The national spotlight may be focused Nov. 3 on elections for governor in New Jersey and Virginia, but voters elsewhere could take action to profoundly change the way their states get and spend taxpayers’ money.
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Archive of Taxes & Budget on Monday November 02, 2009
Spending limits, gambling top fiscal 2009 ballot measures
The national spotlight may be focused Nov. 3 on elections for governor in New Jersey and Virginia, but voters elsewhere could take action to profoundly change the way their states get and spend taxpayers’ money.
Read More
Budget 'fixes' run into trouble
TODAY'S TAKE: Unlike the federal government, almost every state is required by law to balance its budget. But that doesn't mean state lawmakers always balance the books in the most straightforward of ways: by matching revenues with spending. Read More
AL: Riley -- Contract 'buffoonery' just Democrats campaigning
Gov. Bob Riley turned the criticism over a multimillion-dollar consulting contract back on Democrats on Friday, saying they are gearing up for campaign season by attacking a company that has performed well for the state and criticizing decisions made by career state employees. Read More
AL: Alabama boasts lowest taxes in nation
Alabama residents and companies paid less in taxes than people and businesses in any other state in the 2007 fiscal year, based on total state and local taxes paid per resident, according to a review of U.S. Census Bureau reports. Read More
AL: Old Madison Pike widening may still be a year away
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. - Next month will be the 10th anniversary of then Gov. Don Siegleman's announcement that the state would widen the road. The project has languished for various reasons since. Read More
AR: Community youth services contractors feeling budget pinch
Some supervisors at nonprofit community-based programs tasked with rehabilitating troubled teens make barely $1 an hour more than youngsters working at fast-food restaurants. Read More
AR: The scoop on state scholarships
Lottery funds will go to the Arkansas Academic Challenge Scholarship program — established in 1991 — for high school seniors heading directly to college, current college students, or adults either starting college or returning. Read More
AR: Arkansas powers way into big-time jackpot
Arkansas' lottery plunged into selling tickets to the Powerball multimillion-dollar jackpot Saturday night, joining 30 other states, the District of Columbia and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Read More
AZ: DEQ director seeks higher business fees
Facing a cutback in state funding, the state's top environmental regulator wants businesses to pay more for the permits they need from his agency. Read More
AZ: Report -- More than 12,000 Arizona jobs created by stimulus
At least 12,283 Arizona jobs were saved or created directly by the federal stimulus through September, according to a preliminary look at detailed government reports to be released Friday afternoon. Read More
AZ: Rest-area cuts spur safety fears
Truck drivers say the consequence of closing rest areas around the state to save money is more dangerous highways. Read More
AZ: Navajo hope stimulus cash closes a revolving prison door
TUBA CITY, Ariz. -- More than 50,000 people are arrested across the Navajo reservation each year -- yet there are only 59 jail beds here. Read More
CA: California's fiscal health continues to deteriorate, despite many deep cuts
LOS ANGELES — Just three months after Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger cut, taxed and line-item-vetoed away a two-year budget gap of $26 billion, California faces billions of dollars in new shortfalls, with the problem likely to deepen in the next fiscal year. Read More
CA: Governor may get to pick No. 2
If Democratic Lt. Gov. John Garamendi wins a special congressional election Tuesday in the Democrat-leaning 10th Congressional District, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has the power to appoint Garamendi's replacement. Read More
CA: California lawmakers rarely defy party lines, analysis finds
It's more likely to rain in Death Valley on any given day than it is for a California legislator to vote in opposition to the majority of his or her party on any given bill, a new Bee analysis shows. Read More
CA: Taxes and bonds top local ballots
Across Southern California, recession-pinched cities and school districts are asking their voters for help in Tuesday's local elections. Read More
CO: Aspen biz group eyes taking on U.S. Chamber for its climate-denying ways
More Colorado companies and business organizations are piling on with the Obama administration in an escalating war of words with the rigidly conservative U.S. Chamber of Commerce over climate change and other points of contention. Read More
CO: Gates Foundation funds made available for state Race to the Top application
