike a deal. Read More
IN: Ballard loses round on plan to bail out CIB
State lawmakers late Monday ignored Mayor Greg Ballard's calls for fewer spending cuts for the Capital Improvement Board and granted him only one of the three tax increases he sought this year to plug the agency's projected $47 million deficit. Read More
IN: Vote on budget deal pending
Budget negotiators struck a tentative deal Monday that would leave the state with $1 billion in reserves and give most schools a modest increase statewide. Read More
IN: Legislators may vote on budget today
A vote is expected today on a new state budget that gives Democrats and Republicans some, though not all, of what they wanted for education. If approved by the legislature, the deal would avert a government shutdown. Read More
KS: State to use stimulus funds mostly to stop cuts
Sitting around a conference table, members of the governor's Cabinet pondered the impact of nearly $2 billion in federal stimulus money flowing into Kansas. Read More
KS: Officials await revenue estimates
Kansas officials may get an indication Tuesday of how revenues are shaping up as the 2009 fiscal year comes to a close. Read More
KS: Treasurer offers financial tips
There are some new tools for Kansans looking for sound financial advice. Read More
KS: Court reels from budget cuts
MANHATTAN, Kan. — The Riley County Courthouse is among those slashing services in the wake of budget cuts. Read More
KS: Gov. Parkinson expects there will be more budget cuts on the horizon
More state budget cuts are coming. That was the word Monday from Gov. Mark Parkinson, who said the current shortfall has grown to $135 million as the fiscal year ends Tuesday. Read More
LA: First 'one-stop shop' agency opens in La.
The first "one-stop shop" that will give residents a central location for assistance offered by several separate state agencies opened Monday. Read More
LA: State to buy land for restoration
A large portion of a $290 million influx of funding for coastal restoration and protection work will go toward purchasing rights-of-way and land for hurricane protection work in the New Orleans metro area, state officials said Monday. Read More
LA: State colleges trying to operate with less
While higher education was spared $219 million in proposed state budget cuts, colleges are now left with the task of slicing more than $100 million from their books and laying off hundreds of employees. Read More
LA: Budget change may spur layoffs
A late change to the state operating budget could trigger layoffs in the state Department of Education, top educators said Monday. Read More
MA: Deval Patrick acts on stars' behalf
Gov. Deval Patrick greenlighted the renewal of a controversial multimillion-dollar taxpayer-funded giveaway to Hollywood stars yesterday, even as he signed a $27.05 billion budget that squeezes the Bay State for another $860 million in new taxes. Read More
MA: Study - Weak economy bad for public health
A new study is calling for a large-scale public health campaign in Massachusetts to stop unhealthy behaviors that appear to be caused by the weak economy. Read More
MA: Mass. turnpike rescinds major toll increase
FRAMINGHAM, Mass. — The Massachusetts Turnpike Authority has four months to live. Transportation Secretary James Aloisi said Monday that the new Massachusetts Department of Transportation is expected to take over Turnpike operations in November. Read More
MA: Mass. toll hike scrapped; gov. approves budget
Gov. Deval Patrick has approved a new state budget that hikes the Massachusetts sales tax by 25 percent, largely preserves education spending, and makes deep cuts to other state services. Read More
MA: Patrick signs sales tax increase, sends back $147M in vetoes
The sales tax in Massachusetts will increase 25 percent on August 1, now that Gov. Patrick has signed a budget bill for the fiscal year that begins Wednesday. Read More
MA: Anticipating state revenue, Pike board kills $100m toll increase
After 18 months of threats, and three votes to raise tolls, the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority rescinded a controversial $100 million toll hike yesterday and will instead depend on money from a higher sales tax to cover its deficit. Read More
MA: Patrick hints at hike in gas tax
Governor Deval Patrick signed a budget yesterday that imposes more than $1 billion in additional taxes on Massachusetts residents and visitors, most of it through the first increase in the state sales tax in 33 years, even as he declined to rule out a future boost in the state gas tax. Read More
MA: Firefighters on disability race to retire
Nearly 30 Boston firefighters with pending disability claims filed for retirement yesterday, just two days before a new state law ends a controversial benefit that allows them to significantly enhance their pensions if they claim career-ending injuries occurred while filling in for a superior at a higher pay grade. Read More
MD: New group scrutinizes stimulus spending, transportation priorities
