All articles tagged with #state budget
California's governor Gavin Newsom projects a $9 billion revenue increase for 2026-27, relying on the AI-driven economy, while forecasting a modest $2.9 billion shortfall for the upcoming year, with concerns about the sustainability of the AI boom and long-term fiscal challenges including reduced housing and homelessness funding.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis claims that Jeff Bezos's move from Washington to Florida significantly impacted Washington's budget by removing its biggest taxpayer, highlighting the advantage of states without income tax like Florida amid discussions of new taxes in Washington.
Michigan House Republicans unilaterally canceled approximately $644 million in previously approved state funding for various projects, including a fire truck for Hamtramck, without prior notice to the affected groups, leading to bipartisan criticism and efforts to restore the funds. The cuts have sparked controversy over transparency, trust, and the impact on local services and projects.
Illinois lawmakers approved a $1.5 billion transit funding package without broad statewide tax hikes, relying instead on reallocating existing revenue sources and targeted sales tax increases in the Chicago area, aiming to address a significant funding shortfall for transit agencies.
Michigan House speaker Matt Hall opposes the Senate's $71 million food aid bill, citing procedural delays and preferring to use existing state funds to address the upcoming SNAP benefit pause caused by the federal government shutdown, which affects nearly 1.4 million residents relying on food assistance.
Budget negotiations between Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers and Republican lawmakers have collapsed over disagreements on spending and tax priorities, with Republicans planning to proceed with their own budget proposal as the current fiscal year ends on June 30.
Hawaii Governor Josh Green signed the largest income tax cut in state history, aiming to make the state more affordable and reduce the exodus of residents. The new law will significantly reduce state income taxes for many working-class families and eliminate taxes for the lowest earners by 2031. However, critics worry the $5.6 billion reduction in state revenue by 2031 will lead to cuts in essential state programs and services.
The Illinois Senate approved a $53.1 billion state budget, which includes $750 million in tax hikes and a 5% pay raise for lawmakers and top officials. The budget, which now moves to the House, emphasizes education, public safety, and homelessness prevention. Despite some Democratic opposition and Republican criticism, the budget aims to address various state needs while also supporting the ongoing migrant crisis. The House must pass the budget without changes for it to reach Gov. J.B. Pritzker's desk.
A cyberattack on the New York State Bill Drafting Commission has threatened to further delay the already overdue $237 billion state budget, impacting the legislative process as lawmakers and the governor work towards a full agreement. Governor Kathy Hochul stated that the attack is expected to slow down proceedings and force the state to revert to older computer systems, while the state's cybersecurity team investigates the incident. Despite concerns, representatives for the State Legislature have expressed confidence that the attack will not disrupt their work on resolving the issue.
Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin and state lawmakers have agreed to set aside the current budget plan and work towards a new budget document next month, averting a potential crisis. The bipartisan agreement aims to avoid a showdown over taxes and spending priorities, with plans to reject all of Youngkin's proposed budget amendments and then procedurally kill the underlying document. A special legislative session is expected to be held in mid-May to finalize the budget process well before the June 30 deadline.
Governor Hochul announced a conceptual agreement on key priorities in the Fiscal Year 2025 New York State Budget, including addressing the housing crisis, cracking down on retail theft and illicit cannabis storefronts, fighting hate crimes, improving public safety, making record investments in mental health and healthcare, supporting students, advancing a consumer protection and affordability agenda, establishing an artificial intelligence computing center, providing funding support to mass transit systems, advancing infrastructure programs, and making record environmental investments. The total budget for FY 2025 is estimated at $237 billion, without raising income or statewide business taxes and maintaining state reserves at 15 percent.
Governor Ned Lamont is proposing the elimination of license application fees for certain jobs in education, childcare, and healthcare fields in an effort to encourage workers to fill available openings and save them about $3.5 million annually. The plan, to be included in the budget proposal presented to lawmakers in February, targets fees for educator certificates, home childcare licenses, and various nurse licenses. The proposal has garnered support from Senate Republican Leader Kevin Kelly, who sees it as a step towards creating more opportunities and better-paying jobs in Connecticut.
Gov. Josh Shapiro plans to propose $282.8 million in new state funding for public transit, with SEPTA receiving the largest share, to address looming service cuts and fare increases. The measure aims to increase sales tax revenue allocation for transit systems, generating an estimated $1.5 billion over five years. Transit advocates and officials have welcomed the proposal, emphasizing the importance of stable state support for transit. SEPTA is preparing for possible service cuts and fare increases in the absence of timely funding, while the governor is urging the agency to address safety and cleanliness concerns.
Missouri Governor Mike Parson has proposed a record $52.7 billion state budget for the fiscal year 2025, focusing on ongoing state programs with increases for teachers, child care, and state employee pay. The budget includes funding for infrastructure improvements, raises for teachers, higher education, and childcare, as well as a 3.2% pay raise for state workers. The proposal anticipates using a substantial state surplus and federal grants to support the increased spending, but faces opposition from some lawmakers who want ongoing spending to stay within current revenue limits.
Massachusetts officials are closing MCI-Concord, the state's oldest men's prison, citing declining incarceration rates and high maintenance costs. The closure is expected to save nearly $16 million in operating costs and avoid $190 million in capital projects. Prisoners will be transferred to other facilities, and the move is seen as a step in the criminal justice reform movement to end mass incarceration. State Sen. Jamie Eldridge praised the decision and urged officials to reinvest the anticipated savings in education, programming, and re-entry services for incarcerated individuals and communities affected by mass incarceration.