Since the George Washington quarter first rolled off the presses in 1932, the coins design has remained largely unchanged until recently. But thanks to the U.S. Mints 50 state quarters program, thats no longer the case. Midway through an eight-year initiative that began in 1999, 24 states have put their imprint on the tail side of the coin. more

Despite doling out $20 billion in fiscal aid to state governments, President Bush's $350 billion tax cut bill will drive down total state tax collections by at least $1 billion and as much as $3 billion over the next two years, dampening the bill's positive impact on state coffers, analysts say. more

The nations most tourism-dependent states could suffer a crippling decline in revenue if a U.S.-led invasion of Iraq scares would-be travelers away from the countrys most popular vacation and business destinations. more

Like other states, Alaska scrambled in the wake of the terrorist attacks to assess risk and heighten security around critical infrastructure. But despite recommendations by the governor for broad spending on new security measures, Alaskas looming budget deficit kept lawmakers from approving all but a fraction of funds targeted to ongoing homeland security projects. more

Michigan Gov. John Engler (R) opened the summer meeting of the National Governors Association with a stark assessment of where the states stand. more