Morning Panel

States’ Long-Term Budget Gaps: Are There Any Solutions?

Nov. 30, 2009

New York State leaders and national experts on state finances explored fiscal problems facing the states and examined potential solutions at the Institute’s first national conference on states’ long-term budget gaps. In this morning panel discussion, Rueben offered a wide-ranging review of state and local government expenditures, saying that even as the economy begins to recover, states should expect to see ongoing budget pressures from health care, employee pensions, prisons, schools and infrastructure. Snell added that states are probably not yet at their financial low point, and that budget balancing will require cuts in health care and education spending.

Rueben's slide presentation

• State and Local Finance
• Federalism
• New York State Statistics
• New York State Government
• Health Care
• Education
• Economic Development
• Workforce, Welfare, and
  Social Services
• Cities and Neighborhoods
• Disaster Recovery
• Faith-Based Social Services