The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has announced that it will open up its offer of financial help with the Race to the Top application to all states. That's good news for Colorado, which will likely apply for the funds. Read More
CT: 7,500 jobs in state linked to stimulus
The federal economic stimulus package has helped create or retain more than 7,500 jobs in Connecticut, the Obama administration reported Friday, citing reports from the companies and state agencies that have received some of the $160 billion already distributed nationwide. Read More
FL: Emerging trends will change business
If the morning's coffee didn't get folks going early Friday at the FSU Real Estate Trends & Networking Conference, then John Doggett's assessment of emerging global conditions probably did. Maybe it was more like a splash of cold water in the face. Read More
FL: UCF student leaders urge students to find ideas to save Bright Futures
ORLANDO, Fla. -- Student-government leaders at the University of Central Florida, worried about future cuts and alterations to the state's Bright Futures merit scholarships, are working on proposals they hope will help preserve the program for future generations. Read More
FL: Department cracking down on business license violators
The Department of Business and Professional Regulation is planning statewide sweeps and stings this week to combat unlicensed business activity. Read More
FL: Caucus wants to lure film industry to Florida
Florida's Film, Entertainment and Television Caucus will make its debut Tuesday in Tallahassee as an advocate for the movie and TV business, aided by actor Jeffrey Donovan of the hit USA Network show "Burn Notice," which is filmed in Miami. Read More
FL: Foreign investors dominate in South Florida real estate purchases
While foreign cash buyers have boosted real estate sales in South Florida, developers want to make sure financing isn't the issue keeping even more from owning a home. Read More
GA: White House -- Stimulus responsible for almost 25,000 jobs in Ga.
Nearly 25,000 jobs have been created or saved so far through stimulus spending in Georgia, the federal government reported Friday. Most of those 24,681 jobs are in state or local governments or public school systems, according to state officials. Read More
GA: New mental health director faces difficult task, critics
Dr. Frank Shelp, commissioner of the state Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities, inherited services that had been buried in the state's sprawling bureaucracy, and which were loaded with problems. Read More
GA: State keeps 'triple-A' bond rating, but danger lurks
Wall Street's top bond-rating agencies confirmed Georgia's top-shelf financial status Friday, but one warned that the state faces an additional $360 million in budget cuts this fiscal year. Read More
GA: More high school students are taking courses online
FORSYTH, Ga. -- The state started offering virtual courses in 2005 because some schools, especially rural ones, couldn't offer many Advanced Placement or specialty courses, which left motivated students at a disadvantage. Read More
GA: Georgia governor candidates mixed on opt-out
The opt-out idea drew a mixed response from the cast of candidates for Georgia governor. Read More
GA: Campaign for Baldwin area House seat running red hot
The campaign to replace Bobby Parham in the Georgia Legislature has seen some mudslinging as the state Democratic Party tries to hold onto the seat, and the son of a Middle Georgia political legend tries to take it amid questions about his business practices and his past as a lobbyist. But the No. 1 political issue in Milledgeville and Baldwin County remains clear: jobs. Read More
GA: Substitute teachers aren't immune to cuts
After furloughing teachers and shrinking their support staffs, some Georgia school systems have a new target for budget cuts: substitute teachers. Read More
HI: Ruling on substitute teachers' underpayment case is upheld
The Intermediate Court of Appeals has upheld a 2005 Circuit Court ruling that found the Department of Education underpaid Hawaii substitute teachers millions of dollars. Read More
HI: Group pushing Hawaiians for census
In the 16th century, Big Island ruler Umi a Liloa made sure all native Hawaiians on the island were counted. Read More
HI: Stimulus choices draw fire
U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan wrote governors a letter last April explaining the purpose of $48.6 billion in federal stimulus money meant to stabilize public education during the recession. Read More
IA: Transit systems face difficulties with funding
Iowa's public transportation systems have huge hurdles ahead, state officials said Saturday. Read More
IA: Names of fired caregivers withheld
The state of Iowa is again keeping secret the names of some Iowans fired from care facilities because of criminal activity or abuse. Read More
IA: Ferentz still state's highest-paid employee
University of Iowa football coach Kirk Ferentz has remained Iowa's highest-paid state employee, a state employee salary database released today shows. Read More
