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>>http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/us_state_budgets<<
SACRAMENTO, Calif. – States from coast to coast began a new fiscal year Wednesday with no budget plans and with cash quickly running out, sending some to the brink of shutdown and forcing others to furlough workers and cut services.

In California, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger declared a fiscal emergency and ordered state offices closed three days a month to save money as the state sank deeper into dysfunction. State officials plan to pay bills with IOUs starting Thursday.

But the pain extends far beyond the West Coast. The governor of Pennsylvania is proposing a 16 percent tax increase. A budget veto by the Illinois governor left the state with no spending plan at all. Indiana barely avoided a shutdown.

In most states, the debate centers on whether states should be raising taxes to bridge the budget gaps. Schwarzenegger said he wouldn't sign anything that raised taxes or fees beyond what he has already proposed.

"I'm proud of California, even though we have our crisis," the governor said. "No one can point fingers, because as you can see, there are 30 states right now that have their fiscal year starting today that also don't have a budget, so I mean let's not get carried away and just look at California as we are the only state that cannot manage the budget."

The recession has taken a devastating toll on tax revenues and state finances. States had a cumulative $121 billion budget gap in crafting this year's budgets — and the gap would be even bigger without federal stimulus money, said Todd Haggerty, a research analyst at the National Conference of State Legislatures.

"You can't look to any one region that's performing better than the others," Haggerty said. "You can see Arizona and California in the west, Ohio and Illinois in the middle and Pennsylvania and North Carolina in the east."

The NCSL says seven states — Arizona, Connecticut, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, Ohio and Pennsylvania — have experienced delays or had to extend their sessions to deliberate on the budget. <more>

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Originally posted by ArtMarsh:

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Originally posted by floersh:

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Originally posted by ArtMarsh:

A couple of suprises from your chart.

Oregon.. Way to go.. One liberal state not in trouble.. Not many in their club..

Michigan.. I would have figured they'd be in more trouble.. Humm..

Kansas.. Where I grew up.. Much worse off then her neighbors. Must be that new governor they've had for the past couple of years.

California, Illinois, New York.. No big suprise but I am suprised Mass isn't up there with them..

Alaska.. Even with all that oil money they are running that far behind?? Ok then..

Mississippi.. Finally something they aren't the worst at..

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Are you bad-mouthing California over its failed budget deficit???

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Originally posted by greywolfghost:

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Are you bad-mouthing California over its failed budget deficit???

Most of my complaints about Calipornia have to do with its cesspool mindset, originating in commiewood and San Fransissy which it continually pushes on the rest of the nation - -

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Originally posted by threerings:
I'm laughing at all of them, and the voters that accept this stupidity.

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Originally posted by greywolfghost:
They could put a 50% tax on all the sm-ut and sludge created there and instantly be the richest state government in the nation -

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Is the fiscal crisis here in California Arnold's fault? Absolutely not. This is a man who came to America with nothing but a jar of protein powder and a nice pair of 36D-cup breasts and became the biggest star in Hollywood despite never learning to speak English.

It's not Arnold's fault that California has a worse credit rating than Louisiana, a state that's half underwater and half in the bag.

You see, our state is designed to be ungovernable because we govern by ballot initiative, and we only write two kinds of them: "Spend money on things I like" and "Don't raise my taxes." More money for teachers and firefighters? Check "yes"! High-speed rail? "Cooool!" Drug treatment for former child actors? "Sure, why not?" But don't even think of taxing me for any of it...

This desire to have everything and give up nothing is a national condition, not just a California thing.

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You see, our state is designed to be ungovernable because we govern by ballot initiative, and we only write two kinds of them: "Spend money on things I like" and "Don't raise my taxes." More money for teachers and firefighters? Check "yes"! High-speed rail? "Cooool!" Drug treatment for former child actors? "Sure, why not?" But don't even think of taxing me for any of it...

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Originally posted by Fightdirector:

You see, our state is designed to be ungovernable because we govern by ballot initiative

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Originally posted by floersh:

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Originally posted by ArtMarsh:

A couple of suprises from your chart. I agree. I was very surprised by the actual numbers and places having the problems. Everyone always knows about California because of the sheer size and magnitude of running a state with such a huge economy base.

Oregon.. Way to go.. One liberal state not in trouble.. Not many in their club.. Oregon was not included in this report because it is only midway through it's 2 year budget

Michigan.. I would have figured they'd be in more trouble.. Humm..

Kansas.. Where I grew up.. Much worse off then her neighbors. Must be that new governor they've had for the past couple of years. I expect it has more to do with the Republican solidly controlled legislature that it did with the Governor herself. If you will remember the very public political games the Republicans pulled just to get her to sign the stopgap legislation they crafted... even whe she was on record as going to approve anyway. The Republicans are more interested in showing that they have the biggest co(c)k to swing. I expect that had more to do with the mess they are in than anything else.

California, Illinois, New York.. No big suprise but I am suprised Mass isn't up there with them..

Alaska.. Even with all that oil money they are running that far behind?? Ok then..

