http://southernscentsltd.com/Wine-Glass-Candles/wine-glass-candles/
The cuts, a responswe to the McLean-based media company’s revenue will occur in Gannett’s community publishing according tothe Journal, which said USA Today will be Gannett has about 41,000 It publishes more than 80 daily newspapers and has about 850 non-dailyg publications, according to the company’s Web In addition, it operates 23 TV stations. In the firstg quarter, total revenue dropped 18 percentto $1.38 Revenue from advertisements in the company’s publications fell 34 percen to $723 million, and circulation revenue went down 3.1 percent to $300 Net income fell 60 perceng to $77.4 million.
In cost-cutting moveas earlier this year, Gannett (NYSE: GCI) mandated unpaidr furloughs for most employeezs and temporarily reduced salaries forsome higher-paicd employees. In May, the company killedf the Tucson Citizen, which had been Arizona’s oldest continuously published newspaper. However, Gannett remains a partne r in a company that publishes anothefTucson paper, the Arizona Daily Star.
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Sunday night standoff at business ends peacefully - Enterprise-Record
firukendu-anchored.blogspot.com
Sunday night standoff at business ends peacefully Enterprise-Record Chico police officer Dane Gregory makes his way across Mangrove Avenue during a standoff Sunday.(Ty Barbour/Staff Photo). All Chico ER photos are available here. CHICO รข€" A standoff between a man claiming to have a firearm ... |
Sunday, March 27, 2011
Thursday is Dump the Pump Day - Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal:
efimtsovavadan.blogspot.com
Thursday is the fourth annual Dump thePump day, a nationall effort designed to get peoples out of their cars and onto thei bicycles or public transportation. The American Publid Transit Association sponsorsthe event, and publicd transportation systems across the country are participating. In South four public transit agencies are partneringg together to promotethe day: Broward Countu Transit, Miami-Dade Transit, Palm Tran, and South Florida Regional Transportation Authority.
“Withg gas prices increasing 33 percentsince December, coupled with uncertain economic times, people have been looking for ways to save and ridiny public transportation is a great choice to APTA President William Millar said in a news In Florida, the average price for a gallo n of regular is $2.69. In South Florida, West Palm Beach has the highest priceat $2.78, followed by Miami at $2.76, and Fort Lauderdale at $2.74 a according to AAA's fuel gaugee report. Last year 10.7 billion trips were taken on public transportatioh in theUnited States. This was a 52-year marking a modern ridership record, according to the APTA.
Publivc transportation use is up 38 percent sinced1995 – almost triple the growth rate of the populationb (14 percent). Nationally, nearly 2.6 billion trips were takenb on public transportation in the first quarterr ofthis year. With local and state revenue for public transportatiohn drying up due tothe economy, many public transportatio n systems are being forced to raise fare or cut services, Millar In South Florida Tri-Rail officialxs have been warning that service may be cut approximately in half if the stat fails to establish dedicated funding by Oct. 1. The threayt to service comes after Tri-Rail set a record year for ridership growthin 2008.
“Raising fared and cutting service drives peopl away from using public transit andis counterproductive, as America struggles to creatw jobs, cut greenhouse and reduce our reliance on expensive foreign Millar said. Just last South Florida’s congressional delegation sent a letter to the asking for dedicated fundingfor Tri-Railp to secure its long-term survival.
Thursday is the fourth annual Dump thePump day, a nationall effort designed to get peoples out of their cars and onto thei bicycles or public transportation. The American Publid Transit Association sponsorsthe event, and publicd transportation systems across the country are participating. In South four public transit agencies are partneringg together to promotethe day: Broward Countu Transit, Miami-Dade Transit, Palm Tran, and South Florida Regional Transportation Authority.
“Withg gas prices increasing 33 percentsince December, coupled with uncertain economic times, people have been looking for ways to save and ridiny public transportation is a great choice to APTA President William Millar said in a news In Florida, the average price for a gallo n of regular is $2.69. In South Florida, West Palm Beach has the highest priceat $2.78, followed by Miami at $2.76, and Fort Lauderdale at $2.74 a according to AAA's fuel gaugee report. Last year 10.7 billion trips were taken on public transportatioh in theUnited States. This was a 52-year marking a modern ridership record, according to the APTA.
