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Headlines
Needy States Use Housing Aid Cash to Plug Budgets
Only 27 states have devoted all their funds from the banks to housing programs, according to a report by Enterprise Community Partners, a national affordable housing group. So far about 15 states have said they will use all or most of the money for other purposes.
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Headlines
Census state pension survey 2007-1010
The U.S. Census collects key data from selected state and municipal pension funds every year. State Budget Solutions consolidated the data for the 222 largest state administered defined benefit pension funds from fiscal years 2007 through 2010 to present an overview of each state's pension funds. See how your state is doing.
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Headlines
Latest studies show growing pension peril
Recent studies by the U.S. Census Bureau, GAO, Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland and the Harvard Kennedy School detail the continued deterioration and chance of failure of public pension systems within the overall local and state government fiscal crisis. Read these studies and be aware of the extent of this pressing problem.
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Headlines
Local and state governments look for creative ways to fund transportation projects
Constrained budgets and deficit reduction efforts mean federal fewer dollars for infrastructure. As such, the burden is shifting more to state and local governments, which are being forced to find creative funding solutions.
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Research
"GASB Won't Let Me" - A False Objection to Public Pension Reform
Pension reform is a separate issue from amortization. These two issues have been conflated by those invoking the GASB proviso for closed DB plans, but this has only sown confusion. This is clearly demonstrated when the reform is structured with amortization payments on total payroll. In this way, the growth in the base for amortization payments is unaffected by the reform, so there is no policy reason for changing the schedule of these payments. The funding schedule for amortization is a red herring, irrelevant to the fundamental policy decision for pension reform. Amortization pays for past debts; pension reform lays a path toward a responsible future.
- View All News Stories
Budget timeframe: Annual
Fiscal Year begins: July 1
Gov. C.L. "Butch" Otter
Office of the Governor
PO Box 83720
Boise, ID 83720-0034
Phone: (208) 334-2100
Fax: (208) 334-2175
http://gov.idaho.gov/
Wayne Hammon, Administrator
Division of Financial Management
P.O. Box 83720
Boise, ID 83720-0032
Phone (208) 334-3900
Fax: (208) 334-2438
http://www2.state.id.us/dfm/index.html
wayne.hammon@dfm.idaho.gov
2012 Legislative Calendar: Regular Session convenes January 9, adjourns mid April.
Legislative Budget Leaders:
Rep. Maxine Bell (R), Chair, House Appropriations Committee; Co-Chair, Joint Finance and Appropriations Committee, mbell@house.idaho.gov 208-332-1000
Rep. Darrell Bolz (R), Vice-Chair, House Appropriations Committee, dbolz@house.idaho.gov 208.454.1334
Rep. Dennis M. Lake (R), Chair, House Revenue & Taxation Committee, dlake@house.idaho.gov 208-684-4967
Rep. Gary E. Collins (R), Vice-Chair, House Revenue & Taxation Committee, gcollins@house.idaho.gov 208-466-5460
Rep. JoAn E. Wood (R), Chair, House Ways & Means Committee, jawood@house.idaho.gov 208-745-7846
Sen. Dean Cameron (R), Chair, Senate Finance Committee; Co-Chair, Joint Finance and Appropriations Committee, dcameron@senate.idaho.gov 208-334-2475
Sen. Shawn Keough (R), Vice-Chair, Senate Finance Committee, skeough@senate.idaho.gov 208-263-1839
The current state budget can be found here.
Want a more robust, long-term look at your state's fiscal health, beyond the budget? There are two parts: Click here for the FY2011 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (CAFR) compiled by the state government, and click here for information on the state's pension liabilities.
Idaho is required to pass a "balanced budget." Article 7, Section 11 of the 1890 Constitution, entitled "Expenditure Not Exceed Appropriation," states no appropriation shall be made that exceeds the total revenue, unless the legislature causes for that expenditure to be paid within the fiscal year. Even with this provision in place, Idaho reported budget deficits in two of the three years studied. As with most states, an exception is given for the need to suppress insurrection, defend the state or assist the nation in time of war. Idaho law forbids the carrying over of a deficit from one year to the next.
Governmental funds include the General fund, special revenue funds, permanent funds and a capital projects fund. The state budgets on a cash basis. The State reports 5 major governmental funds: the General, Health and Welfare, Transportation, Public School Endowment, and Pooled Endowment Funds. Idaho budgets all of the major funds in addition to several non-major funds. From the information presented in the CAFR it seems as though most, if not all, of the governmental funds are budgeted. Although some information is missing from the Budgetary Comparison Schedules (beginning and ending balances), the information is presented efficiently (with inclusion of "Total" columns). [from the Institute for Truth in Accounting]
Find the state's bond ratings here.
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K-12 Education :
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HEADLINES: Idaho
Otter plans more money for ed, reserves, state workers... and some tax relief in '13 budget
Overall, Gov. Butch Otter is projecting $2.7 billion in revenue for 2013, an increase of 5.8 percent from 2012. The governor's office expects fiscal year 2012 to yield $2.55 billion in revenue. If the 2012 revenues hit that target, the state would end up with an overage of about $103 million, which Otter already has plans for in the 2013 budget.
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HEADLINES: Idaho
Idaho could get $51M under federal jobs bill
Idaho public schools are expected to receive about $51 million to protect teaching positions as part of a job-saving measure signed into law by President Barack Obama on Tuesday. Idaho Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Luna said the education money is expected to be distributed to states within 45 days and that it appears school districts will have up to 27 months to spend their portion.
