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REPORT #596 January 2003
BELIZEANS DEBATE BALANCING THE BUDGET! WHICH PROBABLY MEANS THROWING OUT OF OFFICE THE
TRADITIONAL PORT TOWN POLITICAL PARTIES WHO HAVE SHOWN THEMSELVES INCAPABLE AND INCOMPETENT!
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E-mails from the Belize Culture debating listserve
UNDER THE WTP Independents, BELIZE must balance the budget! This means a very big
debate.
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DEBATE ISSUES OF THE WTP?????? A new group of independent political candidates!
a) Mandatory total borrowing limits. Maximum 9 % of GDP ceiling and freezing of
borrowing until debt falls below 4% of GDP.
b) Limiting the payroll of Government by law to: 8.9% of GDP. Otherwise freeze hirings
until number goes below 5% of GDP. This will force innovative new inventive methods of
supplying government services and massive reorganization to operate within the budget.
Again,
will cause a big debate.
c) Shift the balance of power for policy making from a political party clique of the port
town Belize City, to thelegislature and Senate. By getting national consensus by changing
population representationto District Representation, with perhaps one extra representative
for towns over 50,000population. But elect by District, not population? We want to build
a nation, not ametropolis. These things could be reviewed and voted on every ten years,
like they are inFlorida.
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On Tue, 28 Jan 2003 05:44:30 -0800 (PST), Terry Warburton wrote:
This message sent to the Bz-Culture Mailing List from Terry Warburton
It is a real eye opener to read the following story. It makes the Belize
government look good by comparison. You can bet that almost every state will
prefer tax increases to any kind of cutting of expenses.
As Ray pointed out, the individual states MUST balance their budgets. Either
cut or raise taxes.
Nothing is free.....
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
State by State Glance at Budget Woes
Monday January 27, 2003 8:10 PM
A glance at the budget situation in each state:
- ALABAMA
It's probably the worst fiscal crisis the state has seen since the Great
Depression, said David Azbell, spokesman for Gov. Bob Riley. Officials
predict they will have to take as much as $200 million from a $248 million
state reserve fund to prevent education cuts.
- ALASKA
Heavily dependent on declining oil revenues, state has also been hit by
rising Medicaid costs. The state has been draining its $2 billion savings
account, but the governor has ruled out new taxes.
- ARIZONA
Individual income tax revenues are sagging, while education and health care
costs are rising. More than 1,500 state jobs are being eliminated. Faces a
projected shortfall of $1 billion in the budget for the 2003-2004 fiscal
year.
- ARKANSAS
With declining revenues and rising expenses, Republican Gov. Mike Huckabee
and legislators say nothing is off-limits, including cuts in social
services. Huckabee has proposed a 5/8-cent sales tax increase to raise $475
million to preserve current state programs.
- CALIFORNIA
Suffered its worst revenue declines in the past two years since World War
II. State relies heavily on income taxes and taxes on capital gains and
stock options from the wealthiest 10 percent of its residents. State faces
an 18-month deficit of almost $35 billion.
- COLORADO
Facing its worst budget crisis in a decade. State is closing 25 state
driver's license offices and plans to lay off about 180 employees. Lawmakers
working to find as much as $850 million in cuts for the fiscal year ending
in June.
- CONNECTICUT
State income tax revenues have plummeted, largely because of the slumping
stock market. Lawmakers considering tax hikes and more layoffs. Facing an
estimated $650 million deficit in the current fiscal year. Projected
shortfall for next year: $1.5 billion.
- DELAWARE
While revenue estimates for fiscal 2004 are off by $135 million from the
original June estimate, state officials are actually trying to close a
shortfall of around $300 million, a number they say reflects a "structural
problem" in the budget. Gov. Ruth Ann Minner says no state agency or
program is off-limits for cuts.
- FLORIDA
Gov. Jeb Bush believes Florida can increase spending on schools and some
social services and give shoppers a sales tax "holiday" on clothing and
books in his $54 billion budget plan. But he proposed cuts or limits to many
programs, including transportation, services for troubled and criminal
teens, and hospital stays for some uninsured sick people with catastrophic
illnesses. He blames the cuts on voter-mandated class-size reductions that
he opposed.
- GEORGIA
State tax collections continue to fall. Shortfall projected at $620 million
for the year ending June 30. State portion of Medicaid costs expected to
increase by $260 million in the current budget year and $276 million in the
year beginning July 1. Gov. Sonny Perdue proposes spending cuts and new
taxes on tobacco and liquor. A state tax relief program for homeowners would
be cut back.
- HAWAII
State's vital tourist industry is slowly recovering from the Sept. 11, 2001,
terrorist attacks and a continuing slump in the Japanese economy. Shortfall
estimated between $200 million and $250 million.
- IDAHO
Worst economic downturn in decades. Gov. Dirk Kempthorne proposed $270
million in tax hikes and says there can be no further cuts in education,
Medicaid and public safety. Current budget year deficit was $200 million but
is being covered by a $22 million spending cut and cash from all the
remaining state reserves including the trust fund set up for tobacco
settlement payments.