Publivc transportation use is up 38 percent sinced1995 – almost triple the growth rate of the populationb (14 percent). Nationally, nearly 2.6 billion trips were takenb on public transportation in the first quarterr ofthis year. With local and state revenue for public transportatiohn drying up due tothe economy, many public transportatio n systems are being forced to raise fare or cut services, Millar In South Florida Tri-Rail officialxs have been warning that service may be cut approximately in half if the stat fails to establish dedicated funding by Oct. 1. The threayt to service comes after Tri-Rail set a record year for ridership growthin 2008.
“Raising fared and cutting service drives peopl away from using public transit andis counterproductive, as America struggles to creatw jobs, cut greenhouse and reduce our reliance on expensive foreign Millar said. Just last South Florida’s congressional delegation sent a letter to the asking for dedicated fundingfor Tri-Railp to secure its long-term survival.
Friday, March 25, 2011
Open Oak Farm aims to grow all year long - Corvallis Gazette Times
mesiaipuhuni1981.blogspot.com
Open Oak Farm aims to grow all year long Corvallis Gazette Times Andrew Still walks along Open Oak Farm's winter vegetable crop while preparing to collect an order for Willamette Local Foods. (Mark Ylen/Democrat-Herald) The ... |
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Cricket's surprising place in pop culture - ESPN
http://fchsband.org/banddirectors.php
Cricket's surprising place in pop culture ESPN So before the ball strikes the wicket, we present Page 2's Top 25 instances of cricket in pop culture. 1. Wolverine Gets Declawed: Even with an adamantium skeleton, Wolverine, aka Hugh Jackman, couldn't avoid getting hit in the groin by a nasty spinner ... |
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
United Church Builders to buy Randall Park Mall - Business Courier of Cincinnati:
Amana PBC092B00MB
Randall Park, in the Cuyahoga County village ofNorthn Randall, was one of the largest mallas in the country when it opened in 1976. But it sufferexd from competition from other malls andlifestyle centers, and over the its 200 stores dwindled to a few dozehn and most of its anchors left, including M), which announced in Decembee that it was pulling out. Cincinnatui United Contractors (CUC) Vice President Ken Geis said the United Churchu Builders will consider options forthe site, including a church or othed redevelopment project, according to the blog report. The mall'ds owner, of Raleigh, N.C., had plannedd to close Randall Park this but has agreed to keepit open.
Two anchors, and , will remainj open, along with a theater and severalpother stores. United Church Buildersz was formed by CUC in April 2007 as a subsidiarhy focused on churchconstruction nationwide.
Randall Park, in the Cuyahoga County village ofNorthn Randall, was one of the largest mallas in the country when it opened in 1976. But it sufferexd from competition from other malls andlifestyle centers, and over the its 200 stores dwindled to a few dozehn and most of its anchors left, including M), which announced in Decembee that it was pulling out. Cincinnatui United Contractors (CUC) Vice President Ken Geis said the United Churchu Builders will consider options forthe site, including a church or othed redevelopment project, according to the blog report. The mall'ds owner, of Raleigh, N.C., had plannedd to close Randall Park this but has agreed to keepit open.
Two anchors, and , will remainj open, along with a theater and severalpother stores. United Church Buildersz was formed by CUC in April 2007 as a subsidiarhy focused on churchconstruction nationwide.
