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NGA, NASBO Say States Facing ‘Big Squeeze’ According to Latest Fiscal Survey

November 30, 2011 Comments off

NGA, NASBO Say States Facing ‘Big Squeeze’ According to Latest Fiscal Survey

Source: National Governors Association

While the overall fiscal condition of states has improved from the depths of the recession, the Fall 2011 Fiscal Survey of States, released today by the National Governors Association (NGA) and the National Association of State Budget Officers (NASBO), shows that states are facing a ‘big squeeze’ from both local and federal governments. The combination of the effects of the economic downturn, tepid economic growth and the expiration of Recovery Act and other federal funds has severely impeded the growth of state resources. Additionally, spending on Medicaid is expected to consume an increasing share of state budgets and grow much more rapidly than state revenue growth, resulting in slow or no growth in education, transportation or public safety.

Overall, state 2012 enacted budgets include nearly $667 billion in general fund expenditures, a 2.9 percent increase compared to $648 billion in general fund spending in 2011. Despite the second year with an increase, total enacted general fund spending in 2012 is still $21 billion less than the pre-recession high of $687 billion in 2008.

At the same time, local government revenues have been severely impacted by the decline in housing values. Many local governments, including school districts, rely heavily on property taxes to support their activities. These jurisdictions have been pressing states for more local assistance.

+ Full Report (PDF)

Governors Emphasize the Importance of Education for Economic Competitiveness

March 7, 2011 Comments off

Governors Emphasize the Importance of Education for Economic Competitiveness
Source: National Governors Association

The National Governors Association (NGA) 2011 Winter Meeting concluded today with a closing plenary session highlighting the importance of increasing college attainment rates for economic competitiveness as part of NGA Chair Washington Gov. Chris Gregoire’s initiative, Complete to Compete. Bill Gates, co-chair of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, joined governors to highlight options for boosting college attainment rates with existing resources.

“To ensure that our states and citizens are prepared to compete in the globalized economy, we must develop sound policies that enable more individuals to complete degrees and increase the efficiency of the institutions that educate them,” said Gov. Gregoire. “My initiative focuses on the urgent need to increase college completion and productivity in the United States. In the future, more than two-thirds of jobs will require an advanced degree – whether it is a degree from a two-year community college, four-year university, technical program or other credential. We need to put the right policies in place to meet this workforce demand.”

As part of Gov. Gregoire’s initiative, NGA released Improving Postsecondary Attainment Among Adults (PDF), a guide to help states get more of their adult citizens to and through college. This report offers states ideas that can be done without increasing costs, such as making sure that adult students have access to financial aid and providing programs and services that fit with their lifestyle.

At the NGA Annual Meeting last July, the association released Complete to Compete: Common College Completion Metrics (PDF), a set of common higher education completion and productivity measures that governors and higher education leaders can use to monitor state progress and compare performance to other states and between institutions.

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