GOP takeovers signal big cuts in state budgets

[dkf]

By MONICA DAVEY and MICHAEL LUO The New York Times - Published: November 8, 2010

Republicans who have taken over state capitols across the country are promising to respond to crippling budget deficits with an array of cuts, among them reducing public workers’ benefits in Wisconsin, scaling back social services in Maine and eliminating thousands of state jobs by privatizing state liquor stores in Pennsylvania.

States face huge deficits, even after several grueling years of them, and just as billions of dollars in stimulus money from Washington is drying up.

With some of these new Republican state leaders having taken the possibility of tax increases off the table in their campaigns, deep cuts in state spending will be needed. These leaders, committed to smaller government, say that is the idea.

...

All sorts of candidates make all sorts of promises along campaign trails, but there is a difference after last week’s election: In many states, Republicans have gained such control that when they take office in the coming months they will have a much easier time carrying out whatever agenda they choose.

In some cases, that may mean not just greatly changing state policies on taxing and spending, but also loosening regulations facing businesses, restricting access to abortion and rights for illegal immigration, and, perhaps, slowing the Obama administration’s health care overhaul.

Republicans gained more than 690 seats in state legislatures (leaving them with numbers last seen more than 80 years ago), at least five more governor seats, and, perhaps most significant, across-the-board power in the legislatures and governor’s offices of at least 20 states — more than twice as many as before the election.

http://www.timesargus.com/article/20101108/NEWS04/711089929/0/THISJUSTIN

[amborin]

1. "Republicans have gained such control that when they take office in the coming months they will have

.... a much easier time carrying out whatever agenda they choose. "

so sad to realize this was true of Dems just a short time ago.....now squandered

[dkf]

2. Yeah it's going to be hard.

[orwell]

3. Big cuts in State/Federal budgets =

...Job loss.

Let's see how that works out for 'ya...

[dkf]

4. Not good.

Well they aren't going to get federal money anyway so it may be moot.