How is your state doing, fiscally?

[kalanamak]

Today's news (link is to a state government site):

 

http://www.governor.wa.gov/news/news-view.asp?pressRelease=1622&newsType=1

 

I'm seeing so many more homeless people this year. How is your state/area doing?

[Starr]

:lol: That's all one can do.

[Nicole M]

Today I took a peek at the "highlights" of the state budget proposal, and was aghast. I am concerned, especially about funding cuts in health care and education. Cutting the Food Assistance program also concerns me. And yes, I'm seeing more homeless. We have a marked increase in crime in our area, as well, and apparently crime always increases in times of economic downturn. Distressing.

[ElizabethB]

We moved from the number one broke state to the new number one broke state...they passed up CA just after we moved there. I told my husband that I am sure it is all his fault somehow.

 

My home state is doing poorly, too, but his home state is doing fairly well compared to everyone else. (Hmmm, so maybe I might be the link...)

[m0mmaBuck]

Today's news (link is to a state government site):

 

http://www.governor.wa.gov/news/news-view.asp?pressRelease=1622&newsType=1

 

I'm seeing so many more homeless people this year. How is your state/area doing?

 

Well, I think you know.

 

As for the homeless, there is definitely an increase. My county is looking for a way to regulate Camp Quixote:

 

http://www.theolympian.com/2010/03/04/1159880/county-may-regulate-tent-cities.html

[littlebug42]

Not well. Our state law requires a balanced budget also so cuts must be made. We have a new governor coming in January so it will be interesting. My husband works for a state university and last year, his yearly raise was delayed by 6 months because the governor and legislature couldn't agree on where the cuts needed to be made. I hope that doesn't happen to us again this year.

[jld]

We have a big deficit in our state as well. And we have a new governor, who I am sure is going to do foolish things like sell state assets or lease them out, like in IL, for next to nothing just to get temp. help for the budget.

 

Honestly, I don't know why we can't have honest politicians who face facts and hold the numbers right up to the light for people to see. They need to explain to people that if we want to keep basic services, like state health care for low-income people (and that could be most of us if we lost our jobs), clean, safe roads, libraries, and some kind of decent schools, we are going to have to pay more taxes as well as cut whatever waste they can find in the budget.

 

Did you see regentrude's post on asta's thread on the high school board? It's worth reading. I'm sure our new governor, not college-educated himself, will be making cuts to higher ed.

 

I wish people could see beyond tax cuts to what taxes pay for. I'm all for rooting out corruption, and exposing it to the light of day, but I don't see how we can continue to provide basic services to people without more revenue. And to people who say we should just stop basic services . . . well, I don't think you realize what that would look like. But I think we may find out.

[Liz CA]

California - need I say more?

[MyLittleWonders]

California - need I say more?

 

:iagree: :glare:

[Renee in NC]

I think FL may implode before it is all over.:glare: The budget cuts in my county are why the district wanted my 9yo to go into a self-contained classroom at another school instead of staying in the regular room and getting resource.:glare:

[Ottakee]

We are in Michigan which has a terrible economy right now. Unemployment in our area is about 22% right now---and that is just those that still qualify for unemployment---not the moms looking for a part time job, students graduating and looking for a job, teens, etc.

 

Michigan will have a new governor in Jan. so we will see where things go from there. He has a business background so maybe things will change.

[cdrumm4448]

we are going to have to pay more taxes as well as cut whatever waste they can find in the budget.

 

I and no one I know is willingly going to pay higher taxes. MY SIL's income has been frozen for three years, everyone's medical premiums have skyrocketed, my brother took a mandatory 10% pay cut as well as mandatory non-paid vacation days, my neighbor was unemployed for 6 months, my BIL is still laid off, SS is frozen due to 0 inflation, Medicare costs rose due to alleged inflation, the price of food and everything else has increased, and the list goes on and on.

 

 

I am all for rooting out waste and fraud, but please do not claim we need more and more and more money collected in taxes to maintain schools and roads. They will have to learn to spend what they take in. And they take in plenty.

 

I am quite up in arms about this subject because I live in Illinois, the second most irresponsible state. And, if our elected-by-skin-of-his-teeth Governor goes begging for a national bailout, I apologize in advance.

 

ETA: Anyone live in Indiana? We are seriously considering moving since they seem to have their act together. I just can't take Illinois anymore.

[Mejane]

Not well. Our unemployment is around 9%, and we have a huge budget shortfall. We have a new governor, though, so let's see how much damage he can do... er, I mean if he can pull us out of it. ;) Our real estate values are holding pretty steady, however.

Edited December 16, 2010 by Mejane

[angela in ohio]

We are straddling two states that are both in the dump. That is more due to years and years of poor government and business decisions than the current economic state, though. We were in bad shape before the current crisis, and we are projected to be the last to recover.

 

I am the most well-acquainted with the education component of the state economy: The current MI governor went chasing after Race to the Top money, which set the state back considerably. Then there was the early retirement incentive that didn't work, but cost plenty (but the current employees paid for it, of course.)

[Meriwether]

We seem to be doing well in our area of the state, but we live in a very conservative area. I'm not sure how the rest of the state feels.

[Wheres Toto]

I know we have a pretty large budget shortfall and some corruption that needs to be addressed. Our unemployment rate is slightly less than the national average, which I suppose is good. Some counties are no longer considered depressed housing markets, while others pretty much have that status permanently (even before the current crash). So, I guess a mixed bag.

[TXMary2]

http://www.texasahead.org/economy/outlook.html

 

 

 

Texas unemployment rate has been at or below the national rate for 45 consecutive months.

 

Texas has weathered the national real estate crunch without significant damage to property values. Sales and construction activity dropped to pre-2007 levels but have begun to shows signs of recovery in 2010.

 

Texas foreclosure rate was one in every 667 mortgages. This was substantially better than Nevada’s one in 66, Florida’s one in 137, Arizona’s one in 143, and California’s one in 190.

 

 

[jlmom]

Not well, but not as bad as some other states (we're in PA). Our new governor has to cut $4 billion and has said that he's not raising taxes. He's already made it clear that a lot of cuts are coming from education. I'm so sick of politicians not realizing the importance of education. Makes me glad I homeschool, but it's just unacceptable.

[KrissiK]

:lol::lol: We live in California. The state with 12% of the nation's population and 30+% of the nation's welfare recipients. The state that thinks it makes good business sense to tax businesses into oblivion, and then can't figure out why on earth businesses don't want to stay here. This state is run by a bunch of morons and all I know is that I didn't vote for any of them.

 

Does that answer your question?:D

[mbeaser]

Indiana wouldn't look too pretty, but most other states look worse :tongue_smilie:

 

Here's a report on our fiscal health here:

 

http://www.indianafiscal.org/pdf/IFPI-FY-2010-Closeout-Report.pdf

[MyLittleWonders]

Here's what our illustrious :glare: governor-elect has to say about his upcoming budget proposal in January. Dh is starting to get worried. This year his district voted to take 6 furlough days (or the equivalent number of days for non-teaching staff in the district to equal about 3.5% reduction in pay), but I'm not sure how many furlough days they can afford to take before the entire school year goes to pot (they are, of course, still expected to teach the same amount of material in 6 less days as well as give 3 extra tests this year). So, chances are they will probably be looking at their actual pay scale and/or medical benefits being cut, not to mention more staffing cuts.