straight talk | FISCAL CHALLENGES
GET HONEST ABOUT SPENDING PROBLEMS Thomas Salmon State Auditor Vermont “The most special challenge is whether states can put their politics aside and focus on the outcomes that benefit the citizens. I hope that team-oriented states will productively hire consultants to help make the brave decisions if they can’t themselves (as a General Assembly). The urgent challenge is whether citizens, unions and politicians can be brutally honest with each other for the common good. Most have a spending problem from over-promising that has caught up to a revenue challenge; the time is right now… to deal with it.
straight
TALK
A New Year’s Fiscal Challenges
MORE DEFICITS ON THE HORIZON Sen. Jack Hill Appropriations Committee Chair Georgia
CAPITOL IDEAS
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NOV./DEC. 2010
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“As one of the five fastest-growing states, Georgia continues to have formula growth due to enrollment increases in K–12, universities and technical colleges. The higher education increases in enrollment are buoyed by the slow economy driving citizens back to school. Growth in Medicaid has also been a significant strain on the state finances. We expect any revenue growth will be consumed by increased demand for these state services. Additionally, FY 2012 offers new challenges for Georgia’s budget writers because of the end of Budget Stabilization and FMAP extension stimulus funds. Combined with the depletion of reserves and other one-time funds, Georgia will begin FY 2012 with an approximately $1.3 billion budget deficit to address.”
