Archives: State Budgets / Articles
Archives: State Budgets / Articles (page 18)
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State Budget Solutions’ Fourth Annual State Debt Report
State Budget Solutions' (SBS) fourth annual State Debt Study reveals that state governments face a combined $5.1 trillion in debt.
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The Worst State Budget Gimmicks of 2013
State Budget Solutions has been keeping an eye on the bag of tricks employed by legislators and other budget officials. These budget gimmicks hide the true cost of government and set up states for fiscal calamity down the road.
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Another Reason States Should Be Wary of Medicaid Expansion
Missouri may be paying less for its Medicaid program next year, but it's for all the wrong reasons... maybe.
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Keeping a Federal Education Grant May Require Spending Even More Money
South Dakota's education system and budget officials are learning that the federal government's involvement in local issues does not pay off - literally or figuratively.
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Budget Gimmicks Update, October 2013
State officials have a deep bag of tricks to "solve" budget gaps. In reality, these gimmicks result in state budget that appear at first glance to be balanced, but looking past the smoke and mirrors reveals that they are very unbalanced.
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Medicaid Expansion Is the Price to Shift the Balance of Federalism
The debate over Medicaid expansion is as much about federalism and the issue of state control as it is about money-because these are ultimately one in the same.
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Medicaid Expansion: The Wrong Prescription for Virginia
Medicaid has fallen short of delivering proper health care to low income residents, and other expansions of Medicaid, done in a similar fashion to what is provided in the ACA, have fallen short of delivering the promised cost reductions.
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Hey Chicago, Whattya Say? Chapter 9 On the Way?
When Detroit filed for Chapter 9 municipal bankruptcy, observers offered many reasons for the city’s dire fiscal condition. A very narrow discussion just about Detroit’s condition fails to tell the the truth that approximately 100 cities across America face profound fiscal challenges very similar in scope—even with more diverse economies and steadier population. In fact, Chicago is one of those cities.
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Public Universities Lose Their Value as Costs Increase
The latest college rankings are out and public universities continue to be an important part of the conversation, even if their traditional "value" has decreased.
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Federal Sequestration Turns Into State Budget Cuts
As the federal government continues to make cuts due to sequestration, several states will find that a major revenue source is quickly drying up.
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Municipal Bankruptcy: An Overview for Local Officials
Cities and other municipalities falling on hard financial times is nothing new, but it is rare that any such entity files for bankruptcy as a way of addressing its massive debts.
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Federal Aid to the States 2008-2011
As the U.S. debt clock nears $16.5 trillion, shortfalls and deficits are the talk of the 2013 fiscal year. Not only does the deficit affect the federal government, but it affects state governments as well.
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How Reality-Based Budgeting Can Permanently Resolve State Budget Gaps
In 2012, numerous studies call necessary attention to the fiscal crisis in the states. State Budget Solutions' third annual state debt study revealed that aggregate debt across the 50 states amounted to $4.17 trillion.
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State Budget Crisis Task Force Outlines Extent of Illinois’ Budget Crisis
The State Budget Crisis Task Force, a group chaired by former New York Lieutenant Governor Richard Ravitch and former Federal Reserve Board Chair Paul Volcker, recently released a report focused on the critical state of Illinois' finances.
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State Budget Solutions’ Third Annual State Debt Report Shows Total State Debt Over $4 Trillion
For the third consecutive year, State Budget Solutions examined state debt and calculated the total amount of debt that each state faces. This year's report shows that aggregate debt across the 50 states amounted to $4.17 trillion.
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State Spending Transparency Portals Vary in Their Approaches and Results
In a way, the very idea of state budget reform presumes some basic level of government transparency. Yet the amount of information related to the spending of tax dollars provided by each of the state governments varies wildly.
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Is State Debt Constitutional?
A recent Rasmussen Report found that sixty-eight percent of voters view Congress' job performance as poor. Failure in the eyes of the public doesn't belong only to federal representatives. Many state legislatures face equally dismal public approval ratings.
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Budget Gimmicks Used by States
According to the Encyclopedia of Mental Disorders, "denial" is "the refusal to acknowledge the existence or severity of unpleasant external relations." Many states are ignoring the requirement to have a balance budget and thereby denying the reality that deep and permanent reductions are needed in the size and scope of government.
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Analysis of Total State Debt Shows Alaska, New Jersey, and Hawaii Among States in Worst Fiscal Situations
State Budget Solutions' (SBS) latest study reveals total state debt averages $13,754 for every American and $38,721 for each of the private sector workers in this country.
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Report Reveals Aggregate State Debt Exceeds $4 Trillion
State Budget Solutions' (SBS) second annual state deficit report reveals aggregate state debt presently exceeds $4 trillion.