2010 Governor's State of the State speeches: on Budget & Economy
Dave Freudenthal:
Remain fiscally conservative without dipping into savings
There are many reasons for this state to remain fiscally conservative. The Senate and the House will decide whether or not you to go into the savings which we have set aside. The budget that I submitted did not go into the savings. We need to be careful.
This has and will continue to be felt on Main Street throughout this country.I do not see a dramatic change that suggests this is going to be some aggressive and robust recovery. I believe that it is going to be slow; it is going to be difficult.
Part of it is simply the absence of credit availability, particularly for small businesses, and not a matter that I see being resolved very quickly. The state should remain, I believe, fairly conservative.
Source: Wyoming 2010 State of the State Address
Feb 8, 2010
Brad Henry:
Increase the Rainy Day Fund from 10% to 15% of revenue
This budget crisis is precisely the kind of emergency that citizens envisioned 25 years ago when they voted to create the Rainy Day Fund. Now is the time to use our reserve dollars to preserve crucial services.We must also ensure that our emergency
fund is adequate to meet our future needs. This year, I ask for your support in raising the cap on Rainy Day Fund deposits from 10 percent to 15 percent of general revenue collections. We owe that to the people of this state.
Source: Oklahoma 2010 State of the State Address
Feb 1, 2010
Phil Bredesen:
Adjust our expenses to match our income, like family budget
My goal throughout this recession has been to remain true to the principle of the "family budget" that I talked about when I first became governor. It's nothing more than the commonsense idea that we're going to adjust our expenses to match our income,
and we're going to be very careful about using money from our savings account. It's the way sensible families have to manage through these times, and while the numbers for state government are much larger than for any family, the principle is the same.
Source: Tennessee 2010 State of the State Address
Feb 1, 2010
Donald Carcieri:
We cannot sustain the present level of spending
A week from today, I will submit my budget for fiscal year 2011. It will be balanced--without raising taxes! But it will require significant changes at both the state and local level.
Make no mistake about it; we are going to have to find more structural ways to reduce spending at the municipal level! We cannot sustain the present level of spending; we simply do not have the revenues.
Source: Rhode Island 2010 State of the State Address
Jan 26, 2010
Deval Patrick:
Closed $9 billion budget gap
We closed that $9 billion budget gap and delivered a third consecutive budget that was responsible, balanced and on time--which is not something that many other states can say.
But we also worked to understand and address the impact that each cut would have on the people who depended on the program, and to deliver the service in better and more efficient ways. We made it personal.
Source: MA 2010 State of the State Address
Jan 21, 2010
Sean Parnell:
Enforce budget discipline and invest for our future
Our budget focuses on priorities mandated by Alaska's Constitution. On education, public safety, transportation and resource development. And, I established some guiding principles for this budget:- First, budget discipline;
- Second, results for
Alaskans; and
- Third, save and invest Alaska's dollars for our future.
I held the line on state agency growth. I held it to just over two percent, when they asked for a ten percent increase.
Source: Alaska 2010 State of the State Address
Jan 20, 2010
Bill Richardson:
Hiring freeze & 7% budget cut in state agencies
Like our citizens, this administration has tightened its belt since this recession began:- I implemented a hiring and salary freeze, and we currently have 3000 vacancies.
- I eliminated positions and cut salaries of exempt state employees--those
appointed by me--by 2%. Now 110 exempt positions are vacant.
- I ordered five furlough days for about 17,000 employees.
- I froze $150 million in stalled capital outlay projects--and I urge this body to eliminate those projects.
- And we have cut stat
agency budgets by 7% on average.
None of these measures were popular, but all were necessary. My budget plan for the next fiscal year reduces spending by $510 million:- Make permanent the $210 million in cuts we made during the special session.
- Reduce costs by another $158 million--by cutting spending across state government.
- Eliminate stalled capital outlay projects and end the practice of double dipping.
- Streamline and merge government functions, saving at least $25 million.
Source: New Mexico 2010 State of the State Address
Jan 19, 2010
Joe Manchin III:
CAREFULLY plan stimulus: in planning mode; not panic mode
We have CAREFULLY planned our stimulus spending--reaching the most West Virginians we can with the money we have been provided. West Virginia is a top state for putting stimulus dollars to work on our highways and for building water and sewer lines.Ou
Source: West Virginia 2010 State of the State Address
Jan 13, 2010
Jan Brewer:
$5B budget deficit is wrong; right is doing the hard things
If there's one thing I've learned in my years of public service, it's that doing the right thing--almost always means doing the hard thing. That's what it will come down to in the days ahead. Choosing what's tough over what's tempting. Choosing commitmen
over ignorance. Choosing government that is necessary--over government that is merely desired. Choosing the truthful over the false. Honesty, versus lies. Right, versus wrong.What's wrong you ask?
Wrong, is the five high-rolling years before
I took office when the system was designed and operated to grow government as large as possible. Wrong, is a state budget deficit of nearly $5 billion across 2 fiscal years. Wrong, is arguing "the system worked"--when evidence to the contrary is
everywhere and obvious.
What's right, you ask?
Right, is telling hard truth even when it exacts a political cost. Right, is acting not in self-interest but on behalf of others. Right, is self-sacrifice ... commitment to the greater good.
Source: Arizona 2010 State of the State Address
Jan 11, 2010
Mark Parkinson:
Constitutionally require set-aside for emergency fund
It is time that we take steps to make sure that the state never again finds itself facing this kind of fiscal challenge. There are many reasons for the budget problems that we have. One is that we came into last year without an emergency fund. This is
unacceptable.Downturns are inevitable. Every business and family knows this, and those that are able develop reserve funds to prepare for those downturns. It is time for the state to do the same. I am asking you to pass the Constitutional Amendment
that would require us to set a portion of state revenue aside to create an emergency fund. In years of declining revenue we would tap into the fund and avoid the situation we are currently in. It is time that we put our fiscal house in order and lay the
foundation for a solid financial future for this state.
During a recession, people give up; once they give up, a recession can become a depression. My message to Kansans tonight is this: don't give up. There are too many reasons for genuine optimism.
Source: Kansas 2010 State of the State Address
Jan 11, 2010
Arnold Schwarzenegger:
Painful spending cuts & temporary tax increases were needed
[In this year's economic recession] we did what we had to do. We made painful spending cuts. We passed temporary tax increases. We permanently eliminated COLAs for most state programs and we made major reforms in welfare and parole.
$11 billion in water bonds will be on the ballot this November. Some people say "how can we afford these bonds in the current economic climate?" I say, how can we not?
Source: California 2010 State of the State Address
Jan 6, 2010
David Paterson:
Enforce spending cap, even by constitutional amendment
I'm renewing my call for a spending cap. Now, I know that this will be met with a lot of resistance. But I fought 25 years to eradicate the Rockefeller Drug Laws, and I will put the same effort into seeing this become a law--even if it has to be passed b
constitutional amendment. We have got to find a procedure that cures the spending structure that has infected our budget process for the last 20 years. And the sooner we do that, the more control we will have over spending, not less.
For as you may have observed in the past few weeks, the Governor will exercise authority to prevent this State from going into default. You have left me and other Governors no choice. So whether it be by vetoes or delayed spending,
I will not write bad checks and we will not mortgage our children's future.
But the Legislature is the body of the people. And the Legislature should have an equal voice in deciding to hold spending in line with the times.
Source: N. Y. 2010 State of the State Address
Jan 6, 2010
Page last updated: Dec 03, 2018