IA: More cities hit hard for sewer violations
After issuing 28 sanctions for sewage permit violations and a couple of small fines, the state of Iowa filed a lawsuit in March against the city, alleging excess discharges dating back to at least 1991. Read More
IA: Carlson -- Present-day budget cuts reach into Iowa's past
Nobody is paying much attention to the part of government that educates Iowans about our heritage and preserves tens of thousands of artifacts, some dating back hundreds of years before Iowa became a state on Dec. 28, 1846. Read More
IA: Group holds summit on job options, health care
The summit, which was attended by church congregations, U.S. Rep. Leonard Boswell, U.S. Sen. Charles Grassley, state legislators and area business leaders, was held after AMOS member institutions held more than 300 small-group meetings this fall that asked people: "What pressures do you face in your family or household that you wish were different?" Read More
ID: Idaho school district to restart copier bids
The largest school district in the state plans to restart the bidding process with copier companies for their services in November, nearly three months after recanting on a decision to award the contract to Xerox Corp. Read More
ID: Visitors to Idaho's state parks will notice the cuts made at the Department of Parks and Recreation
At a time when state recreational facilities are seeing an 11 percent increase in visitors, the department is cutting staff and pinching every penny. Read More
IL: Illinois' borrowing bonanza
Facing both an election and the politically unpalatable prospects of raising taxes or cutting social programs, Gov. Pat Quinn and lawmakers increasingly have turned to borrowing as a quick fix and are on track to rack up more than $6.5 billion in loans to keep the state afloat. Read More
IL: Appeals for public transit help go nowhere
It isn't a doomsday forecast, but winter promises to be bleaker for commuters after Gov. Pat Quinn and lawmakers failed to come up with any financial relief for mass transit. Read More
IL: Stimulus gave state 16,000 school, highway jobs
According to figures released Friday by federal officials, the state had the seventh-most stimulus-related jobs of a total 640,329 across the country through the end of September. Read More
IL: State funding back in the red, Senior Services cuts staff again
Officials of Senior Services of Central Illinois thought the agency's finances might be back on track in August, when Senior Services, after numerous phone calls to legislators and state agencies, got a large payment from the state of Illinois. Read More
IL: Plan floated to limit local power over video poker
Faced with growing opposition to video gambling machines in bars and restaurants across the state, lawmakers moved Friday to make it harder for cities and counties to ban them in the future. Read More
IL: Quinn faces decision on hunting, fishing fees
Whether hunters and anglers soon have to pay more to indulge their hobbies is now in Gov. Pat Quinn's hands. Read More
IL: Pat Quinn accuses Dan Hynes of hitting spa in heat of budget mess
The race for the Democratic governor nomination got more combative Saturday when Gov. Pat Quinn launched a TV ad accusing Comptroller Dan Hynes of skipping out during the state's budget mess and "hitting a spa in Chicago." Read More
IL: Quinn appoints members to economic panel
CHICAGO -- Gov. Pat Quinn has appointed 35 members to the state's Economic Recovery Commission. Read More
IN: NW Indiana group hopes to attract federal money
HAMMOND, IND. -- A newly formed economic development district hopes to bring millions of dollars to northwest Indiana after years of missing out on federal money that could have helped redevelop the economically strapped region. Read More
IN: Schools slowly raise health costs for top staff
GREENWOOD, IND -- A struggling economy, rising costs and concerns about fairness have prompted Indiana school districts to slowly begin abandoning a long-held policy of offering administrators health insurance for $1 or less a year. Read More
IN: White House -- 16,000 Indiana jobs, 650,000 nationwide funded by stimulus
A new White House report on the number of jobs linked to the $787 billion federal stimulus program has re-ignited a debate over President Barack Obama's effort to jump-start the economy. Read More
KS: Parkinson raises the possibility of a tax hike as revenue comes up another $15 million short of projections
As state revenues continued to fall, Gov. Mark Parkinson said Friday that it's possible he'll propose a tax increase to lift the budget out of the hole. Read More
KS: Governor tabs new commerce secretary, defends Kerr
Gov. Mark Parkinson on Friday named William Thornton acting secretary of the Kansas Department of Commerce and vigorously defended the departing secretary, Dave Kerr, who has been accused of unethical conduct by House Republican leaders. Read More
KS: Can reducing the number of school districts solve state budget woes?