Mississippi.. Finally something they aren't the worst at..

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Are you bad-mouthing California over its failed budget deficit???

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Originally posted by greywolfghost:

quote:

Are you bad-mouthing California over its failed budget deficit???

Most of my complaints about Calipornia have to do with its cesspool mindset, originating in commiewood and San Fransissy which it continually pushes on the rest of the nation - -

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Originally posted by greywolfghost:
They could put a 50% tax on all the sm-ut and sludge created there and instantly be the richest state government in the nation -

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Originally posted by ArtMarsh:

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Originally posted by greywolfghost:
They could put a 50% tax on all the sm-ut and sludge created there and instantly be the richest state government in the nation -

They already ARE the richest state government in the nation.

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Originally posted by m551sheridan:
I live in one of them - Washington. And I hope the place takes it in the shorts.. and I hope the Feds do not attempt a bailout, for any of the states..... teach them a lesson for giving the whole shebang to those who didn't earn it.

The downside?....... these states will sacrifice needed services, ie. Police, fire, etc., before they cut off those who leach off the welfare/social services.

Just watch what suffers in California..... They have already said they'll need to lay off police and firemen..... haven't heard anything about cutting back benefits/services for illegals and those who show no inclination of wanting to work. If the feds bail out these states we're doomed, the USA as we know it will be no more. Obama must be reacting like Pavlov's dog.

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Originally posted by I_M_Qwerty:

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Are you bad-mouthing California over its failed budget deficit???

Yep ... and Alabama has one and we are dealing with ours ... without crying in the national media or making excuses. Further ... it is a pimple on a knat's ass compared to the debt California has run up ... while telling the rest of us how wonderful they are and how they lead the nation on social and environmental issues. I got my tax refund from Alabama ... good luck to the citizens of California spending their IOUs ...

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Originally posted by I_M_Qwerty:

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Originally posted by ArtMarsh:

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Originally posted by greywolfghost:
They could put a 50% tax on all the sm-ut and sludge created there and instantly be the richest state government in the nation -

They already ARE the richest state government in the nation.

Hardly.

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Originally posted by ArtMarsh:

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Originally posted by I_M_Qwerty:

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Are you bad-mouthing California over its failed budget deficit???

Yep ... and Alabama has one and we are dealing with ours ... without crying in the national media or making excuses. Further ... it is a pimple on a knat's ass compared to the debt California has run up ... while telling the rest of us how wonderful they are and how they lead the nation on social and environmental issues. I got my tax refund from Alabama ... good luck to the citizens of California spending their IOUs ...

You cannot compare the two states... LOL!

Do a simple ratio on the GDP or revenue and fold that into the budgets and then compare the two states. Might be interesting to see that result. California deals with a whole lot more than Alabama has to contend with.

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Originally posted by I_M_Qwerty:

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Originally posted by ArtMarsh:

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Originally posted by I_M_Qwerty:

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Are you bad-mouthing California over its failed budget deficit???

Yep ... and Alabama has one and we are dealing with ours ... without crying in the national media or making excuses. Further ... it is a pimple on a knat's ass compared to the debt California has run up ... while telling the rest of us how wonderful they are and how they lead the nation on social and environmental issues. I got my tax refund from Alabama ... good luck to the citizens of California spending their IOUs ...

You cannot compare the two states... LOL!

Do a simple ratio on the GDP or revenue and fold that into the budgets and then compare the two states. Might be interesting to see that result. California deals with a whole lot more than Alabama has to contend with.

On that, I agree ... but ... CA chose to contend with the things it contends with and how to contend with them ... and now gets to live with the results. When you live extravagently during good times, don't cry when the shoe pinches during the bad times. It is too bad that CA's rainy day fund is a bunch of newly printed IOUs. The first post on this thread made the point that other states are in deficit ... so apparently the OP believed there was a basis for comparison ... even if you do not.

California IS rich in state parks ... but rumor has it the Fed is looking at taking at least some of them over.

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Originally posted by I_M_Qwerty:

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Originally posted by ArtMarsh:

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Originally posted by I_M_Qwerty:

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Are you bad-mouthing California over its failed budget deficit???

Yep ... and Alabama has one and we are dealing with ours ... without crying in the national media or making excuses. Further ... it is a pimple on a knat's ass compared to the debt California has run up ... while telling the rest of us how wonderful they are and how they lead the nation on social and environmental issues. I got my tax refund from Alabama ... good luck to the citizens of California spending their IOUs ...

You cannot compare the two states... LOL!

Do a simple ratio on the GDP or revenue and fold that into the budgets and then compare the two states. Might be interesting to see that result. California deals with a whole lot more than Alabama has to contend with.

On that, I agree ... but ... CA chose to contend with the things it contends with and how to contend with them ... and now gets to live with the results. When you live extravegantly during good times, don't cry when the shoe pinches during the bad times. It is too bad that CA's rainy day fund is a bunch of newly printed IOUs.

California IS rich in state parks ... but rumor has it the Fed is looking at taking at least some of them over.