From the Capitol Times op-ed (hat tip juan): In fact, like just about every other state in the country, Wisconsin is managing in a weak economy. The difference is that Wisconsin is managing better — or at least it had been managing better until Walker took over. Despite shortfalls in revenue following the economic downturn […]

Brendan Fischer via PR Watch writes on the budget process in Wisconsin, with links here: Where is the Budget Crisis?. Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker alleges that dismantling public sector collective bargaining rights is made necessary by a $3.6 billion deficit in the next budget, and a $137 million shortfall this year. Setting aside the fact […]

The Best of State Tax Expenditure Disclosure is worth some comment: While the federal government offers no insight into where an estimated $1 trillion in tax breaks go every year, some states are beginning to provide information about which corporations benefit from local tax spending programs. None of the state websites are perfect, but their […]

You have to love Chris Christie. The man who said NJ couldn’t afford a tunnel whose cost with overruns was expected to be less than $10B is now backing a tunnel whose initial cost estimate is $13B. That the great state of New Jersey has sent an actual physicist to Congress, let alone supplies and […]

by Linda Beale Illinois’ deficit reduction scheme crossposted with Ataxingmatter States have generally suffered during this economic crisis much the way most people have–there’s been less money coming in as sales receipts slowed during the recession, more services needed as many become homeless, insuranceless and generally more vulnerable during the recession, and bills have continued […]

One of the best rules in mathematics is that, to determine the value of all the variables, you need only as many distinct equations as you have variables. (previous sentence edited for clarity.) So let’s combine a couple of recent articles (h/t Mark Thoma for the first, Digby for the second.) Richard Florida finds three […]

The National Association of State Budget Officers reports on the growing concern for state budgets. (hat tip MG) Spending Remains Lower than Pre-Recession Levels State general fund spending is forecast to rise 5.3 percent in fiscal 2011 as 35 states enacted a fiscal 2011 budget with general fund spending levels above those of fiscal 2010. […]

by Tom aka Rusty Rustbelt Medicaid Dilemmas – Part 1 Medicaid is a federal/state program covering poor people, with general services for all ages and long-term care (nursing home) services for the indigent elderly. State budgets are extremely tight, and many states are cutting reimbursements, including nursing home reimbursements. The majority of long-term nursing home […]

by Divorced one like Bush So you have been reading about the southern GOP’ers that are refusing parts of the stimulus money. Something about being true to their crede. Well, we here in RIland have a GOP governor who is doing one better. He want the money! The problem is in how he plans to […]