What’s The Best Way For States To Overcome A Budget Shortfall?

| May 14, 2015 

 ========= Old Image Removed =========Array
(
    [_wp_attached_file] => Array
        (
            [0] => 2015/05/7932571974_aebaea40d8_b_budget-e1432242792249.jpg
        )

    [_wp_attachment_metadata] => Array
        (
            [0] => a:5:{s:5:"width";i:600;s:6:"height";i:337;s:4:"file";s:57:"2015/05/7932571974_aebaea40d8_b_budget-e1432242792249.jpg";s:5:"sizes";a:6:{s:6:"medium";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:57:"7932571974_aebaea40d8_b_budget-e1432242792249-336x189.jpg";s:5:"width";i:336;s:6:"height";i:189;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:9:"thumbnail";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:57:"7932571974_aebaea40d8_b_budget-e1432242792249-140x140.jpg";s:5:"width";i:140;s:6:"height";i:140;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:9:"wbhm-icon";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:55:"7932571974_aebaea40d8_b_budget-e1432242792249-80x80.jpg";s:5:"width";i:80;s:6:"height";i:80;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:18:"wbhm-featured-home";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:57:"7932571974_aebaea40d8_b_budget-e1432242792249-554x311.jpg";s:5:"width";i:554;s:6:"height";i:311;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:22:"wbhm-featured-carousel";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:57:"7932571974_aebaea40d8_b_budget-e1432242792249-470x265.jpg";s:5:"width";i:470;s:6:"height";i:265;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:14:"post-thumbnail";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:57:"7932571974_aebaea40d8_b_budget-e1432242792249-125x125.jpg";s:5:"width";i:125;s:6:"height";i:125;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}}s:10:"image_meta";a:12:{s:8:"aperture";s:1:"0";s:6:"credit";s:0:"";s:6:"camera";s:0:"";s:7:"caption";s:0:"";s:17:"created_timestamp";s:1:"0";s:9:"copyright";s:0:"";s:12:"focal_length";s:1:"0";s:3:"iso";s:1:"0";s:13:"shutter_speed";s:1:"0";s:5:"title";s:0:"";s:11:"orientation";s:1:"0";s:8:"keywords";a:0:{}}}
        )

    [_edit_lock] => Array
        (
            [0] => 1432242511:1
        )

    [_wp_attachment_backup_sizes] => Array
        (
            [0] => a:9:{s:9:"full-orig";a:3:{s:5:"width";i:1024;s:6:"height";i:683;s:4:"file";s:34:"7932571974_aebaea40d8_b_budget.jpg";}s:18:"full-1432242792249";a:3:{s:5:"width";i:600;s:6:"height";i:400;s:4:"file";s:49:"7932571974_aebaea40d8_b_budget-e1432242768315.jpg";}s:14:"thumbnail-orig";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:42:"7932571974_aebaea40d8_b_budget-140x140.jpg";s:5:"width";i:140;s:6:"height";i:140;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:11:"medium-orig";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:42:"7932571974_aebaea40d8_b_budget-253x169.jpg";s:5:"width";i:253;s:6:"height";i:169;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:10:"large-orig";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:42:"7932571974_aebaea40d8_b_budget-507x338.jpg";s:5:"width";i:507;s:6:"height";i:338;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:18:"wbhm-featured-orig";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:42:"7932571974_aebaea40d8_b_budget-507x338.jpg";s:5:"width";i:507;s:6:"height";i:338;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:23:"wbhm-featured-home-orig";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:42:"7932571974_aebaea40d8_b_budget-466x311.jpg";s:5:"width";i:466;s:6:"height";i:311;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:27:"wbhm-featured-carousel-orig";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:42:"7932571974_aebaea40d8_b_budget-397x265.jpg";s:5:"width";i:397;s:6:"height";i:265;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:19:"post-thumbnail-orig";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:42:"7932571974_aebaea40d8_b_budget-125x125.jpg";s:5:"width";i:125;s:6:"height";i:125;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}}
        )

    [_media_credit] => Array
        (
            [0] => 
        )

    [_navis_media_credit_org] => Array
        (
            [0] => StockMonkeys.com
        )

    [_navis_media_can_distribute] => Array
        (
            [0] => 
        )

