Budget gaps triple for '09

By Pamela M. Prah, Stateline.org Staff Writer The drumbeat of bad fiscal news from statehouses is intensifying. States collectively faced deficits of $40.3 billion in writing their current budgets — triple the $13 billion shortfall states weathered the previous year, a new report released July 23 shows. State lawmakers knew revenues would drop, but the decline was worse than expected. In April, 23 states had projected budget gaps totaling $26 billion for fiscal 2009, which began July 1 in all but four states. By June that number rose to 31 states, NCSL said.