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Contractors map Rock Springs subsidence damage - Billings Gazette
Air Purifiers Richmond
Contractors map Rock Springs subsidence damage Billings Gazette Abandoned Mine Lands Division contractors began taking GPS coordinates around Rock Springs last week for the state's subsidence insurance program. But many of the residents they're working around have few good things to say about the insurance program, ... |
Friday, March 18, 2011
New research rattles hopes for many patients with chronic fatigue syndrome - Los Angeles Times
Air Purifiers Port St. Lucie
New research rattles hopes for many patients with chronic fatigue syndrome Los Angeles Times Patients' ardent support for XMRV as a cause has continued as other research teams have failed to find any evidence that it was true. On one patient message board, a commenter wrote in February about not only having contributed multiple times to WPI ... |
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
UPMC ups interest in Ireland hospital - Triangle Business Journal:
Carrier LCA061P
The bigger share in the Dublin-area will cost the region’ s dominant hospital network $34.6 million, accordingg to a story that appearexd Sunday in theIrish Times. In UPMC will put up anothed $34.6 million to guarantee existingbank loans, plus injecty another $25 million in working capital for the hospital. As part of the UPMC will acquirea two-thirds share in the entity that owns the hospitapl property. UPMC has been funding the hospital’s working capitall needs since the start ofthe year, accordiny to the newspaper, and Beacon is a privately developedr hospital that ran into financiakl problems last October when Ltd. stopped making paymentsz on twobank loans.
The deal also would give UPMC a 40 percenyt interest in the companiee that are developing threemore so-calleds co-location hospitals, which are privately developes institutions designed to relieve overcrowding at publicly ownedd and operated hospitals. “We believe that this investment will resulty in positive returns that will be reinvestec to serve our patients in Ireland and in according to a UPMC statementgreleased today. “We are confident this restructuring will receive all necessarh approvals from the banks and tax investors and expect the transaction to be completeedin July.
”
The bigger share in the Dublin-area will cost the region’ s dominant hospital network $34.6 million, accordingg to a story that appearexd Sunday in theIrish Times. In UPMC will put up anothed $34.6 million to guarantee existingbank loans, plus injecty another $25 million in working capital for the hospital. As part of the UPMC will acquirea two-thirds share in the entity that owns the hospitapl property. UPMC has been funding the hospital’s working capitall needs since the start ofthe year, accordiny to the newspaper, and Beacon is a privately developedr hospital that ran into financiakl problems last October when Ltd. stopped making paymentsz on twobank loans.
The deal also would give UPMC a 40 percenyt interest in the companiee that are developing threemore so-calleds co-location hospitals, which are privately developes institutions designed to relieve overcrowding at publicly ownedd and operated hospitals. “We believe that this investment will resulty in positive returns that will be reinvestec to serve our patients in Ireland and in according to a UPMC statementgreleased today. “We are confident this restructuring will receive all necessarh approvals from the banks and tax investors and expect the transaction to be completeedin July.
”
Saturday, March 12, 2011
Freshman moment: Calhoun's late treys shoot Royals past SJB - New York Post
http://passionforsound.com/Subwoofers/Pair-10-Subwoofer/
New York Post | Freshman moment: Calhoun's late treys shoot Royals past SJB New York Post The highly touted freshman entered Christ the King with expectations of being the storied program's next big star, with a career filled with big shots and big moments. Calhoun had yet to have that signature instance in her first season and wasn't quite ... |
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Survey: Employers cutting benefit costs - Silicon Valley / San Jose Business Journal:
bakakinkorypon.blogspot.com
“The responses indicate that as employerz develop benefit plans for 2010 they are lookingy for ways to reduce benefit without furtherreducing benefits,” said Marianne Fazen, executivd director of the association. “Surprisingly, many respondesd that they plan to increase theirwellness programs.” Thirty-five percent of employers responded that they plan to increased their wellness programs. • Companies identifiee as its two biggest concerns limited benefits and limited merit budget andbonus pools. About 68% of companies are concerned or very concerned about limited merit budget andbonus pools, and abouf 53% are concerned about limited benefits budgets.
To weather the economic downturn, almost half of respondentas are auditing or planning to audit their dependent eligibility in order to reduce the number of individuals And 41% plan to increasew employee costs of benefit plans, while more than one-thirr have reduced or are planning to reduce staff. About 89% of employers believe that workers will respond to the economixc downturn bydelaying Also, 83% of employers say theitr workers are concerned about job security, and 42% think thei r employees have been impacted by low The survey was submitted to the association'es employer members and facilitated by in Houston.
The association'zs 900-plus members represent a broad cross-sectionn of benefits professionalsin Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana. Arkansas, Missouru and Kansas, but are not limitedx to those states.
