bleedingheartland has a great explanation on the SUPPOSED $billion budget gap

[rurallib]

http://www.bleedingheartland.com/diary/3861/no-virginia-theres-no-billiondollar-budget-gap

Great explanation of how GOoPers came up with a story and by god they are sticking to it!
" The budget statement shows 2011 appropriations are projected to exceed the expenditure limitation by $1.070 billion. The expenditure limitation is estimated at $5.396 billion and appropriations are estimated to total $6.466 billion.

Since then, state legislators convened for the 2010 session and adopted a budget for fiscal year 2011. On this page you can download pdf files with detailed information about the budget. The "general fund balance sheet" indicates that total funds available (expected revenues in fiscal year 2011) is about $5.46 billion. The legislature is not allowed to appropriate more than 99 percent of that figure, which would leave about $5.37 billion in available funds. In fact, legislators appropriated about $5.28 billion in general fund spending for fiscal year 2011, leaving a cushion of just under $92 million in case revenues fall below expectations. "

Much, much more at the link.
BTW - Rep. Nathan Reichert (D- Musc) wiped the floor with Rep. Jeff Kaufmann and Sen. Jim Hahn (repubs- Muscy county) at a forum last Saturday when a questioner tried to use this $billion shortfall attack.
Then when the question bitched about using emergency funds, and Kaufmann got on a high horse about emergency funds, Reichert almost lost his incredible cool and lectured both on the meaning and reasoning of emergency funds. An awesome performance Nate!