state budget crisis

The Great Fee Squeeze By State & Local Governments

Here is comes, your State & Local Governments are so broke, they are now squeezing people with fees, digging up cash where ever they can. They are even charging non-profits and churches.

The Wall Street Journal:

Some cities are charging religious groups property taxes on buildings no longer used for worship. Other localities are soliciting voluntary contributions. Albany, N.Y., recently passed an ordinance asking schools, hospitals and other nonprofits to contribute to city services.

In Minneapolis, residents recently began paying a street-light fee that also applies to nonprofits, which in some places pay fees for elevator safety and fire inspection.

Drainage fees that apply to nonprofits have been adopted by cities that include Richmond, Va.; Lafayette, Ind.; and Verona, Wis. Such fees are emerging now because the federal government has been cracking down on how cities handle the rain that rolls off roofs, parking lots, and other impervious surfaces, sometimes causing floods and ripping up roads. The runoff can collect debris, oil and other pollutants and ultimately drag it all into the nation's waterways.

'Doomsday is here for the state of Illinois'

While everyone focuses on the very real budget problems in California, another major state is about to go under.

To become solvent, the state must enact the largest tax-increase package in Illinois history, whack another $2 billion from already starved government programs and wrest major financial concessions from the state's unionized work force, a nonpartisan government watchdog contends.
In a new analysis of Illinois' "horrific" finances, the Civic Federation lays out the painful choices awaiting Gov. Quinn and the Legislature as they stare down an epic $12.8 billion budget deficit that has choked the flow of state cash to public universities and schools, transit systems and social-service agencies to the point of economic collapse.
"Doomsday is here for the State of Illinois," said Laurence Msall, the organization's president.

Expecting a tax refund? Better file quick

Last year California delayed their tax refunds because they simply ran out of money to pay them. This year problem is going to be much more widespread.

As New York weighs a potential delay, two other cash-strapped states, North Carolina and Hawaii, have already announced they will put a hold on refunds until June and July, respectively, allowing them to retain funds longer and cover their budget shortfalls with hundreds of millions of dollars owed to individuals and businesses.
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State budget problems could lead to 900,000 job losses

If this article is right, then the job losses at the state level has barely started unless the federal government bails them out.

States are looking at a total budget gap of $180 billion for fiscal 2011, which for most of them begins July 1. These cuts could lead to a loss of 900,000 jobs, according to Mark Zandi, chief economist of Moody's Economy.com.

State budgets in terrible condition

It's well known how bad the California state budget is, but it isn't as well known just how bad other states are in.
The Automatic Earth has compiled a list of articles which reveals the extent of the distress.

Will California become a failed state?

Connecticut's new budget already in trouble

Pennsylvania budget falls apart

Will New York become the next California?

Ohio Supreme Court throws out state budget