Maryland needs to get on track with investing stimulus dollars for transportation, a newly formed coalition of smart growth, business, environmental and faith groups said Monday. Read More
MI: Michigan to California -- Send us your prisoners
CHICAGO -- Michigan has to close prisons to save money. California's are bursting at the seams. Both states are struggling with huge budget gaps. Now, Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm has offered California some of the state's prisons that are slated to close at a yet-to-be-determined cost. Read More
MN: Wisconsin officials yet to agree to Pawlenty's tax reciprocity request
Gov. Tim Pawlenty is using an emergency provision to balance the books on his own through spending cuts and accounting shifts that begin July 1. Read More
MN: State budget cuts start hitting Wednesday
Minnesota's state budget meltdown finally starts to bite Wednesday. Read More
MN: New Minnesota sales tax begins
ST. PAUL, Minn. -- Mike Kilgore says the green Minnesotans pay in a higher tax beginning Wednesday will mean a greener Minnesota in a year. Read More
MO: Illinois borrowing measure to avert cuts
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. -- The Illinois House on Monday overwhelmingly approved a complicated $2.2 billion borrowing plan designed to forestall massive social service cuts in the shadow of the state's protracted budget crisis. Read More
MO: New law expands investments for Missouri treasurer
Gov. Jay Nixon signed legislation Monday that expands a low-interest loan program and lets Missouri earn more interest on the money it keeps in local banks. Read More
MS: Medicaid agreement reached
Late Monday night, House Speaker Billy McCoy, D-Rienzi, announced that an agreement had been reached on funding for Medicaid that if passed today would fund the agency for the fiscal year beginning Wednesday. Read More
MS: House, Senate OK new cig tax
State lawmakers in a special legislative session are trying to finish budget work today to prevent some government services from stopping when the new fiscal year begins Wednesday. Read More
NC: Mental hospitals may lose schools
Schools in the state's three psychiatric hospitals could be eliminated as officials consider making local school districts responsible for educating hospitalized children. Read More
NC: Mary Easley to fight termination
Former first lady Mary Easley's hiring left a trail of dethroned N.C. State officials, but she has notified the university that she doesn't plan to join them. Read More
NC: Temporary spending bill clears House
House members overwhelmingly approved a temporary spending bill Monday night, a little more than 24 hours before the current state budget expires. Read More
NJ: Governor Corzine signs $29 billion New Jersey state budget
Governor Jon Corzine Monday signed legislation adopting a $29 billion budget for FY2010 that is $1.8 billion less than the first budget he signed four years ago. Read More
NJ: State court furlough doesn't stop free mediation day in Monmouth
Although state courts were closed yesterday while judiciary employees were on furlough, members of the Monmouth Bar Association provided their own version of the People's Court by holding free mediation sessions in what they called "court alternative day." Read More
NJ: No freeze on family health program
Gov. Jon Corzine is scrapping plans to freeze parent enrollment in the NJ FamilyCare health insurance program for working poor families. Corzine had hoped to save $9 million by postponing plans to expand the eligibility for the free and low-cost managed care health plan. Read More
NJ: Corzine signs $29 billion N.J. budget
Gov. Corzine signed a $29 billion budget yesterday that he said managed the national recession by cutting spending but still making "the right choices" to preserve programs for education, the poor, and the elderly. Read More
NJ: Governor approves $29B tab
Gov. Jon Corzine signed into law yesterday the $29 billion state budget that was approved by both houses of the Legislature last week. The governor said the new budget, which increases taxes on cigarettes, wine, hard alcohol and high incomes, was the result of making difficult but correct choices amid a bad economy and declining revenues. Read More
NM: Pared-down Health Policy Commission gets new head
New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson has named a state Department of Health official to oversee the Health Policy Commission, which faces deep cuts in the budget year that begins Wednesday. Read More
NM: NM health centers to get federal funds
New Mexico will receive more than $12.8 million in federal stimulus funds to help increase access to health care for New Mexicans. Read More
NV: Nevada jeered, American Samoa cheered for stimulus Web sites
Nevada and American Samoa both launched Web sites in the same week of early March to keep track of the massive amounts of money that Congress had just approved under the so-called stimulus act. Unfortunately for the Silver State, a watchdog group compared the two. Read More