- View All Idaho articles
Unions :
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HEADLINES: Wisconsin, Ohio, Florida, Idaho, Missouri, Massachusetts , Tennessee, California, Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska, South Carolina
Anti-Union Bills Introduced In At Least 12 States This Year
Not all of the measures are identical in what they seek or how far they have advanced, nor are they equally likely to pass and be signed into law. But they do share an antipathy for labor unions amid concerns about state budget deficits and a national debate over public-sector pay and pensions.
Pensions :
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HEADLINES
Census state pension survey 2007-1010
The U.S. Census collects key data from selected state and municipal pension funds every year. State Budget Solutions consolidated the data for the 222 largest state administered defined benefit pension funds from fiscal years 2007 through 2010 to present an overview of each state's pension funds. See how your state is doing.
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HEADLINES
Latest studies show growing pension peril
Recent studies by the U.S. Census Bureau, GAO, Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland and the Harvard Kennedy School detail the continued deterioration and chance of failure of public pension systems within the overall local and state government fiscal crisis. Read these studies and be aware of the extent of this pressing problem.
- View All Idaho articles
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Solutions: Georgia, Idaho, New Hampshire , Florida
Zero-Base Budgeting in the States
Aero-base budgeting appeals to a serious and widespread desire to look at public budgeting in a fresh new way, free of old assumptions, not letting past experiences control the future. The zero-base budgeting bill in 2011 show, in various ways, a greater desire for information on how state agencies operate and how their work can be evaluated, and reflect lawmakers’ concerns that their budget enactments be well-informed.
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Census state pension survey 2007-1010
The U.S. Census collects key data from selected state and municipal pension funds every year. State Budget Solutions consolidated the data for the 222 largest state administered defined benefit pension funds from fiscal years 2007 through 2010 to present an overview of each state's pension funds. See how your state is doing.
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Latest studies show growing pension peril
Recent studies by the U.S. Census Bureau, GAO, Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland and the Harvard Kennedy School detail the continued deterioration and chance of failure of public pension systems within the overall local and state government fiscal crisis. Read these studies and be aware of the extent of this pressing problem.
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"GASB Won't Let Me" - A False Objection to Public Pension Reform
Pension reform is a separate issue from amortization. These two issues have been conflated by those invoking the GASB proviso for closed DB plans, but this has only sown confusion. This is clearly demonstrated when the reform is structured with amortization payments on total payroll. In this way, the growth in the base for amortization payments is unaffected by the reform, so there is no policy reason for changing the schedule of these payments. The funding schedule for amortization is a red herring, irrelevant to the fundamental policy decision for pension reform. Amortization pays for past debts; pension reform lays a path toward a responsible future.
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OPINION
Public pension 'best practices' omit 1 thing: How do we pay benefits?
Hey, young public employees, what are you going to do when your pension checks bounce after you paid in for decades? That is what will happen in many - maybe all - states and municipalities sooner or later if they do not reform right now. If you want to see the future, just look at Illinois. One citizen there did, and came up with a real reform plan that might work.
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OPINION
COMMENTARY Municipal, state workers should take their pension money and run, fast
Public employees should take their pension money now and run to avoid risk of getting reduced benefits - or nothing - in the future. It's the best deal for them and for taxpayers. A growing chorus of credible voices including the Government Accountability Office, a Federal Reserve bank and now the Harvard Kennedy School Mossavar-Rahmani Center for Business and Government confirm state and local government finances are "spiraling out of control" and even draconian reforms only make it "more likely" that future benefits will paid in full.
- View All Pensions
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OPINION: Pensions
Public pension 'best practices' omit 1 thing: How do we pay benefits?
Hey, young public employees, what are you going to do when your pension checks bounce after you paid in for decades? That is what will happen in many - maybe all - states and municipalities sooner or later if they do not reform right now. If you want to see the future, just look at Illinois. One citizen there did, and came up with a real reform plan that might work.
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OPINION: Pensions
COMMENTARY Municipal, state workers should take their pension money and run, fast
Public employees should take their pension money now and run to avoid risk of getting reduced benefits - or nothing - in the future. It's the best deal for them and for taxpayers. A growing chorus of credible voices including the Government Accountability Office, a Federal Reserve bank and now the Harvard Kennedy School Mossavar-Rahmani Center for Business and Government confirm state and local government finances are "spiraling out of control" and even draconian reforms only make it "more likely" that future benefits will paid in full.
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BLOG: Pensions
COMMENTARY: This plan could save municipal, state workers' pension checks
Hey, young public employees, what are you going to do when your pension checks bounce after you paid in for decades? That is what will happen in many - maybe all - states and municipalities sooner or later if they do not reform right now. If you want to see the future, just look at Illinois. One citizen there did, and came up with a real reform plan that might work.
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BLOG: Pensions, Federal Government Impact
COMMENTARY: Fed screams softly in warning about public pension crisis
This is what it sounds like when the Federal Reserve Bank screams: "Much has been written about the various headwinds restraining economic activity over the near term. However, our economy also has other headwinds to confront over the medium- to-longer-term. ... the finances of some state and local governments are also under stress and in need of serious adjustments." - Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland President Sandra Pianalto
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BLOG: Unions, State Debt
Past Budget Woes Limit Today's Options
The recession continues to haunt state legislators as they attempt to balance growing demands for state services with stagnant revenues.