Kansas has 293 school districts ranging in size from West Solomon Valley in northwest Kansas with 39 students to Wichita with 49,744 students. Read More
KY: Lawmakers will face a$1.19 billion question
When lawmakers return to Frankfort in January, one number will loom large: $1.19 billion. According to preliminary estimates, that's how much money lawmakers must find in the couch cushions of state government to continue spending at current levels through June 2012. Read More
KY: New estimate cuts pension shortfall by $1.1 billion
A recently released report on the Kentucky Retirement Systems contains a speck of good news: the multi-billion dollar shortfall facing the state employee pension plan is $1.1 billion less than originally forecast. Read More
KY: KACo board in dark on excessive spending
A former president of the Kentucky Association of Counties was concerned when he found that the organization had spent thousands of dollars on staff Christmas gifts, he told state auditors recently. Read More
KY: KACo board in dark on excessive spending
A former president of the Kentucky Association of Counties was concerned when he found that the organization had spent thousands of dollars on staff Christmas gifts, he told state auditors recently. Read More
KY: Ohio voters could OK competition for Indiana, Kentucky gambling
INDIANAPOLIS -- A question on Tuesday's election ballot could determine whether Indiana loses more than $100 million in tax revenue and Kentucky's horseracing industry falls farther behind in the race for casino profits. Read More
KY: Bridge authority members named
Gov. Steve Beshear and Louisville Mayor Jerry Abramson on Friday named members of a new bi-state bridges authority — appointments that won the endorsement of groups with conflicting views of the Ohio River Bridges Project. Read More
LA: Civil service pay change on the table
Civil service officials are considering a system that gives individual government managers more of a say on which state workers get pay raises and how much. Read More
LA: Jefferson Parish faces tough budget decisions as sales tax revenue continues to decline
NEW ORLEANS, LA. -- Jefferson Parish's post-Hurricane Katrina boom in sales tax collections has officially gone bust. Read More
MA: Banks, collection firms pursue claims after homes foreclosed
Hank Lane figured that when he lost his Groton home to foreclosure in 2008, at least his long-running financial nightmare had come to an end. He was wrong. Read More
MA: New transit merger faces a few snarls
The Massachusetts Turnpike Authority runs a sophisticated control room in South Boston, where 60 feet of video monitors display real-time views from 550 traffic cameras across the state. Read More
MA: State cuts put holes in dental program
CAPE COD, Mass. -- Program organizers hope ... patients served by Cape Cod Dentist Care never find out. But they say the program is running out of money since the state ceased funding it as of June 30. Read More
MD: Foreclosure glut causing lawyer shortage
The pileup of foreclosure cases glutting local courtrooms has exposed a growing problem with the legal system: There just aren't enough lawyers to go around for all the struggling homeowners who need the help. Read More
MD: ICC was always intended to exclude most people
BALTIMORE, Md. -- There wasn't much public in the public hearing held by the Maryland Transportation Authority last week in Beltsville on its proposed tolls on the just-around-the-corner Intercounty Connector. Read More
MD: County hospitals took financial hits
Anne Arundel County's two hospitals lost more than $36 million in the last fiscal year, a figure that administrators at both facilities attribute to stock market fluctuations. Read More
ME: Study weighs Maine homeless housing costs
A new study says it's cheaper for taxpayers if government provides supportive housing for disabled, homeless people than it is to do nothing. Read More
MI: Granholm -- Signed budget painful
Gov. Jennifer Granholm vetoed more than 70 items Friday while signing the final six bills for a 2009-10 budget, but did not find enough funding to restore cuts to college scholarships, local government and Medicaid. (Also see: MI: 2010 budget reforms tougher) Read More
MI: Mid-Michigan may bear brunt of state cuts
Layoffs loom as dust settles from budget showdown. Read More
MI: Stimulus gives Michigan a jolt
Michigan has received $5.2 billion in federal stimulus money, split between 3,999 federal contracts, grants and loans, according to data released Friday by the White House. Read More
MI: 2010 budget reforms tougher
A still-struggling economy combined with a leaner stimulus package from the federal government spell deep trouble for a governor and Legislature that took an extra month to finish this year's budget. Read More
MI: State Public Service Commissioner -- Electric rates higher; Natural gas prices lower
MUSKEGON -- Consumers will face higher electrical rates but pay less this winter for natural gas as a transformation of Michigan's energy sector will emerge in the next five years. Read More
MI: Governor won't veto MSU Extension funding
