The NYT has an interesting story today on the extreme cutbacks being taken by state and local governments across the nation.
Focusing on school furloughs in Hawaii, transit cuts in Clayton County, Georgia, and darkened street lights in Colorado Springs, the story looks at what the economic downturn has meant for city services. And the news is not good.
“Faced with the steepest and longest decline in tax collections on record, state, county and city governments have resorted to major life-changing cuts in core services like education, transportation and public safety that, not too long ago, would have been unthinkable. And services in many areas could get worse before they get better.
The length of the downturn means that many places have used up all their budget gimmicks, cut services, raised taxes, spent their stimulus money — and remained in the hole. Even with Congress set to approve extra stimulus aid, some analysts say states are still facing huge shortfalls.”
Oh, there is also a slideshow.
[Btw, the next commenter on this blog will be the 1,000th.]