- ILLINOIS
Leaders have mixed relatively small tax increases with short-term cuts and
layoffs. They closed an adult prison, a juvenile prison and some work camps.
They shut or cut back state facilities for the mentally ill. Gov. Rod
Blagojevich predicts a $1.2 billion shortfall in the remainder of this
fiscal year and $3.6 billion in fiscal 2004. - INDIANA
House Speaker B. Patrick Bauer compared the crisis to that of the 1840s,
when the state went into massive debt building canals that were never
completed and were soon rendered obsolete by the railroad. Indiana faces a
$850 million budget deficit and has lost 120,000 jobs to the recession.
- IOWA
"I've lived in Iowa for 27 years and we have not faced the kind of fiscal
challenges we have faced this last year in that 27-year period," said Gov.
Tom Vilsack. Next year's budget could be $400 million short.
- KANSAS
Gov. Kathleen Sebelius proposed eliminating most aid to local governments
and spending all but $500,000 of the state's cash balances to help eliminate
a projected $750 million shortfall for next year. She also proposed shifting
money from highway projects to help prevent cuts in education spending. She
is not seeking any tax increases.
- KENTUCKY
In the previous two years, the state drained its reserve fund of nearly $300
million and borrowed or grabbed money from the dozens of little accounts
that are strewn across government. State expects about a $400 million
shortfall in fiscal 2004.
- LOUISIANA
Problems stem from lower-than-projected sales, corporate income and
riverboat gambling taxes, but a continued spike in petroleum prices is
helping save Louisiana from a budget crisis. Shortfall projected at about
$18.6 million over the next six months.
- MAINE
Some savings have been derived from hiring freezes, but there have been no
actual layoffs. Projected gap for the two-year budget cycle that will begin
on July 1, 2003, at around $1 billion.
- MARYLAND
State has imposed a hiring freeze but so far has avoided layoffs. The
projected shortfall for fiscal 2004 is $1.2 billion. Gov. Robert Ehrlich
wants to put slot machines at race tracks and is counting on $395 million
this year and $600 million next year in slot machine revenues to balance
both budgets. It is uncertain whether a bill will pass.
- MASSACHUSETTS
House Speaker Thomas Finneran calls the budget crisis "hideous" and Gov.
Mitt Romney's budget chief calls it the state's worst financial predicament
since the Depression. State has an estimated $450 million to $600 million
budget gap in its $23 billion 2002-2003 budget. Romney predicts a deficit of
nearly $3 billion in 2003-2004. A $1 billion tax increase last year failed
to offset rising Medicaid costs.
- MICHIGAN
Gov. Jennifer Granholm notified schools they could be seeing cuts this
semester to deal with a $134 million deficit in the state School Aid Fund.
The general fund now faces a $158 million shortfall. The state faces an
overall $2 billion deficit in its upcoming fiscal year, which starts Oct. 1,
2003.
- MINNESOTA
Nearly every area of state government will be looked at for cuts. Gov. Tim
Pawlenty has promised not to raise taxes. The state faces a deficit of $4.56
billion through 2005, including $356 million through June 30, the end of
Minnesota's fiscal year.
- MISSISSIPPI
Legislators proposed a $3.5 billion state budget for fiscal 2004 with no
increases in agency funding over present levels. Lawmakers fear shortfalls
could run into the hundreds of millions of dollars. There is no mood for a
tax increase.
- MISSOURI
Net general revenues declined in the 2002 fiscal year for the first time
since 1955 and have continued dropping during the 2003 fiscal year, which
started July 1. Budget Director Linda Luebbering forecasts a $1 billion
deficit in the 2004 budget.
- MONTANA
State faces a projected general fund deficit of $232 million, out of a total
budget of $2.6 billion for the next two fiscal years. The problem is caused
by lower-than-expected state revenues, particularly in capital gains and
individual income taxes.
- NEBRASKA
Lawmakers raised cigarette taxes 30 cents a pack, approved a temporary
income-tax increase, lifted sales tax exemptions from some goods and
services, made cuts to Medicaid and the University of Nebraska system, and
raised the sales tax half a cent to 5.5 cents on the dollar. They begin
crafting a two-year state budget facing a projected $673 million shortfall.
- NEVADA
Gov. Kenny Guinn called for nearly $1 billion in new taxes, saying it would
be "political cowardice" for lawmakers to oppose the biggest tax hike in
Nevada history. The tax plan covers what would be a $700 million-plus
shortfall and allows for expansion of some services, mainly in education and
human services programs.
- NEW HAMPSHIRE
The projected $250 million deficit through mid-2005 is the equivalent of
about 10 percent of general tax receipts for this budget.
- NEW JERSEY
Early estimates project a $4 billion shortfall for the budget that begins
July 1. Gov. James E. McGreevey announced last week there will be severe
cuts across state government but has not yet given details.
- NEW MEXICO
Fueled by a boom in natural gas, New Mexico is expecting recurring revenue
to grow 3.7 percent in the budget year that begins next July 1.