Gov. Jennifer Granholm will not veto funding for the Michigan State University agricultural extension and experiment station programs, as many anticipated, state officials said Thursday. Read More
MI: Despite strange end to budget battle, Dillon, Bishop friendly
House speaker warns major hurdles are ahead. Read More
MI: Granholm -- Michigan budget 'fight is not over'
Gov. Jennifer Granholm put the 2009-10 budget to bed Friday, but vowed "the fight is not over" because cuts to priorities are "too painful." Read More
MI: MSU considers department closings
Squeezed by shrinking state funding, Michigan State University may close two of its departments -- Geological Sciences and Communicative Sciences and Disorders -- and discontinue several majors. Read More
MI: It's official -- State Fair a goner
Fans of the Michigan State Fair said most of their good-byes in September, when the oldest fair in the country closed for what they feared was the last time. Read More
MI: School bus inspections to resume
When Granholm signed a budget for the Michigan State Police today, she directed the department to find money within its own budget to continue the inspections. Read More
MO: Analysis -- Mo. cuts could unplug virtual school
Budget cuts could force a Missouri school to close midway through the academic year, leaving students with half-earned credits scrambling to complete their education. Read More
MS: Universities join for cost-saving measures
It's as predictable as day following night. Already hit with a 5 percent budget cut this year and bracing for another 3 percent cut, the state's university system is putting together cost-cutting plans to increase efficiency. Read More
MS: $3.3M provided for Greenville port
The Port of Greenville has received $3.3 million in state grants to begin upgrades. Work will begin in 2010. Read More
MT: Schweitzer criticized for backing single firm on $70M Internet stimulus project
Gov. Brian Schweitzer's recommendation that one firm get $70 million in federal stimulus funds to expand high-speed Internet service is being blasted by Montana telephone companies and regulators, who say the project won't extend new service to under-served areas. Read More
MT: State says stimulus money results in 4,100 jobs
Montana is reporting that federal stimulus money funneled through the state has so far resulted in more than 4,100 jobs created or saved by the cash infusion, and that most of them came in education and government. Read More
NC: NC Gov. Aycock historic site in Fremont to reopen
FREMONT, N.C. -- The boyhood home of former North Carolina Gov. Charles Aycock is ready for visitors again. Read More
ND: North Dakota property tax credit under study
State lawmakers are exploring whether to give most North Dakota homeowners the benefit of a property tax credit normally reserved for seniors and people with disabilities. Read More
NE: What might $335.5 million in state budget cuts look like?
Just how big is $335.5 million, the shortfall that state senators face in a special session this week? Shut down the state prison system for the next two years, and you'll be close to covering the shortfall. Read More
NE: Schools in tough spot if state cuts funds now
When lawmakers meet this week to talk budget cuts, education will undoubtedly be part of the discussion. State aid comprises about 70 percent of the $1.2 billion aid to local governments - the single biggest pot of money in the state budget. But for school districts, the prospect of cutting from this year's budget is daunting. Read More
NH: General Assembly passes bill to limit foreclosures
The run of foreclosures that has taken nearly 6,000 homes and rental properties away from struggling borrowers since January 2008 may soon be running a little more slowly. Read More
NH: Unemployment benefits ending
Unemployment benefits are running out for many state residents, and that number will increase each week unless Washington, D.C., approves an extension. Read More
NJ: Being a leader demands vision
Here are questions that haven't been asked during the gubernatorial election campaign: What kind of state should New Jersey be? How should its people live -- separately, divided by race and wealth? Or together, in integrated communities, sharing its riches and its problems? Read More
NM: Legislative leaders urge Guv to not cut Medicaid
Acknowledging the Governor's opinion that their budget fix may not protect the state's medicaid program from cuts "may very well be correct," New Mexico legislative leaders delivered a letter to Gov. Bill Richardson today, urging him not to make cuts to Medicaid, the program that provides health care funding for at least 450,000 low-income New Mexicans. Read More
NM: Lawmakers say governor using scare tactics on budget cuts
To some, it sounds like the latest in a list of Halloween-type scares: If Gov. Bill Richardson signs the budget cuts lawmakers approved last week, state parks could close, firefighters could get less training, public employees could be furloughed and there could be "an inability to provide sanitary conditions in parks statewide." Read More
NM: Get ready for challengers, educators' union warns state lawmakers
