Tuesday, June 12, 2007

Account this!

Stupid question: Which is it? Is the Michigan budget deficit $803 million or $1.8 billion?*

The first comes from that South End article I linked yesterday. The second comes from this story in today's Free Press - State Sen. Bishop wants to undo pay hike. But wait! A third source - today's Freep again, with this story: State Senate OKs selling part of tobacco settlement to halve deficit. Another claim of $800 million.

The Sen. Bishop article says a "$1.8 billion gap between available revenues and existing spending for the 2007-08 budget year." So maybe that $800 million number is wishful thinking for next year? Ken Lay would've gone to prison for stuff like this.

*Although, with numbers like these, who needs accuracy?

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