States ranked by fiscal performance
Anita Balakrishnan, USA TODAY 10:29 a.m. EDT July 7, 2015
The fiscal health of state governments vary widely and the future for many is uncertain, according to a new report.
The Mercatus Center, a public policy research group, ranked the 50 states based on how well each state government planned spending in fiscal 2013 — the most recent year for which data was available — as well as their future financial prospects, from annual budgeting to cash to pay bills, to funding for pensions and long-term plans.
One common burden is the commitment to pay out huge sums in pensions, according the study Ranking the States by Fiscal Condition. Some states may struggle financially in the future because they used pensions and entitlements to pay general expenses.
Anita Balakrishnan, USA TODAY 10:29 a.m. EDT July 7, 2015
The fiscal health of state governments vary widely and the future for many is uncertain, according to a new report.
The Mercatus Center, a public policy research group, ranked the 50 states based on how well each state government planned spending in fiscal 2013 — the most recent year for which data was available — as well as their future financial prospects, from annual budgeting to cash to pay bills, to funding for pensions and long-term plans.
One common burden is the commitment to pay out huge sums in pensions, according the study Ranking the States by Fiscal Condition. Some states may struggle financially in the future because they used pensions and entitlements to pay general expenses.