New Mexico state lawmakers struggled to pass a mid-year state budget fix last week, but in a possible sign of how difficult things may become politically, at least one public employee union is already throwing out a seldom-used threat in New Mexico: Democratic lawmakers, we'll work to unseat you if you cut education. Read More
NM: Firm faces big fine, possible loss of contract
A firm that took over management of the state's behavioral health care system July 1 has not paid millions of dollars to nonprofits and other companies for work they have completed, the state said Friday. Read More
NV: Morale of those with jobs a big issue amid cutbacks
The bad economic news in Las Vegas has become like winter rain in the Pacific Northwest — sometimes it comes in a torrent, other times a mist, but always there. Read More
NV: Banks seeing advantages of home short sales
A prominent real estate analyst says banks are showing more interest in working with financially pinched homeowners in the sales of their "underwater" homes by agreeing to take some of the hit themselves. Read More
NV: Companies vying to power Nevada's future
NV Energy's plan to build a transmission line to move electricity between the northern and southern parts of the state could unnecessarily stick ratepayers with a half-billion-dollar bill, the state's consumer advocate warns. Read More
NY: Taxes for road repairs raided by state
Highway and motor vehicle taxes dedicated to road and bridge repairs continue to be raided to pay the state's operating expenses, leading to a deterioration of New York's infrastructure, according to a report from the Comptroller's Office. Read More
NY: GOP petition drive targets license plate fees
County clerks across the state have started online petitions against planned increases in fees on license plates next year. Read More
OH: Casino bid in recession-battered Ohio
Ohio voters on Tuesday will decide whether the recession is a powerful enough force to bring casino gambling to their state. Among the forces arrayed against it: casino and racetrack operators that wouldn't benefit. Read More
OH: New study ranks top-earners among presidents of private colleges and universities
CLEVELAND, OHIO -- In a study of executive pay at private colleges and universities released today, it's the former president of an area college who stands out with a big payday. Read More
OH: Convicted ex-union leader gets state post
Michael Billirakis, the former Ohio teachers-union chief convicted of ethics violations while on the State Teachers Retirement System board, has a new state job. Read More
OH: Gambling opponents speak out
Opponents of the gambling issue on Tuesday's ballot stepped up their attacks yesterday on the Michigan businessman who would own two Ohio casinos, producing a retired police officer who said the would-be casino tycoon lied about his college arrest on suspicion of running a gambling ring. Read More
OH: Dann aide found to owe debt to workers' comp
the man at the heart of the scandal that toppled former Attorney General Marc Dann last year also shortchanged Ohio's workers' compensation fund by improperly classifying employees as independent contractors, a Bureau of Workers' Compensation panel ruled. Read More
OH: Stimulus jobs in Ohio exceed 17,000 so far, White House says
The federal stimulus package has created or saved 17,095 jobs in Ohio, based on reports covering spending through Sept. 30, the White House announced today. Read More
OH: Dann aide Gutierrez attempted fraud, workers' comp board rules
The man at the heart of the scandal that toppled former Attorney General Marc Dann last year also shortchanged Ohio's workers' compensation fund by improperly classifying employees as independent contractors, a Bureau of Workers Compensation panel ruled this week. Read More
OH: Boehner urges support of loan guarantee for Piketon
Under the category of keeping the pressure on, House Minority Leader John Boehner last week wrote to President Barack Obama urging him to make good on past promises to support a federal loan guarantee needed to finance a uranium-enrichment plant in Piketon, Ohio. Read More
OH: Absentee mailings might be factor in casino issue
With a close vote possible for Tuesday's casino ballot issue, opponents are concerned that the outcome could be affected by something that has nothing to do with gambling. Read More
OH: Casinos aren't only ballot issue
Of the three state issues Ohioans will decide Tuesday, one sparked red-hot controversy (casinos); the second stirred mild debate (livestock standards); and the third is off the radar (veterans bonuses). Read More
OK: Officials seek incentives to bring grocers to Oklahoma
Studies show nearly half the state lacks convenient access to nutritious foods. While grocery stores and supermarkets — stores with 50 or more employees — have decreased in the state in the past 10 years, convenience stores, which offer fast foods and snacks, have increased. Read More
OK: Oklahoma tag agents differ in donations
Some Oklahoma tag agents are breaking a law that requires they ask their customers to consider giving $1 for organ donation education, records show. Read More
OK: Today marks the first day of new Oklahoma laws
