2017 Governor's State of the State speeches: on Budget & Economy

Chris Sununu: Increase Rainy Day Fund to $100M; start Infrastructure Fund

Any surplus beyond increasing our Rainy Day Fund to a total of $100 million, will be placed in a newly created Infrastructure Revitalization Fund. And barring unexpected expenses, savings beyond those funds will be sent directly to our local communities.

Doug Burgum: Right-size government: cutting $1.2B is a great start

The budget proposal presented to lawmakers by Gov. Jack Dalrymple before he left office last month would reduce general fund spending by about $1.2 billion in the 2017-19 biennium, which Burgum called "a great start."

"But given the revenue uncertainty, we must dig deeper," Burgum said. "Right now is the time to right-size government."

"When I took office 19 days ago, I challenged our cabinet members to spend less time defending institutions and more time reinventing them. They're responding with enthusiasm for this quest," he said.

The governor called for zero-based budgeting starting in the next full budget cycle in order to focus spending on areas with the highest returns. He said the state needs to examine its revenue forecasting system.

Jim Justice: Cut Rainy Day fund by $123M for WV's biggest depression ever

[When you keep digging a hole, you eventually get stuck in the bottom of the hole]. We are such in the hole that we got to quit digging. We got to quit working against one another.

Now, this year, you're going to have to cut the Rainy Day Fund $123 million more. No way around it. Right now.

We've got real problems. I don't mean this in any bad way, but we've got an 18-carat dog's mess, don't we? We do. I didn't create the dog's mess. I have inherited the dog's mess. And I am telling you, you have to have real direction and real ideas and real cooperation together to be able to get out of this.

Bruce Rauner: Reduce regulatory costs & economy will take off like rocket

When it comes to the budget, we all can agree Illinois HAS to do something different. Our Administration has offered many proposals to achieve a truly balanced budget with changes that fundamentally fix our broken system. We must remember that to keep budgets balanced in the future, our rate of economic growth must be higher than our rate of government spending growth. It's just simple math.

Steve Bullock: Veto any budget in the red

In 2013, you learned I will veto spending if you send me a budget that's in the red. In 2015, we crafted a budget together that worked for Montana, and that left money in the bank for rainy days. I ask you to do that again.

And just as I insist you balance our budget and leave money in the bank, I will insist that our state agencies be as careful with the money they are given as Montana families are with their own. That's why, even before the Legislature came to town, we trimmed $102 million dollars of spending. That's why, even after the Legislature leaves town, I will continue to challenge our agencies to be careful stewards of hard-working families' tax dollars.

Bill Walker: With oil prices low, we have made cuts & must cut more

Alaska is in the midst of the gravest fiscal crisis in state history. Alaskans made clear that before accepting new revenues, major budget cuts need to be made. My message to Alaskans is this: We heard you, and we have acted. During my tenure, we have cut more than $1.7 billion in unrestricted general fund spending. We have reduced the capital budget by 80%. We are shrinking the footprint of government through shared administrative services, improved technology, and efficiencies.

Phil Bryant: Implement a state lottery; Arkansas got $80M last year

Arkansas--the state closest to us in population and demographics--received $80 million from its lottery last fiscal year. That kind of data demands attention. When we see traffic crowded on the Mississippi River bridge taking revenue to our neighboring state, it may be time to face a new reality. We can no longer contain the people's desire for a lottery, we can only force them to travel.

Matt Mead: We used rainy day fund for rainy days; now make guidelines

Sam Brownback: The days of "tax first, cut never" have come to an end

• Balanced in that it reconciles spending with available revenue.
• Balanced in that it adequately supports the core functions of state government, while finding necessary efficiencies.
• Balanced in that it addresses both sides of the ledger, revenue and expenditure.

Tom Wolf: Grow paltry rainy day fund from $245,000 to $500M by 2022

How? By reforming our state government--and by making Harrisburg work smarter. One of my first acts as Governor--two years ago--was to identify $150 million we could save by making our state government more efficient--everything from negotiating for lower prices from vendors to putting voter registration online to streamlining the process for outgoing mail.