budget

The entire Republican Assembly caucus sent a letter to Gov. Corzine today urging him to reconsider his reluctance to cut more out of the state budget to deal with the looming financial crisis.

Republicans earlier this week pressured Corzine to reopen the budget in light of the nation’s fiscal emergency, to which he responded that he did not see an immediate need to do so and would “take responsible action as the facts unfold."

Corzine’s office said the budget was put together prudently and may be able to withstand the economic downturn.

“We, the undersigned members of the Assembly Republican Caucus, implore you to reconsider your refusal to revisit the budget for the current fiscal year and find more cuts to compensate for the loss of tax revenue that will be the inevitable result of the calamity on Wall Street and the continued loss of jobs,” read the Repubicans’ letter.

COLUMBUS - Gov. Ted Strickland said the national economy's performance has put Ohio's budget into deficit and called on President Bush and Congress to stimulate the economy.

Strickland said the national economy has slowed and taken Ohio down with it, reducing tax revenue and creating a $540 million budget shortfall for the final year of the state's biennial budget.

"Certainly the best long-term solution is to get the national and Ohio economies moving again," he said.

In the meantime, Strickland ordered $199 million in budget cuts and $339 million in "cash adjustments" to keep the state's budget in balance. The largest change to the budget is a 4.75 percent cut to the budgets of most state agencies. Strickland said these measures come after $733 million in budget adjustments last January.

Brendan Riley at the Associated Press has the ball on a story that will make most intelligent legislative candidates question if they really want to win and thus be required to attend the 2009 session.

The bad news is that taxable sales were down 2.5% for fiscal year 2008 over fiscal year 2007.  The numbers for June showed a 6% drop over the previous year, the steepest decline since the economic slowdown began.

In the theater of politics, expedient and easy trumps realistic and necessary. That's why no one - especially not Governor Chris Gregoire - will be advocating for a Washington income tax anytime soon.

But bleach works too. Here's a quick, chemically stripped update on the status of political transparency in Washington state.

“Capitalism is responsible for the current food crisis and starvation around the world,” the voice on the radio said. “Attend our Introduction to Marxism conference this Friday and learn about the merits of Marxism.” Driving up the New Jersey Turnpike, I was shocked to hear this commercial on a popular radio station, though I shouldn’t be. The Left is on the march and more emboldened than ever. So, like any good capitalist wanting to learn what the radical left is up to, I registered.

In the wee-hours of the morning the senate passed their proposed budget.  Now its up to the house to pass their budget, then the real budget negotiations can begin.  The house budget will be up for vote later today and sent to the senate.  Then after both bills are rejected the other chambers, a conference committee will be will be appointed and they will finally start working towards a budget that can get enough votes in each chamber to secure passage.

Did anyone notice that The New York Times completely overlooked the $32.9 billion budget adopted by the state legislature on Monday?

Despite its run-up to the grand event, nary a mention could be found on its inside pages or in the Metro section.

HARRISBURG, Pa. -- State workers wanted lawmakers to hear their displeasure over potential furloughs and flat funding -- literally. Members of the Service Employees International Union members gathered for a rally in the Capitol rotunda Monday afternoon, complete with chants that could likely be heard in both legislative chambers. Spokesmen and women urged the legislature to pass a budget by July 30 and ensure it contains funding increases for their myriad departments.

Despite recent reports of doom and gloom in regards to the budget being passed and signed in time for the July 1st deadline, insiders are confident a deal will be in place. Inside Edge has noticed that almost all of the reports over the last week have been about the breakdowns so we decided to reach out to some of the insiders. Despite those breakdowns insiders feel good about the process as a whole and believe an agreement will be reached in which Governor Janet Napolitano will sign. After talking to a staff member from both sides of the isle and a house member on background, all sides seem confident it will come together.