- NEW YORK
Facing its worst budget problem since the mid-1970s, when the state had to
step in to prevent New York City from going bankrupt. State faces a
projected $12 billion shortfall.
- NORTH CAROLINA
Tax collections are on target and no shortfall is expected. The current
budget led to the elimination of 1,835 jobs, with 782 layoffs in filled
positions. More layoffs are likely, with teaching assistants in the
elementary schools among possible targets.
- NORTH DAKOTA
Gov. John Hoeven ordered a 1 percent spending reduction and tapped the
state-owned Bank of North Dakota for $25 million to close a deficit. To
balance the next budget, Hoeven wants to exhaust $52 million from state oil
tax and health care trust funds, and raise the cigarette tax from 44 cents
to 79 cents a pack.
- OHIO
State had to balance the budget twice last year after billion-dollar
deficits opened up and is facing a third, $720 million deficit. The governor
and state leaders expect this budget to be tight, with some estimates of the
deficit at $4 billion. Education will once again receive a big increase
because of a 12-year-old school-funding court case.
- OKLAHOMA
Facing the worst budget crisis in its 95-year history. State agency budgets
have been reduced 6.5 percent this year because of a $291.7 shortfall. State
lawmakers will have $592 million, or 10.6 percent, less to spend in the 2004
fiscal year than in the year before.
- OREGON
Budget analysts predict revenue will be as much as $2 billion short of
funding state programs at current levels, accounting for inflation, in the
2003-05 budget. School funding has been cut by 2.5 percent, compared with an
average state budget reduction of 5 percent. Oregon's budget troubles will
be even worse if voters reject a temporary tax hike - proposed to help plug
holes in the current state budget - in a referendum Tuesday.
- PENNSYLVANIA
State is adopting a package of budget freezes, another raid of its rainy-day
fund and other maneuvers to ward off a projected $433 million deficit by
June 30. Gov. Ed Rendell predicts a shortfall between $1 billion and $2
billion in next year's budget.
- RHODE ISLAND
Lawmakers signaled that no area of the budget is off limits by eliminating
$100 annual payments to welfare recipients. State faces a potential deficit
of about $175 million next fiscal year.
- SOUTH CAROLINA
Current projections call for a gap of up to $1 billion in projected spending
and revenue for the 2004 fiscal year, out of a $5.4 billion budget.
- SOUTH DAKOTA
Has so far been able to weather the economic slump by tapping reserve funds,
but it will look at also boosting cigarette and alcohol taxes. Based on the
latest revenue projections, the state would need another $54 million to
maintain programs at their current levels in the year beginning next July 1.
- TENNESSEE
Last year, lawmakers passed a $933 million tax increase based primarily on a
1-cent increase in the sales tax (from 6 percent to 7 percent) plus a
hodgepodge of other increases. More than half the money - about $480
million - went to fill the shortfall created by the previous years of budget
maneuvers. State faces a $322 million deficit this budget year and roughly
$500 million next year.
- TEXAS
Current fiscal year ends Aug. 31 and a shortfall of $1.8 billion is
projected. For the next fiscal year, beginning Sept. 1 and running through
Aug. 31, 2005, the projected shortfall is $8.1 billion. That budget is yet
to be written by lawmakers meeting now. The combined shortfall is $9.9
billion.
- UTAH
Gov. Mike Leavitt warns that budget problems could force the state to
release prisoners early and lay off state troopers. On Dec. 18 the
Legislature made budget cuts to make up for an anticipated $117 million
shortfall this fiscal year.
- VERMONT
A combination of a cigarette tax increase and budget cuts approved last year
will keep Vermont's general fund in the black this fiscal year, but more
cuts will be needed to avoid a deficit in the budget year that starts July
1.
- VIRGINIA
Governor and legislators have struggled to close shortfalls totaling nearly
$6 billion. Buffeted by the stock collapse and layoffs at WorldCom, which
has huge operations in northern Virginia, state government revenues for the
fiscal year that ended June 30 were down 3.8 percent, the sharpest decline
in the 40 years Virginia has tracked revenue collection data.
- WASHINGTON
Projected shortfall is $2.4 billion out of a $24 billion two-year budget.
Gov. Gary Locke calls it the gravest budget problem in a generation.
- WEST VIRGINIA
To avoid a $250 million deficit in the budget year that starts July 1, Gov.
Bob Wise ordered spending cuts and wants to revamp his cabinet. His plan
also counts on a cigarette tax hike from the Legislature.
- WISCONSIN
Projected a $2.6 billion shortfall in the budget for the biennium that
begins July 1. Gov. Jim Doyle says that number is based on overly optimistic
revenue estimates and the deficit is closer to $4.3 billion. He also says he
will not cut K-12 education funding. But he has hinted that he would like to
change the state's formula for funding schools.
- WYOMING
Due to a large upswing in natural gas production and generally higher prices
for natural gas and oil in recent years, Wyoming is enjoying a boom. Sales
tax collections, which provide the bulk of state government revenue, have
also been higher than expected.
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