Recession
Spinning the Stimulus
When President Obama hosted the nation’s governors at a dinner last week, he gave a toast that captured the difference between a chief executive — state or federal – and a member of Congress. “It’s hard to be overly ideological as a governor,” Obama said, “because the fact of the matter is the rubber hits […]
Recession Ushers in More Tobacco Taxes
Clipping away at a $590 million deficit, Rhode Island this April raised its taxes on cigarettes by $1 to $3.46 a pack – the highest rate in the country. With the backing of its governor, a former tobacco lobbyist, Mississippi in May imposed its first tax hike on smokers in more than two decades – […]
Tracking the Recession: The Predictors
Photo by Stephen C. Fehr, Stateline.org Mark Zandi, chief economist for Moody’s Economy.com, said at a Governing magazine conference in Washington, D.C., Feb. 4 that the economic stimulus package is critical in helping states recover from the recession. Mark Zandi, David Wyss and Nigel Gault do not have to worry about losing their jobs in […]