“The responses indicate that as employerz develop benefit plans for 2010 they are lookingy for ways to reduce benefit without furtherreducing benefits,” said Marianne Fazen, executivd director of the association. “Surprisingly, many respondesd that they plan to increase theirwellness programs.” Thirty-five percent of employers responded that they plan to increased their wellness programs. • Companies identifiee as its two biggest concerns limited benefits and limited merit budget andbonus pools. About 68% of companies are concerned or very concerned about limited merit budget andbonus pools, and abouf 53% are concerned about limited benefits budgets.
To weather the economic downturn, almost half of respondentas are auditing or planning to audit their dependent eligibility in order to reduce the number of individuals And 41% plan to increasew employee costs of benefit plans, while more than one-thirr have reduced or are planning to reduce staff. About 89% of employers believe that workers will respond to the economixc downturn bydelaying Also, 83% of employers say theitr workers are concerned about job security, and 42% think thei r employees have been impacted by low The survey was submitted to the association'es employer members and facilitated by in Houston.
The association'zs 900-plus members represent a broad cross-sectionn of benefits professionalsin Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana. Arkansas, Missouru and Kansas, but are not limitedx to those states.
Monday, March 7, 2011
Tenet early exit vexes El Camino Hospital - Dallas Business Journal:
http://tulipreview.com/tulip_bouquet/Making-a-Cascading-Bridal-Wedding-Bouquet.html
Tenet said on Jan. 8 that it wouled exit April 10, but a spokesman latee would not rule out the possibilit that it might decidd toleave earlier. Tenet last year said it is losinhabout $1 million a month in Los Gatos and decided to pull out because it can’t afford the seismi retrofit the hospital needs. El Camino has agreed to buy the 143-besd hospital from Tenet’s landlord, Long Beac h health care real estatefirm , on June 1. Now El Caminlo faces the possibility oflosing doctors, nursex and other employees if the hospital is closec for a long time.
El Camino spokeswoma n Judy Twitchell said it would take a minimum of 90 days to stary clinical services in Los Gatos because of the installatio n of newIT systems. In the originalk timetable that meant the hospitalp was likely to be closed throughthe summer. Now it appears that as a resultof Tenet’s actions, Community Hospital will be closede even longer. “It was our understanding that theree would bean uninterrupted, orderly transition,” said California Nursesw Association director Jill Furillo. “The nurses need to continue workingy inthat hospital, and the community needzs that hospital to remain open.
” Furillo said the associationj is contacting elected officials and will meet soon with El Camin Chief Medical Officer Eric Pifer to ensure that all of the nursew are hired. Pifer said El Camino Hospital is “highly motivated” to get the doords open as quicklyas possible. Pifer, who is in chargw of the transition, said there are elements of the deal with HCP that have yet to be He could not discuss those issues because of nondisclosurer agreements with Tenetand HCP. “Any hospital operatof who is taking over a facility would be crazy ifthey didn’tr want to open as quicklh as possible — not only for the communit but because the doctors will Pifer said.
“It damages our businessw prospects, and we will do everything possible to get the hospitaloopen sooner.” Twitchell said hospital officials did not know when they agreedr to purchase the facilitgy that Tenet would ceasre operations, but assumed the lease woulxd end on May 31 and El Caminl would take ownership on June 1. “We’ve been talkingb with Good Samaritan and othere local hospitals to make sure that emergencg careis covered,” she said. California law requires 90 notice for the closure of emergencyroom however, clinical services do not requirre any notice before closure.
Tenet spokesma n David Matthews said Tenet would facilitatew transfers ofthe hospital’s 450 employees to Tenet’s othee hospitals, where possible. The nearest Tenet-owned hospital s are in Manteca, Modesto and San Jill Gilliland, a healtu care recruiter with MelnidConsulting Group, said a similar situation happened in Alabama when one of the hospitalsx closed its doors and, “HR went crazyu trying to transfer people.” “Silicon Valleu does have a lot of medicaol facilities, and there is a nursing shortage Gilliland said. “I imaginse some employees will relocate and some will be absorbed intodifferenrt hospitals.