    [_wp_attachment_is_custom_background] => Array
        (
            [0] => wbhm
        )

    [_imagify_optimization_level] => Array
        (
            [0] => 1
        )

    [_imagify_data] => Array
        (
            [0] => a:2:{s:5:"stats";a:3:{s:13:"original_size";i:175789;s:14:"optimized_size";i:123514;s:7:"percent";d:29.739999999999998;}s:5:"sizes";a:9:{s:4:"full";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:85:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2015/05/7932571974_aebaea40d8_b_budget-e1432242792249.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:39350;s:14:"optimized_size";i:27604;s:7:"percent";d:29.850000000000001;}s:9:"thumbnail";a:2:{s:7:"success";b:0;s:5:"error";s:77:"WELL DONE. This image is already compressed, no further compression required.";}s:6:"medium";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:93:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2015/05/7932571974_aebaea40d8_b_budget-e1432242792249-336x189.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:14045;s:14:"optimized_size";i:10182;s:7:"percent";d:27.5;}s:9:"wbhm-icon";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:91:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2015/05/7932571974_aebaea40d8_b_budget-e1432242792249-80x80.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:3144;s:14:"optimized_size";i:3063;s:7:"percent";d:2.5800000000000001;}s:13:"wbhm-featured";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:93:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2015/05/7932571974_aebaea40d8_b_budget-e1432242792249-600x337.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:39366;s:14:"optimized_size";i:27620;s:7:"percent";d:29.84;}s:20:"wbhm-featured-square";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:93:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2015/05/7932571974_aebaea40d8_b_budget-e1432242792249-300x300.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:24482;s:14:"optimized_size";i:17765;s:7:"percent";d:27.440000000000001;}s:18:"wbhm-featured-home";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:93:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2015/05/7932571974_aebaea40d8_b_budget-e1432242792249-554x311.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:31237;s:14:"optimized_size";i:19964;s:7:"percent";d:36.090000000000003;}s:22:"wbhm-featured-carousel";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:93:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2015/05/7932571974_aebaea40d8_b_budget-e1432242792249-470x265.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:24165;s:14:"optimized_size";i:17316;s:7:"percent";d:28.34;}s:14:"post-thumbnail";a:2:{s:7:"success";b:0;s:5:"error";s:77:"WELL DONE. This image is already compressed, no further compression required.";}}}
        )

    [_imagify_status] => Array
        (
            [0] => success
        )

)
1637591851 
1431638326

With Alabama facing a budget shortfall of more than $250 million, legislators have a few ideas on how to fill the gap: a lottery, gambling, raising taxes. But what works best? Alabama’s not the first state with budget problems. How have other states fixed their budgets?

For an expert perspective, WBHM talked with Mike Leachman, Director of State Fiscal Research at The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. They’re a non-partisan research and policy institute which works on fiscal policy at the federal and state level. Leachman tells WBHM’s Rachel Osier Lindley some proven strategies for long term revenue growth, and about issues other states face with gambling.

 

Alabama carries out nation’s third nitrogen gas execution on a man for a hitchhiker’s killing

Carey Dale Grayson was executed at the William C. Holman Correctional Facility in southern Alabama. He was one of four teenagers convicted of killing Vickie DeBlieux as she hitchhiked through the state on the way to her mother’s home in Louisiana.

You can sword-fight at this club. But no politics allowed

At the Pittsburgh Sword Fighters club, members are asked to leave their politics at the door, a rule that has led to closer relationships and more learning from one another.

How will China impact the future of climate change? You might be surprised

As a new Trump administration signals a retreat on climate action, China is stepping up. China is the biggest producer of climate technologies like electric vehicles and solar panels.

More than 100,000 pounds of ground beef are recalled for possibly having E. coli

The Minnesota Department of Agriculture alerted federal authorities about several illnesses in the past week.

President-elect set to shape ‘Trump judiciary’ for next generation

Legal experts predict President-elect Donald Trump will move quickly next year to cement and extend his legacy in appointing federal judges.

In this election, demographics did not determine how people voted

Groups that Democrats believed would always turn out in their favor did not do so this year. Here's how the vote shook out in the seven swing states.

More Government Coverage