NV: Taxes about to increase as Legislature's work takes effect
This July 1 forever might be remembered as Black Wednesday in the annals of Nevada state government. Read More
NV: North-south fight over money may get new life
Recalculating the state's formula for funding higher education will take some higher math, but one part of the equation is already in place. Senate Majority Leader Steven Horsford and Assemblyman John Oceguera, the heir apparent to the Assembly speaker's post for the next session, say it's time. Read More
NY: Paterson warns tax revenues down
Gov. David Paterson warned Monday that state tax receipts this year are expected to be 35 percent lower than predictions only a few months ago. Read More
OH: Lawmakers butt heads on video slots, horse racing
What's the difference between video slot machines and video horse racing machines? Read More
OH: Slots debate holds up state budget
Acknowledging they would miss their deadline to pass a state budget for the first time in 18 years, state lawmakers opted instead to pass an emergency, seven-day budget. Read More
OH: Ohio Lottery switches to Greek operator Intralot
At 11:59 p.m. today, in an office park in Strongsville, state officials and a gaggle of computer technicians, some from Greece, will change how Ohioans get their lottery tickets. Read More
OH: Ohio set to OK temporary budget
Feuding over slot machines, lawmakers and Gov. Ted Strickland are poised to buy themselves a little time by enacting a temporary budget to keep state government afloat an extra week while talks on the next two-year spending plan go on. Read More
OK: 17 Oklahoma health centers to share funding
WASHINGTON — First lady Michelle Obama announced Monday that 17 community health center organizations in Oklahoma will share nearly $8 million in federal stimulus money for repairs, renovations or new equipment for health clinics. Read More
OR: Transparency bill gains approval
Oregon will be required to post all state revenue and spending details on a central, searchable Web site under a bill unanimously repassed by the House on Monday. Read More
OR: Lawmakers adjourn -- Economy dominates '09 session
Despite a multibillion dollar gap between falling tax collections and projected service costs, the Oregon Legislature shut down Monday night after completing the shortest session since 1995 — beating its mark of two years ago. Read More
OR: Oregon Senate puts illegal workers, bosses on notice
Lawmakers are set to crack down on businesses that hire illegal workers, don't pay taxes, or otherwise make it harder for law-abiding employers to compete. Read More
OR: Legislature gives DOJ money for civil rights, with restrictions
In its final hours, the 2009 Legislature is on track to approve $642,000 for a civil rights unit within the Department of Justice, something that hasn't existed for two decades. Read More
OR: Oregon Democrats gamble on improving economy
The Oregon Legislature's Democratic majority wagered heavily this session that the economy will soon be on the upswing. Read More
OR: Oregon's 2009 session ends with trail of big taxes
Oregon lawmakers, working a late-evening marathon to bring the six-month session to a close, barnstormed through a flurry of bills Monday, including a near total ban on field burning and a moratorium for online schools. Read More
OR: Buy that Prius now because tax credit could expire
Oregon's tax credit for gas-electric hybrid vehicles like the Toyota Prius and others will disappear Jan. 1 if the governor signs a bill that cleared its final hurdle Monday into law. Read More
PA: As Pennsylvania budget deadline looms, lobbyists flock to fundraisers
State Rep. Matt Gabler is barely seven months into his first term, but he's already schooled in the ways of the capital. One evening last week, the young Republican greeted lobbyists, fellow lawmakers and others entering his re-election fundraiser in a room above an Irish pub barely a block from the Capitol. Read More
PA: Open-records chief pleads for more money
The director of the state's Office of Open Records is trying to keep the office that was last year's legislative prize from suffering a painful budget cut. Read More
PA: Rendell requests FEMA aid for flood victims
In a letter addressed to President Barack Obama yesterday, Gov. Ed Rendell pleaded for federal assistance for flood-ravaged communities in Westmoreland and Allegheny counties that were drenched by record-setting rains June 17. Read More
PA: Pennsylvania House expands health insurance to low-income adults
Over Republican objections, state House Democrats voted yesterday to expand the state's adultBasic health insurance program to cover more than 130,000 low-income adults. Read More
RI: R.I. workers without jobs deliver a message that 'people want to work'
