The state could save more than $1 million annually by eliminating the Department of Community and Culture and turning over its functions to other agencies.

The state treasurer's office urged Gov. Jerry Brown to reject a bill that would require the governor to consult lawmakers about midyear budget cuts they already have approved.

A lawmaker-requested study released Wednesday by University of Denver researchers says Colorado's long-term budget outlook is worse than first thought.

Just a couple of months after signing a two-year budget that slashed about $4 billion from state spending plans, Gov. Chris Gregoire has told state agencies to get ready for another round of cuts.

A dejected Gov. Chris Gregoire gave final approval Wednesday to a new state spending plan, bemoaning in particular the sweeping cuts it makes to one of her prized issues: education.

Budget cutting despite a tax increase illustrates just how bad the state's finances are.

The North Carolina legislature has sent its budget to Governor Bev Perdue's desk, and it includes deep cuts for agencies around the state, including education.

Gov. Mary Fallin and leaders in the GOP-controlled Legislature held a joint press conference to announce the deal that will lead to cuts of about 4 percent for common education and 5 percent for the state's colleges and universities. Those cuts will hinge on a separate agreement on $21 million in supplemental funding from excess collections on the gross production tax on oil.

A $1.8 billion budget to fund most non-education state services in Alabama moves close to final approval in the Alabama Legislature.

A compromise that would allow older seniors to keep their tax breaks on retirement income likely will lead to deeper spending cuts and other changes in the next Michigan state budget.

In Maine and elsewhere, it's an early test for 'tea-party'-backed Republicans who say the strategy will create jobs and boost state economies.

House and Senate negotiators approved an $18.3 billion budget for the upcoming fiscal year that cuts college funding and borrows from Medicaid to fund shortfalls in the teacher and employee retirement systems.

Republican lawmakers in the House are offering an alternative state budget proposal for the next two years that contains $4.7 billion in cuts, including the elimination of Washington's health program for the poor and most of a program aiding disabled adults.

More than a week after Gov. John Kasich presented his $55.5 billion budget, his budget director spelled out how the administration would close a projected gap that it now says is closer to $7.7 billion.

A plan to slash state spending and leave Kansas with nearly $83 million in the bank next year was endorsed by a state House committee following weeks of debate.

New Jersey's cuts in school financing violate the State Constitution's mandate to provide "a thorough and efficient" education system and hit poor districts especially hard, a judge reported to the State Supreme Court.

The effort to reduce California's budget shortfall of $26 billion had bipartisan support. Gov. Jerry Brown is still working to secure votes on more contentious parts of his plan.

The burden of Ohio's $8 billion budget shortfall is landing hard on local governments, school districts and health-care providers, and Gov. John Kasich expects all of them to change the way they operate.

Fulfilling his promise not to raise taxes, Ohio Gov. John Kasich Tuesday unveiled a $52 billion two-year budget that slashes spending for many agencies and seeks to privatize certain government functions to eliminate an $8 billion budget deficit.

Gov. John Kasich's first budget will roil the Ohio landscape on Tuesday, especially the public, nonprofit and private entities that count on the state's largesse.

The Washington Policy Center proposes seven ideas for balancing the budget that, if adopted, would put Washington on the path to long-term financial stability so lawmakers do not feel they have to increase the financial burden they place on citizens by raising tax rates.

States are getting down to the nitty-gritty of budget cuts as they hack away millions of dollars in order to salvage their shortfalls. While some states are managing to balance their budget woes, others are still deliberating their budgets for the next fiscal year.

It's that time of year again; one by one, states are passing their budgets for the next fiscal year. Shortfalls still loom for some while others have used a variety of tools to balance their books. Some states have taxed, others have cut, and still others have just gotten creative with their accounting.

Illinois Democratic Governor Pat Quinn presented his budget address last week, but it is unclear whether it will be enough to solve the state's budget woes.

Someone should tell the unions (in Wisconsin, at least) that there is a new sheriff in town.  And he's not afraid to call in the National Guard to quell unrest among state employees.

States have created programs and whole agencies that overstep the core functions of government; these have got to go. If lawmakers don't take advantage of the chance to reform state government when they have all the weight of necessity on their side, they never will.

Though nearly every state is in serious fiscal pain that will almost certainly adversely affect citizens, budget shortfalls are forcing states to rethink and redesign government for the better.

Combined with her other calls for pension reforms and agency consolidation, Governor Gregoire's budget represents a good framework for the Legislature to debate how best to move Washington forward in a sustainable, core-function focused way.

Despite warnings from Governor Gregoire that immediate action is needed to balance the budget, Democratic leadership in the Washington State Legislature remains uncommitted to a special session when lawmakers are in Olympia next week.  Since the dire budget reality is not enough to prod the Legislature into action, the Governor should force lawmakers' hands.

Washington State's Office of Financial Management has now created a separate website detailing how agencies would implement 10% reductions in the 2011-13 budget.

As Governor Gregoire was signing an Executive Order to set in motion across-the-board budget cuts, legislators were busy on the campaign trail instead of dealing with the problem.

The Federal Education Jobs Fund that gives the states $10 billion for K-12 education to crate or save 160,000 teacher jobs is a hoax.  Many of the teachers it was intended to save have already been rehired.  Any state accepting the funds must be aware of the "maintenance of effort" (MOE) requirements if they accept the federal funds, including the insbility to lower education funds.