State Capital Notes ...
With the 2016 presidential campaign dominating the airwaves and reauthorization of the landmark federal Higher Education Act looming, one could be excused for focusing on Washington, D.C. But in many ways, state capitals remain the center of action in higher education. Here is our annual attempt to summarize the state legislative sessions and their impact on higher ed ......
In mid-June, we reported that Connecticut and Vermont had completed budgets in record time. Now it's Maine and New Hampshire's turn in this very difficult budget year. Maine State Budget
After a rocky start, Maine's newly elected Republican Gov. Paul LePage got much of what he asked for, as the Republican-controlled Legislature approved a $6.1 billion two-year budget, which included the eliminatio...
Governors, Legislators Seek Concessions From Labor
Deep Cuts Applied to Higher Education and Scholarship Programs
K-12 Treading Water After Losing Stimulus Funds
Connecticut
Gov. Dannel Malloy’s two-year plan to deal with a $3.2 billion deficit (in the first year alone) relies on significant concessions from labor to the tune of $1.5 billion. Unions gave Malloy strong support in his race...
The author, NEBHE consultant and former director of the Caucus of New England State Legislatures Carolyn Morwick, notes that this update on state budgets was accurate as of March 29, but events are changing rapidly in the six state capitals.
Connecticut Biennial Budget
Gov. Dan Malloy’s two-year $40 billion budget calls for $1.5 billion in new taxes, which includes hikes in the sales an...
"Making higher education more affordable" tops the list of solutions that the public believes would help people become more economically secure, according to a new Public Agenda survey, "Slip-Sliding Away: An Anxious Public Talks about Today's Economy and the American Dream."The New York City-based Public Agenda finds four in 10 Americans are struggling to pay bills and worried about maintaining...
The Maine Center for Economic Policy (MCEP) will hold its 10th State Tax & Budget Conference on Monday, Feb. 14 at the Augusta Civic CenterFeatured speakers will include Sawin Millett, commissioner of the Maine Department of Administrative and Financial Services. Millett will make a presentation on the proposed biennial budget, which is scheduled for release in early February.Other scheduled...
The good news is that the New England states are showing slight gains in revenue collections. The bad news is that it will not be enough to stave off a new round of budget cuts for the coming fiscal years. States are preparing budgets for FY12 and FY13 while addressing shortfalls in FY11 budgets. Most states have spent stimulus funds to avoid massive layoffs in K-12 districts and higher education....
State Capital Notes ...
With the 2016 presidential campaign dominating the airwaves and reauthorization of the landmark federal Higher Education Act looming, one could be excused for focusing on Washington, D.C. But in many ways, state capitals remain the center of action in higher education. Here is our annual attempt to summarize the state legislative sessions and their impact on higher ed ......