Projo 7 to 7 News Blog

The state ended its last budget year awash in red ink, according to a newly-released Aug. 29 report by state Controller Marc A. Leonetti.

Made public after The Journal made inquiries today, the report pegs the end-of-year deficit at $33.6 million. Of that amount, $8.2 million is attributed to lower-than-anticipated revenues. Most of the rest is attributed to over-budget spending.

Governor Carcieri's office overspent its own budget by $184,152; the Department of Human Services overspent its budget by a total of $46.2 million in state and federal funds. Of that, the state portion is $18.6 million.

It remains unclear how the state has paid or intends to pay these bills since the state's rainy day fund is only available for use to plug end-of-year deficits attributable to unanticipated revenue shortfalls.

Many questions remain unanswered. Early this evening, Carcieri spokeswoman Amy Kempe responded to questions about the deficit-spending by the governor's own office:

"The governor's budget was impacted, as many department budgets were, by the unachieved furlough days and unachieved medical holiday. Further, the contingency funds balance forward of $487,113 was removed by the Legislature late in the fiscal year. Had the contingency fund remained, the governor's budget would have been within the appropriated amount.

"As I have responded before, a few of the governor's staff salaries was allocated to different departments because those employees spent an extraordinary amount of time on specific issues related to those agencies.''

 Tags  deficit Governor Carcieri

Comments

jim said:

Bull!!! The governor has now violated another amendment of the state constitution by ending the year more than $50,000 in the red. It's time to stop blaming everyone else and just reason, Donny!!

Link | September 8, 2008 11:36 PM
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jim said:

resign, Donny!!!

Link | September 9, 2008 9:18 AM
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Dan said:

Which shell is the pea under? The Governor continues to play games inside the budget. The shortfall is mostly due to King Don's overpaid Department heads not living within their budgets. As for the lame excuse by the Governor's propaganda specialist, King Don couldn't even get the budget to balance in his own department. He then blames his failed plans. Who is really accountable? Certainly not the Governor or his Department heads, but be sure to beat up on the unionized state workers who do not control the overspending incompetence.

Link | September 9, 2008 11:02 AM
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