The Looming Crisis – Getting a Grip on State Budgets and Spending (SERIES)

Sponsored by the Pew Center on the States

States across the country face severe budget gaps.  Revenue from property, sales and income taxes is down sharply while demand for services is up.  Closing the gap means making tough decisions about spending cuts and tax increases.  The business community cannot afford for local chambers to sit out this debate.

To help you and your business members better understand the budget challenges states face and offer research-based solutions, ACCE  partnered with the Pew Center on the States to organize a three-part DIALogue teleseminar series.  Each session features both an issue expert from the Pew Center to provide an overview of national data and trends and a business leader to share experience in a specific state.  Resources each session are below.

Session Resources

Spending Decisions: States' Fiscal Health (November 17, 2010)

This session examines the current state of state budgets using the specific example of public sector retirement costs to illustrate the long-term challenges facing most states.

Speakers: Bryan Sunderland, Kentucky Chamber of Commerce; Steve Fehr, Project Director and Senior Staff Writer, Stateline; Kil Huh, Director, Research, Pew Center on the States

• Presentation Slides
• Presentation audio (28MB)
• Additional Resources: The Leaky Bucket Report (Kentucky Chamber), The Trillion Dollar Gap

Spending Efficiently: Smarter Government Performance (December 1, 2010)

State budget decisions aren’t just about slashing programs or raising taxes. States need to operate efficiently and effectively to improve performance.  We will look at how states like Texas are getting a better return for every public safety dollar by taking an evidence-based approach to their corrections system.

Speakers: Marc Levin, Esq., Director, Center for Effective Justice, Texas Public Policy Foundation; D. Newman, Senior Associate, Public Safety Performance Project, Pew Center on the States

• Presentation Slides
• Presentation audio (30MB)
• Additional Resources: 1 in 100, 1 in 31 and Right-sizing Prisons

Spending Effectively: Smarter Investments (January 12, 2011)

In this time of intense fiscal stress, states should use evidence to make smart investments in programs that provide the strongest returns. We will look at states that, because of applying data-based decision-making, are investing some of their workforce and economic development dollars in quality early childhood programs.

Speakers: Rob Bradham, Chattanooga (TN) Area Chamber of Commerce; Stephanie Rubin,Senior Officer, Campaigns, Pew Center on the States

• Presentation Slides
• Presentation audio (20MB)
• Additional Resources: Pre-K Now and Partnership for America’s Economic Success

About the Pew Center on the States

The Pew Center on the States is a highly respected, national, nonpartisan policy group that identifies and advances effective solutions to critical issues facing states.  They’ve worked with dozens of state and local chambers of commerce and business groups across the country to promote evidence-based policies that improve fiscal health and competitiveness.