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    • Stateline Story
    March 29, 2010
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    During his state of the state address to the Legislature March 29, Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal called on lawmakers to improve accountability in schools, to retool health care funding and, above all, to not raise taxes.
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    • Stateline Story
    March 29, 2010
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    BATON ROUGE, La. - March 29- Following is the prepared text of Gov. Bobby Jindal's (R) 2010 state of the state address: Members of the Legislature … honored guests … statewide elected officials … my fellow Louisianians. Thank you for that warm reception. I hate to do this since you just sat down, I am going to

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    • Stateline Story
    March 1, 2010
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    Naming a new lieutenant governor in California has been no easy task. At one point last month, Republican Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and the Democratic leaders of the Assembly fought over whether the Assembly had actually approved Schwarzenegger's pick for the post. In California, as in several other states, it's hard to keep in mind that the lieutenant governor's office is primarily designed to be a sort of insurance policy in case something happens to the governor. Instead, in several states like California, the position recently has been a political liability. The intrigue is even more baffling because many of the most hotly contested fights are in states where the lieutenant governor's powers are relatively weak.
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    • Stateline Story
    February 26, 2010
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    Economists credit the federal stimulus package for helping bring an end to the recession. Most governors say the money prevented more drastic spending cuts and tax increases in their states. But a few Republican governors who took the money contend the stimulus was a mistake.
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    • Stateline Story
    February 22, 2010
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    Faced with historic revenue drops, states have tapped their rainy day funds in fiscal 2009 and 2010 at levels not seen since the 2001 recession to help close budget gaps totaling some $290 billion. The decision to go to these funds has renewed the debate about how much states should be setting aside in reserves and when to use the money. A few states, meanwhile, have been able to leave their funds intact.
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    • Stateline Story
    February 22, 2010
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    TODAY'S TAKE: The fiscal year that begins in July for most states will be "the most difficult to date," according to a survey of 45 states released at the winter meeting of the National Governors Association.
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  • February 18, 2010
    Fact Sheets: The Trillion Dollar Gap

    Fact Sheets: The Trillion Dollar Gap

    This 2010 report on funding state employee retirement benefits examined the roots of states' significant shortfall and how the economic crisis spurred states into action.

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    • State Fact Sheet
    February 18, 2010
    The Trillion Dollar Gap: Louisiana

    The Trillion Dollar Gap: Louisiana

     Louisiana’s management of its long-term pension liability is cause for serious concern and needs to improve how it handles its retiree health care and other benefit obligations.

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  • February 18, 2010

    The Trillion Dollar Gap

    States that ignored public sector retirement challenges now face growing bill coming due—bills that may have significant consequences for taxpayers. This report from the Pew Center on the States examined the roots of the problem and how the economic crisis is spurring states into action.

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    • Stateline Story
    February 11, 2010
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    Barack Obama won the presidency running on a platform of change in 2008, and change also will be the watchword in 2010 at the state level. Bruising budget battles could put voters in a testy mood and usher in a wave of new faces to lead state government, where Democrats now hold the majority of governorships and statehouses.
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