The Williams Report
Budget
Alabama: The Alabama Senate passed a $2 billion dollar general fund budget. The increase is due primarily to $51 million dollars of additional appropriations to the Department of Corrections budget.
Alaska: With more than a third of the 90 day session spent, the Alaska legislature is far from a state budget deal.
Arizona: The state government continues to experience higher than expected revenues.
Connecticut: Budget discussions continue to devolve, setting up another, potential late budget.
Delaware: Delaware Gov. Carney seeks to reduce healthcare costs by establishing a Health Care Delivery and Cost Advisory Group.
Florida: While the path to a budget deal remains unclear, state legislators aim to finish the budget .
Georgia: Federal tax reform triggers a reduction in the state income tax rate to avoid an increase in state taxes paid along with an additional $500 million in cuts over 5 years
Idaho: Idaho legislators approve a 6 percent increase in state public school funding.
Illinois: The Illinois State Board of Education argues that being broke is not fair.
Kansas: Court mandated school spending begins to crowd out other core services.
Kentucky: Legislators begin the process of budget negotiations.
Louisiana: Louisiana legislators consider additional temporary taxes to address the “fiscal cliff” created by the expiration of current temporary taxes.
Massachusetts: The house is expected to approve its budget in April and the Senate will do so in May. If all goes well, Gov. Baker will sign a 2019 budget in June.
Minnesota: Minnesota’s revenue projections improve, shifting from red to $329 million dollars in the black.
Missouri: Legislators attempt to push forward with the budgeting process, with or without the governor.
Nebraska: While in Nebraska, revenue projections have increased by $55 million. Luckily, most of it will likely go toward replenishing the rainy day fund.
New Hampshire: New Hampshire senate advances a bill that would eliminate taxes on capital gains.
New Jersey: Rather than reducing their state taxes, New Jersey continues to explore federal tax evasion methods.
New York: New York’s Gov. Cuomo leads the way in trying to avoid internalizing the cost of their state and local taxes by offering 30 day amendments to the state budget which include a, largely symbolic, optional payroll tax and two sham charities.
Ohio: Ohio legislators have come to an agreement on the state’s capital budget, focusing on the opioid crisis and school construction.
Oklahoma: Gov. Fallin signed a 6.9 billion dollar budget, including a 2 percent cut across the board.
Oregon: Despite predictions that federal tax reform would bring down hellfire and brimstone, Oregon does not have a $200 million dollar deficit but instead a $100 million dollar surplus.
South Carolina: Healthcare costs ranging from Medicaid to state employee health insurance begins to crowd out other core services.
South Dakota: The state projects a $18 million dollar surplus, and several interest groups are already fighting over it.
Utah: State revenues are projected to be $500 million dollars higher than expected.
Virginia: The Virginia house budget includes Medicaid expansion whereas the senate does not, setting the stage for a budget battle.
Washington: The house aims to replace a portion of property taxes with capital gains taxes, stunting growth.
West Virginia: West Virginia raises teacher pay by 5 percent to end strike , but, as Senate Majority Leader Ferns explained, the state does not have the revenues to support it.
Wyoming: The house and senate are close to a budget deal, but revenue sources continue to be a sticking point.
Pension
Alaska: Solving the Alaskan state employee retirement system shortfall may require adjustments to the state constitution.
Arizona: The Arizona State Retirement System will increase employee contributions next year to stabilize the fund.
California: Both the political left and right now see the need to weaken the “California rule” and are sending briefs to the California Supreme Court in the hopes that it will be changed.
Connecticut: Rather than reforming the state pension plan, legislators consider transferring the state lottery to the treasurer.
Florida: Florida teachers explore divesting their pensions from gun companies, putting future retirees and taxpayers at risk.
Illinois: Half of the Illinois Board of Higher Education’s request for $3.4 billion dollars of additional funding would go to pensions.
Kentucky: Sadly, Kentucky legislator backed away from fully reforming the state pension system, opting instead for a halfway measure that does not solve the long-term principal-agent problem that plague state pension systems.
Louisiana: Systemic underfunding receives a rubber stamp over the objection of House Retirement Committee Chairman J. Kevin Pearson.
Montana: Rep. Burnett applied a 4.65 percent discount rate to the state administered retirement plans to estimate $700 million in unfunded pension liabilities.
New Jersey: New Jersey Democrats aim to use the state pension funds as a weapon against gun manufacturers, putting taxpayers and future retirees at risk.