Majority of States Face Budget Woes

The National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) wraps up today in New Orleans. A report on State Budgets, released on Wednesday, reveals that Hawaii is not alone in facing a decline in state revenues for fiscal year 2009, and that the gaps between budgets and expenditure plans range from $13 billion up to over $40 billion. Most states, however, have determined the actions they need to take to balance their budgets. Some bullets:

• Largest concern seems to be anemic sales tax collections.
• Not every state faces fiscal challenges. States that tie their tax base to natural resources have escaped major problems.
• Few states have raised taxes to remedy the problem; most are cutting spending.
• Four states will reduce the size of state workforce, including not filling vacant positions.
• Nine states report a hiring freeze.
• Massachusetts, Minnesota and Nevada report tapping into their rainy day or other state fund.
• Industry sectors having the greatest negative impact on state budgets were financial services, manufacturing and housing.
• Industry sectors having the greatest positive impact on state budgets were leisure & hospitality, natural resources and agriculture.