41 US States Face Bankruptcy In 2009

James Sinclair ^ | December 7, 2008 at 3:31 pm | Jim Sinclair

[PugetSoundSoldier]

Hah, tabacco money? Our governor, Gregoire of Washington, led the AG fight against big tabacco (she was the AG at that time). That’s one of the reasons Washington got an inordinate amount of the settlement, supposedly for a rainy day fund...

Of course, like all states, it was spent on buying votes via ramping up staffing and creating new programs not needed.

Now she’s got a $6 BILLION and growing deficit on a $33 billion budget. Percentage-wise, we lead the nation. WE’RE NUMBER 1! WE’RE NUMBER 1!

[rvoitier]

[dennisw]

What a bunch of crap. I hate articles like this where no facts are given...just generalities. Then I look at who wrote this bullsh#$ and I see he's a social worker, union member, and writer for Workers World. The URL suggests he lives in Canada, which has a pretty rich social history. All in all, my guess is that this "article" is a bit skewed.

Thanks for that information
Things are bad for states but he has a vested interest in making out things to be even worse

There are a few states California, Michigan, Florida that have huge budget gaps and the other 38 will have to cut budgets and raise taxes

[Doug TX]

I agree with the russian guy.....the US is going to break up into 4 regions, back out of all federal debt obligations, and start over.

[Salvation]

What? No list?

[polymuser]

For the US and all state houses of congress, I vote:

NO CONFIDENCE.

[unkus]

“No, California will be first.”

And they will be moving here to Colorado and elsewhere and spreading their socialist misery.

[Verginius Rufus]

Once Obama is sworn in, the first order of business should be designing a new 57-star flag. Or should it be 58? (Didn't The One say he had been to 57 states and had one more to go?)

58 stars might be easier to accommodate--add vertical rows of 4 stars on either side of the existing pattern. 57 may be a little trickier. It's not a prime number (19 x 3 = 57), but I'm not sure how to arrange the stars to form a pattern that looks good.

[reagan_fanatic]

Psst. Cut spending, Governors

LOL - Blagojevich here in Illinois tried to do just that, and in areas where he probably felt it was 'safe' to do so.

OOPS!! Big mistake!! The lynch mob is busy beating down the Governor's mansion doors, all upset because he closed a few state park attractions and an Indian museum.

The American people love it when cuts are made, just not in THEIR state.

[biff]

The solution is elementary Mr. Watson, just do the socialist act of taking from the 9 states that have excessive bank balances and give to the 49 that do not.

See?? All fixed, and it fits right in with our new president-to-be’s policies.

[r9etb]

Note that Texas, despite being smacked by a giant hurricane that destroyed parts of the coast, is going to have a (small) surplus in 2009. We drill for oil (when the Feds don’t stop us), cut costs where possible, and use our lotto money for what it’s intended for. And we don’t even have an income tax.

Don't be too smug, FRiend ... when I lived in TX (86-95), there were numerous budget crises.

The problem then was what it usually is everywhere -- use of the Malthusian Budget Technique: when times are good, the state government sees all that extra money and gobbles it up by creating new programs.

And then, when times get bad (as they always do, eventually), you end up with a budget crunch because there's no money to keep paying for all those swell things that got started when times were good.

[NoKoolAidforMe]

That’s what liberals do. Their failed programs and leadership destroy their community, so they leave only to contaminate somewhere else. Look at Vermont.

There will soon be no more places to escape to.

[EEDUDE]

Yeah.

Shamus Cooke is a social service worker, trade unionist, and writer for Workers Action (www.workerscompass.org). He can be reached at shamuscook@yahoo.com

Looks like he might be a card carrying member of the Communist Workers Party.

[econjack]

I agree that things are tough for some states, especially the ones mentioned, which is why there's a tendency to get sucked into the message of the article. Still, whenever I see only the “boo-hoo” groups mentioned (e.g., the elderly, the poor, etc.) as being affected, my BS meter goes off the scale.

Further, I have a hard time feeling too sorry for CA, MI, and FL because of the way they have managed their funds. CA refuses to monitor their welfare spending, supporting millions who aren't qualified, they subsidize their universities at unrealistic levels, MI is scared to death to do anything to their welfare and unemployment expenditures, and FL refuses to have a state income tax, relying instead on sales and property taxes. For the past three years, property taxes in FL have doubled in some cases and insurance rates have tripled. Result: People are bailing out of their second homes and leaving a glut of homes on the market and tremendous pressure on property taxes, since they are tied to housing prices. Finally, any state in trouble sees its salvation via tax increases—precisely the wrong thing to do at this time. They have to cut expenditures if they hope to pull out of this mess.

[Mr. Blonde]

States with a Surplus:

Alaska
Indiana
Montana
Nebraska
North Dakota
South Dakota
Texas
West Virginia
Wyoming

[PeterPrinciple]

a broad-based coalition is needed of working and poor people affected by the current crisis, led by the organized labor of the teachers, health care workers, and public employees, united around the demands of ending corporate bailout and for a progressive tax policy— one aimed at taxing the rich, not working people.

---

The above is from the article. Folks, we (this includes me) need to read and think before posting drive by comments. Get past the headline.

Original posters in my opinion should at least take the initiative to post a comment, not just the article.

That said, the above comment sounds very appealing, where do I sign up......................

[Son House]

Yep, thanks to McCain’s sidekick Pawlenty, R-Governor, Minnesota has almost caught up to Florida’s ($5.1 billion) leading the deficit pack

[dools007]

That is exactly what leftist demrats are angling for. Thank you for finally getting it.

[Psycho_Bunny]

A few years ago the King County Commissioners in Seattle decided to rename “King County” – named after Vice President William King – to “King County” – named after Martin Luther King, Jr.

They had to spend millions to change all the emblems on vehicles, stationary, and etc… from a crown to MLKs picture.

Millions.

It was absobufrickenlutely ridiculous.

[Principle Over Politics]

Look on the bright side, it could be worse.

Could be all 57 states.