Excerpt
The national economy is showing signs of improvement, but states have seen a three-year decay of their budgets. Environmental management programs have taken a hit. Recovery from the three previous years will be slow. What are the experts saying?
State budgets have been bleak for the past three years. It hasn't been since the very early 1990s that states have seen the magnitude of cuts they've weathered the last three years. With these cuts, environmental management programs were not spared. Survey results of state environmental agency staff, show the 2001 fiscal year budget crisis resulted in a cumulative $196.4 million cuts or reductions for environmental agencies.
Subsequent years have seen additional cuts and reductions. It began because of lower than expected tax revenues caused by a slowdown in the economy. As we enter a period where signs of recovery are evident, states need to make up ground to get back where they were. What is the projection for fiscal year 2005 and beyond? The economy doesn't grow smoothly; this cycle will …
Footnotes
- Copyright 2004 by the Soil and Water Conservation Society
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