Fiscal picture for states is brightening - governments sensing a turnaround

Sacramento Bee ^ | 2/21/04 | David Westphal

[Libloather]

WASHINGTON - For the first time in at least three years, the nation's governors are headed for their annual meetings here wearing something other than long faces.

After one of the worst sieges of budget-cutting and general economic misery in decades, state governments are sensing a turnaround. With revenues once again on the rise, nearly half of the states say this year's tax receipts are likely to come in ahead of forecasts, according to a new survey by the National Conference of State Legislatures.

[Libloather]

Weren't Dubya's tax cuts supposed to end the world?

[KAUAIBOUND]

This same increase in tax revenues will occur on the Federal level as well. I hope it occurs soon enough to influence this years election, providing, of course that the left-wing fellow traveler mass media chooses to report news that will hamper the prospects of their anoited RAT canidates. I will not hold my breath. If a RAT wins the Presidency, the mass media will then report on a "booming economy" and attribute it to the RATS.

[AD from SpringBay]

So does anyone think the state governments will save some of that surplus for the next rainy day? Or will they spend it like the hogs they are?

[lelio]

As a result, state spending growth has come to a virtual halt.

There's a silver lining in every cloud!

[.cnI redruM]

I would finish the unspoken logical syllogism here. As a result of state spending growth coming to a halt, state budgetary pictures are improving dramatically.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

Time to hire more government bow wow's.

[.cnI redruM]

Only if they have a specific purpose...

[Major Matt Mason]

Fiscal picture for states is brightening - governments sensing a turnaround

Government translation: "Yipppeee, we can spend money like drunken Kennedy's again!

[Our man in washington]

Suggestion to states: announce that henceforth, if someone wants to start a business in your state, they need only pay a small fee for the paperwork. Announce your getting rid of pretty much all licensing requirements. Announce that you will no longer tell companies how to run their businesses. Reduce paperwork to nearly nothing. As long as the company isn't hurting anyone by excessive pollution or violating other's property rights, they can do as they please.

You can then fire a ton of bureaucrats and entrepreneurs will flock to your state, thereby giving you a huge surplus.

Don't let leftists tell us that raising taxes is "the only way."