CRANSTON, R.I.— A group of unemployed workers met with officials of the state Department of Labor and Training on Monday mainly to seek more help in obtaining jobs and faster processing of claims for unemployment benefits. Read More
RI: Primary care focus of grants
One program will make it easier for people to get fast medical care on evenings and weekends. Another will help doctors push their patients toward healthy living. Still another will tell Spanish-speaking people where to find care when they have no health insurance. Read More
RI: Amazon cuts its R.I. ties over sales tax
The Internet giant Amazon.com has severed formal ties with all Rhode Island businesses, a move intended to shield the online retailer from the General Assembly's push to tax some online sales as soon as Wednesday. Read More
RI: R.I. Senate to hold session today, agenda uncertain
With the House of Representatives at a hiatus and House Speaker William J. Murphy about to head to Switzerland for a conference, the Senate will return to the State House Tuesday to deal with high-profile bills including a bid to ban indoor prostitution and a proposed statewide referendum on changing the name of this state. Read More
RI: With funding cuts, colleges revamp majors to save money
SOUTH KINGSTOWN, R.I. — Citing financial constraints and a desire to strengthen academic programs at the state's three public colleges, the Board of Governors for Higher Education Monday approved the elimination or consolidation of dozens of majors and ordered the review of dozens more that have consistently graduated fewer than 11 students a year. Read More
RI: Amazon cuts R.I. affiliate ties over taxes
SAN FRANCISCO -- Amazon.com Inc., the world's biggest Internet retailer, cut ties with its Rhode Island business affiliates after the state's assembly passed legislation requiring the company to collect taxes. Read More
SD: S.D. businesses socked
An unprecedented strain on South Dakota's unemployment compensation fund prompted officials Monday to announce charges on private businesses amounting to $150 for every employee. Read More
TX: Three issues, and lots of other bills
Gov. Perry has made it clear he has no plans to add anything more to the Legislature's special session agenda, besides the three issues already identified. Read More
TX: Ruling gives courts access to prison trust funds
Texas state prison convicts could soon see their trust funds — more than $33 million overseen by the state — getting tapped to pay overdue court costs and related expenses. Read More
TX: Toll road item may threaten session
The spoiler of Gov. Rick Perry's midsummer's dream of a three-day special session could be the "Nichols language." Read More
US: Governments grab unused gift cards
Some states faced with sinking tax collections and rising debt are going after unused gift cards that bolster their revenue. Read More
US: Ten states race to finish budgets
Ten states were scrambling Monday to pass budgets before a Tuesday deadline, with a handful -- including Arizona, Indiana and Mississippi -- facing the possibility of partial shutdowns if their legislatures don't act in time. Read More
UT: Health clinics get a share of federal recovery money
Patients at certain Utah community health centers will see holes patched in carpets and buildings renovated, receive home phone calls through new electronic record-keeping systems, and in a few cases see more fellow patients making appointments. Read More
UT: Utah recovery months away, consultant says
Like a timid swimmer watching for drop-offs on the pool bottom, Utah is cautiously inching its way through the recession. And experts predict it will be mid-2010 before a modest upturn indicates happier economic times for the Beehive State. Read More
VA: Va. issues nearly all '08 income tax refunds
The Virginia Department of Taxation has issued nearly all the state income tax refunds from 2008. Read More
VA: Va. Republicans drop fight over access to Kaine's DNC travel records
Virginia Republicans will appeal to the court of public opinion instead of a court of law to fight over access to Gov. Timothy M. Kaine's out-of-town travel records as Democratic National Committee chairman. Read More
VA: Rail spending applauded; overall maintenance booed
Maryland and the District have done a better job than Virginia in spending federal stimulus dollars earmarked for transportation, according to a report released yesterday by a smart-growth advocacy group. Read More
VA: Va. lawmakers question system upgrade contract
Lawmakers are starting to question whether Virginia should renegotiate or cancel a 10-year, $2 billion contract to upgrade the state's computer system, responding to what state officials call years of missed deadlines and poor service by the contractor. Read More
VT: Eight health centers receive federal funds
PLAINFIELD, Vt. – Eight community health centers in Vermont will receive almost $4.9 million in economic stimulus funds to address immediate and pressing facility and equipment needs. Read More
VT: Welch -- Climate bill a windfall for Vt.