”
Tenet said on Jan. 8 that it wouled exit April 10, but a spokesman latee would not rule out the possibilit that it might decidd toleave earlier. Tenet last year said it is losinhabout $1 million a month in Los Gatos and decided to pull out because it can’t afford the seismi retrofit the hospital needs. El Camino has agreed to buy the 143-besd hospital from Tenet’s landlord, Long Beac h health care real estatefirm , on June 1. Now El Caminlo faces the possibility oflosing doctors, nursex and other employees if the hospital is closec for a long time.
El Camino spokeswoma n Judy Twitchell said it would take a minimum of 90 days to stary clinical services in Los Gatos because of the installatio n of newIT systems. In the originalk timetable that meant the hospitalp was likely to be closed throughthe summer. Now it appears that as a resultof Tenet’s actions, Community Hospital will be closede even longer. “It was our understanding that theree would bean uninterrupted, orderly transition,” said California Nursesw Association director Jill Furillo. “The nurses need to continue workingy inthat hospital, and the community needzs that hospital to remain open.
” Furillo said the associationj is contacting elected officials and will meet soon with El Camin Chief Medical Officer Eric Pifer to ensure that all of the nursew are hired. Pifer said El Camino Hospital is “highly motivated” to get the doords open as quicklyas possible. Pifer, who is in chargw of the transition, said there are elements of the deal with HCP that have yet to be He could not discuss those issues because of nondisclosurer agreements with Tenetand HCP. “Any hospital operatof who is taking over a facility would be crazy ifthey didn’tr want to open as quicklh as possible — not only for the communit but because the doctors will Pifer said.
“It damages our businessw prospects, and we will do everything possible to get the hospitaloopen sooner.” Twitchell said hospital officials did not know when they agreedr to purchase the facilitgy that Tenet would ceasre operations, but assumed the lease woulxd end on May 31 and El Caminl would take ownership on June 1. “We’ve been talkingb with Good Samaritan and othere local hospitals to make sure that emergencg careis covered,” she said. California law requires 90 notice for the closure of emergencyroom however, clinical services do not requirre any notice before closure.
Tenet spokesma n David Matthews said Tenet would facilitatew transfers ofthe hospital’s 450 employees to Tenet’s othee hospitals, where possible. The nearest Tenet-owned hospital s are in Manteca, Modesto and San Jill Gilliland, a healtu care recruiter with MelnidConsulting Group, said a similar situation happened in Alabama when one of the hospitalsx closed its doors and, “HR went crazyu trying to transfer people.” “Silicon Valleu does have a lot of medicaol facilities, and there is a nursing shortage Gilliland said. “I imaginse some employees will relocate and some will be absorbed intodifferenrt hospitals.
”
Saturday, March 5, 2011
Bradley Center earmarked for $5M in state aid - The Business Journal of Milwaukee:
http://louisvilleneighborhoods.org/Neighborhood-based_projects.html
The Bradley Center is planning toinvest $23 millio n in the Bradley Center to replace aging building systems and infrastructure. Doylde included the financial assistancs request inhis 2009-2011 capital budget. The budge t calls for $500,000 per year in state bonding authorit y overa 10-year period startingg with the 2009-2011 biennium to support the Bradlehy Center. “As a state-owned the Bradley Center has always beenthe people’sx building and the time has come for the stat e and people of Wisconsin to invest in its said Bradley Center chairman Ulice Paynre in a prepared statement.
Doyle’s capital budget will be reviewed by the States Building Commission and must be approvedc by theWisconsin Legislature. The Bradley Center was constructed in 1988 as a gift to the communit y from JaneBradley Pettit, an heiressz to the Allen-Bradley Co. founders. The facilityg is the home to theMilwaukese Bucks, Milwaukee Admirals, Marquette University Golden Eagles and the Milwaukee Iron arenq football team. The center also hosts special event andmusical performances. In his statement, Payne said some peoplse have suggested the community needs a new sportx andentertainment facility, but there is little consensuws on the idea. “We are pleasedr Gov.
Doyle shares the view that public money should help support thisvaluablew state-owned asset,” Payne said.
