Great Recession Continues to Play Havoc with State Finances

horvath Colorado Economy, U.S. Economy

The Great Recession has taken its toll on state and local governments. Three years after the end of the Great Recession state and local governments continue to face significant fiscal challenges. In mid-July The State Budget Crisis Task Force released a report headed up by Richard Ravitch and Paul Volcker that examined the challenges to financial stability for California, Illinois, New Jersey, New York, Texas, and Virginia. Just over 36% of the country’s population lives in these six states.

There are a number of variables (policies, economic structure, demographics, etc.) that differentiate the states; however, the report identified six fiscal threats common to each:
• Medicaid spending growth is reducing funds for other needs.
• Federal deficit reduction will result in lower funds for state coffers.
• Underfunded retirement accounts are a risk for future budgets
• Eroding tax bases and volatile tax revenues jeopardize state finances.
• Local government fiscal challenges may impact state budgets.
• State budget laws and practices hinder fiscal stability.

To show the seriousness of the problem the report evaluated changes in tax revenues generated from the peak-to-trough, the trough to 2011, and peak-to-2011. The changes in percentages are adjusted for inflation; however, they are not adjusted for policy changes. In some cases policy changes have been made that have or will positively impact revenues.

The change from peak-to-trough follows:
• U.S.  -12.0%
• California -14.9%
• Illinois  -18.7%
• New Jersey -17.2%
• New York    -4.3%
• Texas  -15.4%
• Virginia -15.9%

The change for the recovery, or trough-to-2011, follows:
• U.S.  +  5.7%
• California +11.9%
• Illinois  +12.9%
• New Jersey +  2.7%
• New York +  4.3%
• Texas  +  7.4%
• Virginia +  3.9%

The change from peak- to-2011, follows:
• U.S.  –  7.0%
• California –  4.8%
• Illinois  –  8.2%
• New Jersey -15.0%
• New York –  0.2%
• Texas  –  9.2%
• Virginia -12.6%

Colorado was not included in the report; however, the challenges faced by the state are similar. Data from the Colorado Legislative Council’s quarterly reports (June) show the following levels in the state’s gross general fund, expressed in billions:
• FY ending June 2008  $7.7
• FY ending June 2009 $6.7
• FY ending June 2010 $6.5
• FY ending June 2011 $7.1
• FY ending June 2012 $7.6
• FY ending June 2013 $7.8
• FY ending June 2014 $8.2

The Colorado data is not inflation adjusted. On an inflation-adjusted basis the level of the state General Fund will not return to the FY 2008 level until FY 2013 or 2014. The Colorado State Demography Office projects that the state population will increase from 4.9 to 5.4 million people for that period. In other words the state will add half a million people and have the same level of funding as five or six years ago.

It is truly a challenging time to be working in the public sector.

Links to the State Budget Crisis site and the Colorado Legislative Council site are:

 

 

©Copyright 2011 by CBER.