A major climate bill narrowly passed by the U.S. House of Representatives last Friday could be a windfall for energy-efficiency efforts in Vermont. Read More
VT: Jobless fund running toward empty
Francis and Betsy Dittman lost their jobs in February. A few months later they lost their Jeffersonville apartment after they were denied unemployment benefits. Now, the couple in their early 50s have moved in with her parents in Colchester. Read More
WA: Lt. Gov. Owen travels to China
Lt. Gov. Brad Owen headed off Saturday for China on a privately paid trade trip that ends July 5. It's the Democrat's eighth jaunt to China since he took office in 1996, aides said. Read More
WA: Agencies don't need merger, says director
The state Department of Retirement Systems and the Health Care Authority don't need to merge, said Steve Hill, who has been the director of both agencies for four months. Read More
WA: Report -- State wrong to stiff Seattle on transpo stimulus $
A new report released Monday by Smart Growth America and the Transportation Choices Coalition criticized Washington and other states for spending too much economic stimulus money on building new roads and infrastructure and neglecting much-needed repairs to existing roads and transit. Read More
WA: $26.5 million boost for health centers
WASHINGTON -- Washington state will receive $26.5 million in federal funds to boost services at community health centers, first lady Michelle Obama announced Monday. Read More
WV: Speakers blast proposed cut to state retiree benefits
West Virginia will have trouble recruiting and retaining teachers, State Police troopers and other public employees if the Public Employees Insurance Agency cuts a subsidy for retiree health insurance, speakers told the agency's Finance Board Monday evening. Read More
Tracking the recession: Budget deadline looms
Unlike the federal government, states have to balance their budgets. But several states still have not completed spending plans for the fiscal year that begins July 1. Read More
Weekly wrap: Feds release long-awaited stimulus job guidelines
The Obama administration tells state officials to take "a simple headcount" of jobs saved or created by the stimulus program. Meanwhile, the demand for some special jobs is soaring. Officials also warn states not to shortchange education when balancing budgets. Read More
Ga. hotline aims to cut mental health costs
Read More
New section follows stimulus spending
Read More
Tracking the recession: States target jobs
Though unemployment is rising in nearly every state, aggressive efforts to create jobs are paying off — modestly — in many states. Read More
Tracking the recession: State leaders suffer political backlash
Voters are blaming governors and state legislators for the economic downturn, which could make it harder for them to win re-election next year. Read More
Reports: State income levels plunge
States racing to cobble together new budgets for their July 1 deadline could find themselves sinking back into red ink sooner than they think, as Americans’ income and the taxes they pay on it shrink, new data show. Read More
Weekly wrap: Sales tax fight splits GOP in Arizona
Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer (R) sues her own party over the budget. The U.S. labor department releases May unemployment data, and Illinois says it can’t afford to pay for indigent burials. For a quick update on the top recession news in the states, read Stateline.org's "Weekly wrap." Read More
Recession ushers in more tobacco taxes
In a double-whammy for smokers, the federal government and seven states raised taxes on cigarettes this year. But the new taxes plus President Obama's vow to sign a bill imposing sweeping regulation of the tobacco industry threaten to shrink cigarette sales — and revenues for state coffers. Read More
Federal stimulus dollars, state deficits -- and federalism
Even with well-timed help from the economic stimulus package, state governments will face a rough three years ahead, warns Raymond C. Scheppach, an economist and executive director of the National Governors Association, in his latest commentary for Stateline.org. With state budgets through 2011 expected to face shortfalls of $200 billion to $250 billion, the federal government should take care not to heap more costs on states with new legislative initiatives, Scheppach writes. Read More |
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