Most elements of a comprehensive lawsuit reform measure, agreed to in the last days of this year's legislative session after more than two years of bickering, are now law. It's one of nearly 200 state laws that will take effect today. Read More
OR: Bars to keep their lucrative cut of video gambling for next five years
The Oregon Lottery Commission voted unanimously Friday to let bars and taverns keep their current cut of video gambling profits but shortened their contracts slightly after public criticism over the length of the deal. Read More
OR: Stimulus spending adds nearly 10,000 jobs in Oregon
Federal officials said the spending has "created or saved" the equivalent of 640,239 full-time jobs nationwide. Of those, 9,653 belong to Oregonians, according to Friday's report. Read More
OR: State lowballed cost of green tax breaks
State officials deliberately underestimated the cost of Gov. Ted Kulongoski's plan to lure green energy companies to Oregon with big taxpayer subsidies, resulting in a program that cost 40 times more than unsuspecting lawmakers were told, an investigation by The Oregonian shows. Read More
OR: Stimulus keeps Oregon highway division busy
The deputy director of the Oregon Department of Transportation's Highway Division leads nearly 3,000 employees — more than most agencies — and manages a two-year budget of $3.6 billion. Read More
OR: Washington vote has some parallels with Oregon issues
Our neighbors to the north will be voting Tuesday on a couple of issues worth noting because they parallel past issues in Oregon. Read More
OR: State panel clears road projects under new law
The Oregon Transportation Commission has approved the first 14 projects under the 2009 law that will fund an estimated $3 billion in projects over the next decade. Read More
OR: Despite rhetoric in Vancouver mayor's race, decisions on tolls for I-5 lie elsewhere
In Washington, the Legislature and the Washington Transportation Commission hold all authority over bridge tolls. In Oregon, it's the Oregon Transportation Commission. Read More
PA: Pennsylvania revives plan to toll Interstate 80
The state is trying again to charge tolls on Interstate 80 and head off a giant gap in transportation funding next year. Read More
PA: Turnpike documents subpoenaed by state grand jury
A Turnpike Commission spokesman today confirmed the agency received a subpoena for records from a statewide grand jury investigating patronage and contracts at the agency. Read More
PA: Governor to Legislature -- Finish table games bill
Gov. Ed Rendell is calling for the Legislature to immediately return to the Capitol to finalize a key piece of the state budget, the legalization of table games in casinos. Read More
PA: PennDOT ramping up efforts on curb cuts
Lawsuits have prompted the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation to budget $820 million over the next decade to replace 117,000 handicapped curb ramps along state roads -- a program that attorneys say would be unnecessary had the agency installed the ramps properly the first time. Read More
PA: School taxes in Pennsylvania may soar to pay for pension promises
Think your school taxes were high this year? Start saving for 2012-13. Read More
PA: Eligibility for LIHEAP slashed; 20,000 families may be left out
With Pennsylvania's unemployment rate at its highest in more than 20 years, fewer low-income residents will be able to receive help paying their heating bills this winter. Read More
SC: How the Boeing deal was done
A week before North Charleston landed a new Boeing jet assembly line, U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham thought South Carolina had lost the deal. Read More
SC: Bringing Boeing to S.C. -- The art of the deal
Boeing had considered locating its first 787 Dreamliner assembly line on that chunk of property near Charleston International Airport in 2003. Unable to woo the aerospace giant from its home near Seattle at that time, state business leaders immediately looked toward a second chance. Read More
SC: S.C. State faces $6M shortfall
Orangeburg S.C> -- S.C. State University wanted to have 5,102 students this fall, a steppingstone toward its goal of having 6,000 students by 2014. Read More
SC: After 7 years, Sanford discovers compromise
Want proof that Gov. Mark Sanford may have changed his stripes? Read More
SD: Stimulus leaves some questioning job loss
"The stimulus bill is not delivering the benefits promised — including keeping people from losing their jobs," said Republican Sen. John Thune, a critic of the stimulus bill from the beginning. Read More
SD: Northern State prez announces capital campaign
Northern State president Jim Smith announced a $27 million capital campaign during his investiture ceremony on Friday. Read More
SD: Northern State prez announces capital campaign
Northern State president Jim Smith announced a $27 million capital campaign during his investiture ceremony on Friday. Read More
TN: Tennessee No. 1 in payback of debts
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. — Although people in the Volunteer State have filed for bankruptcy in record numbers in recent years, Tennessee is first among states for the number of residents who try to make good on their debts with court-approved payment plans. Read More
