January 2009
Punting the problem: 2008 Legislative Session ends with a short-term solution
In the 2008 Legislative Session, policymakers were faced with the challenge of solving a projected $935 million deficit for the FY 2008-09 biennium and a $1.1 billion deficit for the FY 2010-11 biennium ($2.1 billion when the costs of inflation are included). Unfortunately, the final agreement between the Legislature and the Governor focused on some short-sighted solutions.
This report takes a close look at the outcomes of the 2008 Legislative Session, focusing on how policymakers relied heavily on one-time resources to solve the deficit, as well as the impact on individual areas of the state’s budget.