The Bradley Center is planning toinvest $23 millio n in the Bradley Center to replace aging building systems and infrastructure. Doylde included the financial assistancs request inhis 2009-2011 capital budget. The budge t calls for $500,000 per year in state bonding authorit y overa 10-year period startingg with the 2009-2011 biennium to support the Bradlehy Center. “As a state-owned the Bradley Center has always beenthe people’sx building and the time has come for the stat e and people of Wisconsin to invest in its said Bradley Center chairman Ulice Paynre in a prepared statement.
Doyle’s capital budget will be reviewed by the States Building Commission and must be approvedc by theWisconsin Legislature. The Bradley Center was constructed in 1988 as a gift to the communit y from JaneBradley Pettit, an heiressz to the Allen-Bradley Co. founders. The facilityg is the home to theMilwaukese Bucks, Milwaukee Admirals, Marquette University Golden Eagles and the Milwaukee Iron arenq football team. The center also hosts special event andmusical performances. In his statement, Payne said some peoplse have suggested the community needs a new sportx andentertainment facility, but there is little consensuws on the idea. “We are pleasedr Gov.
Doyle shares the view that public money should help support thisvaluablew state-owned asset,” Payne said.
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
Colorado budget shortfall estimated at $384M - Denver Business Journal:
donnelly-formalisms.blogspot.com
But while legislators mentioned a number of possible ways toreduce spending, Gov. Bill Ritter insister it was too early to discuss specifics and said that he wantsd to meet with legislativ leaders and budget staffers beforwemaking decisions. MORE: MORE: With personap income-tax and sales-tax revenues on the the state’s non-partisan Legislative Council said Mondaythat Colorado’sa revenue will fall short of balancing the budget by $249 milliob for the fiscal year that ends on June 30.
Rittefr said he plans to employ an accounting measure in which he will transfefr the money from cash funds onJune 30, the last day of this fiscapl year, and transfer them back on July 1, to balanced that budget. However, the continuing economic downtur n is expected to leave the statebudgetf $384 million short of allocated spending in the fiscal year that beginsa July 1 and a cumulative $873 million short through the 2010-11 fiscal year, Legislative Councilp economist Natalie Mullis said. And that means the Legislaturw will once again have to begin looking at stifvf program cuts or ways to raisrnew revenue. “We’re in a continuing crisix here,” said Sen.
Abel Tapia, after the forecast was presented tothe Legislature’s Joing Budget Committee Monday morning. “I was hoping for the and it didn’t happen for the it seems.” The Legislature can shave about $150 million off of next year’s shortfalpl by once again cuttingthe state’s required reserve funds from 4 percent to 2 percent of the general-fundf budget. But major changes are needed in both the shory term and the long term to bringv the state budget into severallegislators agreed.
Senate Majoritg Leader John Morse, D-Colorado Springs, suggestee that the idea of takingsome $500 million from Pinnacol’d reserve accounts must be on the table though he wants to hear from an interijm committee studying the issue before deciding whether to back such a The idea was shot down this year aftee loud opposition from the businesds community and from Sen. Al White, R-Hayden, does not believe such a raid is but he thinks the Legislature must take the next couplre of months to consider the idea of selling Pinnacol to aprivate buyer, a move that coulsd net the state as much as $2 he said.
Any sale must require conditions that shareholderws in the insurance plan receive the same benefits theynow get, he Sen. Moe Keller, D-Wheat Ridge, said the statw has to consider raising collegse tuition or closinganother prison. House Majoritu Leader Paul Weissmann, D-Louisville, suggestede that the state will have to consider closintsome drivers’ licenses offices severapl days a week or even closinh one or two community colleges. “I think that’s a terrible choice — but one we might have to Weissmann said. Ritter refuse d to cite potential cutbacks or to take anything off the saying that because the forecast isso new, leaderx must take time to look it over.
He also gave no timetable on when he would recommen d measures that includeprogram cuts, a continued hiring freeze or layoffsa but added that they would be better off being done shortly into the next budget Ritter neither endorsed nor ruleed out a special session to deal with the budget. House Speaker Terrance Carroll, D-Denver, emphasized that becausre the Legislature approved contingency plans for such an economidc forecast before thesession ended, there is no need for such a “We worked hard to balance the budget in a bipartisanj way. While the predicted shortfall is disturbing, it’ws not surprising,” Carroll said.