TN: Flood damage still not tallied
Officials from two of the Northwest Georgia counties hardest hit by flooding last month say they still are not sure just how much damage was done, even though state and federal emergency workers are gone. Read More
TX: Teachers' trainers must make the grade, too
Texas is among the first states to toughen its standards for colleges of education and other teacher-training programs amid criticism that too many are "cash cows" that produce weak instructors. Read More
US: Stimulus outlays by state, through Sept. 30
The Obama administration said that the U.S's fiscal stimulus program, with $159 billion in outlays through Sept. 30, has helped create or save around 640,000 jobs. Below, see how the money spent so far has been distributed state by state, and the number of jobs the government says have been created. Read More
US: State death taxes are the latest worry
With the federal estate tax disappearing for most people, state death taxes have emerged as a surprise new worry. Read More
US: Schools are where stimulus saved jobs, new data show
The best symbol of the $787 billion federal stimulus program turns out not to be a construction worker in a hard hat, but rather a classroom teacher saved from a layoff. Read More
UT: The highs and lows of Utah taxes
Imagine two homes with exactly the same $250,000 value, except that one is in the canyonlands country of Blanding and the other is near the crystal blue waters of Bear Lake. Read More
UT: Funds dwindling to oversee Utah's hazardous waste
Businesses that handle some of Utah's most dangerous materials are being inspected less often because of dwindling funds to pay for the work. Read More
VA: Welcome to work, governor. Time to slash.
HAMPTON ROADS, Va. -- The new governor elected Tuesday will be brimming with ideas on how to move Virginia forward, but one of his first jobs will likely be proposing deep cuts in state spending to deal with a budget shortfall of at least $1 billion. Read More
VA: Tax amnesty brings in $5M, and counting, for Virginia
Almost halfway through its tax-amnesty program, Virginia's Department of Taxation said it has collected about 12 percent of its $48 million goal. Read More
WA: Job stimulus report suffers from fuzzy math
New numbers released by the federal government Friday estimate that the federal stimulus package has helped create or save 34,500 total jobs in Washington, making it the state with the third-largest reported number of stimulus jobs, behind California and New York. Read More
WA: Wash. stimulus update shows more than $1.4B spent
More than $1.4 billion in federal stimulus money has been spent in Washington state, and the influx of cash has helped pay for tens of thousands of jobs, officials said Friday. Read More
WA: State's jobless seek support
The Senate is expected to act this week on extending the benefits for 14 weeks, with an additional six weeks for states with unemployment rates above 8.5 percent. Read More
WI: Drunken driving, education issues face Legislature
Toughening the state's drunken driving laws and passing education reforms to help Wisconsin qualify for federal stimulus money are just two of the many issues facing lawmakers in their final week in session. Read More
WI: Expanded health coverage won't include companies that self-insure
The expansion of health coverage for young adults under family plans in Wisconsin potentially will change the insurance picture for many state residents, but far from all. Read More
WV: State hopes to publish veterans' biographies
They live on through names engraved in granite, but a memorial dedicated to the West Virginia men and women who died in military service during major 20th Century wars reveals nothing of their personal stories. Read More
WV: Manchin gets involved with swine flu efforts
Gov. Joe Manchin is getting involved with the fight against swine flu. Manchin is due to brief the media about H1N1 with state Chief Health Officer Dr. Cathy Slemp on Monday morning at the Capitol. Read More
WV: W.Va. stimulus spending credited for 2,400 jobs
More than 2,400 jobs have been saved or created in West Virginia because of federal stimulus funding, according to those who have been spending the money. Read More
WV: W.Va. justice slams DHHR's ability to protect kids
For the second time this year, a West Virginia Supreme Court justice has blasted the Department of Health and Human Resources by suggesting the agency has systemic problems that need rapid correction. Read More
WY: Hathaway dollars won't go as far
The Hathaway Scholarship Fund dollars won't stretch as far as they do now if the University of Wyoming Board of Trustees approves a tuition increase, key legislators say. Read More
Poll -- Economy colors Florida voters' top concerns
A poll of Florida voters shows healthcare as the top issue, followed by unemployment -- with concerns for the economy a common link. Read More
Weekly wrap: Rating agency slams Conn. on borrowing
Agency lowers Conn. credit outlook; federal broadband grants will be delayed a month; and confusion continues on stimulus job claims. Read More |
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