A new report by Pew Center on the States and the Laura and John Arnold Foundation says the retirement plans have a $13 billion shortfall. That's up from $12 billion a year earlier.

Signaling the importance of pension changes in the coming months, the Corbett administration released a detailed report Monday warning of steep budget cuts if a way is not found swiftly to rein in public-pension spending.

The rankings, compiled by investment research firm Morningstar Inc, looked at the liabilities of taxpayers on a per-capita basis for the pension funds administered by 50 states, as well as the more traditional measure of how well or poorly the programs are funded.

The news is consistent with reports showing that the recovery, which had been on its way in Massachusetts, is slowing down.

There is a long history of the federal government's giving short shrift to the needs of states and cities - by making cuts in federal aid that forced service cuts or tax increases at the local level, or by passing laws requiring localities to take expensive actions without giving them the money to do so.

No solid numbers have yet emerged as to the actual cost to the state of the lost income, sales and corporate tax revenues - not to mention the cost of state-sponsored remediation projects.

Legislative Republicans, often out in the cold when it comes to the state budget, may become equal partners next month as majority Democrats face the $365 million budget shortfall.

Hoosiers will receive a credit on their 2012 income tax liability of $111 for single filers and $222 for joint filers, thanks to Indiana's automatic taxpayer refund.

Directors and boards overseeing the various state departments and agencies have requested nearly $357 million in increased spending for the new 2014 fiscal year slated to begin July 1.

Louisiana Rep. Kirk Talbot and other members of the state House are calling for the attorney general's office to weigh in on the constitutionality of Gov. Bobby Jindal's budget, referring to the spending plan as a "revenue shell game" that resulted in an out-of-balance budget.