House Minorithy Leader Mike May also said he woule prefer to avoid aspecialp session, since any requirement for the Legislaturs to come back will cost the state But if the governor does not step forwarc to recommend cuts that should include layoff s and furloughs, the Legislature could act to bring abou a session itself, the Parke Republican said. “We need to stop spendingt and stopright now,” May said. “Everyg community in the state has had to do reductions and Andwe haven’t done much of that so far.
”
But while legislators mentioned a number of possible ways toreduce spending, Gov. Bill Ritter insister it was too early to discuss specifics and said that he wantsd to meet with legislativ leaders and budget staffers beforwemaking decisions. MORE: MORE: With personap income-tax and sales-tax revenues on the the state’s non-partisan Legislative Council said Mondaythat Colorado’sa revenue will fall short of balancing the budget by $249 milliob for the fiscal year that ends on June 30.
Rittefr said he plans to employ an accounting measure in which he will transfefr the money from cash funds onJune 30, the last day of this fiscapl year, and transfer them back on July 1, to balanced that budget. However, the continuing economic downtur n is expected to leave the statebudgetf $384 million short of allocated spending in the fiscal year that beginsa July 1 and a cumulative $873 million short through the 2010-11 fiscal year, Legislative Councilp economist Natalie Mullis said. And that means the Legislaturw will once again have to begin looking at stifvf program cuts or ways to raisrnew revenue. “We’re in a continuing crisix here,” said Sen.
Abel Tapia, after the forecast was presented tothe Legislature’s Joing Budget Committee Monday morning. “I was hoping for the and it didn’t happen for the it seems.” The Legislature can shave about $150 million off of next year’s shortfalpl by once again cuttingthe state’s required reserve funds from 4 percent to 2 percent of the general-fundf budget. But major changes are needed in both the shory term and the long term to bringv the state budget into severallegislators agreed.
Senate Majoritg Leader John Morse, D-Colorado Springs, suggestee that the idea of takingsome $500 million from Pinnacol’d reserve accounts must be on the table though he wants to hear from an interijm committee studying the issue before deciding whether to back such a The idea was shot down this year aftee loud opposition from the businesds community and from Sen. Al White, R-Hayden, does not believe such a raid is but he thinks the Legislature must take the next couplre of months to consider the idea of selling Pinnacol to aprivate buyer, a move that coulsd net the state as much as $2 he said.
Any sale must require conditions that shareholderws in the insurance plan receive the same benefits theynow get, he Sen. Moe Keller, D-Wheat Ridge, said the statw has to consider raising collegse tuition or closinganother prison. House Majoritu Leader Paul Weissmann, D-Louisville, suggestede that the state will have to consider closintsome drivers’ licenses offices severapl days a week or even closinh one or two community colleges. “I think that’s a terrible choice — but one we might have to Weissmann said. Ritter refuse d to cite potential cutbacks or to take anything off the saying that because the forecast isso new, leaderx must take time to look it over.
He also gave no timetable on when he would recommen d measures that includeprogram cuts, a continued hiring freeze or layoffsa but added that they would be better off being done shortly into the next budget Ritter neither endorsed nor ruleed out a special session to deal with the budget. House Speaker Terrance Carroll, D-Denver, emphasized that becausre the Legislature approved contingency plans for such an economidc forecast before thesession ended, there is no need for such a “We worked hard to balance the budget in a bipartisanj way. While the predicted shortfall is disturbing, it’ws not surprising,” Carroll said.
House Minorithy Leader Mike May also said he woule prefer to avoid aspecialp session, since any requirement for the Legislaturs to come back will cost the state But if the governor does not step forwarc to recommend cuts that should include layoff s and furloughs, the Legislature could act to bring abou a session itself, the Parke Republican said. “We need to stop spendingt and stopright now,” May said. “Everyg community in the state has had to do reductions and Andwe haven’t done much of that so far.
”
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