The Blog

Marty Brown, Director, Office of Financial Management

09/13/11

With the revenue forecast due this week, I think it’s helpful to share a document I recently presented to a group of business leaders. “Budget at a Glance” describes our state’s operating budget: what revenues compose it, how the money is spent and pressures upon our spending decisions.

What surprises many — from citizens to corporate leaders — is that when times get tough, the state budget faces even more demands, such as rising public school enrollments and health care, which must be met. Other demands swell, such as unemployment benefits and job search assistance. The more we know about the state budget, the better informed we are to make decisions as we continue to face enormous challenges.