Gov. Brown's state budget proposal is another failure of his administration to implement a reasonable, rational and responsible budgeting approach. Instead, his plan utilizes phantom budget cuts, raises taxes on job creators and relies on gimmicks that will only increase California's already massive deficit.

Maryland's fiscal day of reckoning is now. For years, Maryland has had significant tax fee increase, raided dedicated funds, increased the fiscal burdens of local governments and resulted in excessive borrowing and other ‘gimmicks' to allegedly balance the budget. Maryland's years of spending beyond the taxpayers means of funding needs to be addressed now or Maryland will lose more jobs. Maryland should live with the budget that was passed in the regular session.

"Laura and John Arnold Foundation's paper dispels the myths that are preventing state legislators from enacting sound pension reform. For far too long people have wrongly believed that ending defined benefit programs and converting to a defined contribution (IRA type) pension system will raise costs. However, moving to a defined contribution plan is exactly what our states desperately need to avoid further fiscal debt," Williams said.

There are no easy or comfortable options; it is time for the Governor to appoint an Emergency Manager.

New York's lawmakers should be applauded for demonstrating that both sides of the aisle can work together, compromise and enact a budget in a timely manner for two years in a row. However, there are several aspects of New York's budget that should frighten every taxpayer.

With the deadline for Virginia lawmakers to adopt a $85 billion spending plan rapidly approaching, now is not the time to play political games. Virginia's budget approval process should be focused on achieving fiscal responsibility by balancing the budget, not on who controls what in the committees.

Washington legislators have once again chosen to delay budget action and kick this massive problem down the road. What they are conveniently forgetting is that each day no solution is found increases the amount that needs to be cut or amount of tax increases.

Today, State Budget Solutions (SBS), a nonprofit organization advocating for fundamental reform of state budgets, released their comprehensive study on effects of green jobs on state budgets. The study, completed by State Budget Solutions' researchers, combined an analysis of the economics of green jobs promotion, data on actual green jobs and state and federal green jobs policy to find that green jobs programs are burdening state budgets without producing substantial economic growth.

Today, State Budget Solutions (SBS) released its study on the states that tax the highest number of services. Topping the list was Hawaii with 160 services taxed, followed by New Mexico and Washington that tied for second place with 158.