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States like Illinois, New York and California have long histories of financial negligence. California ran a budget deficit during seven of the last 16 years, according to a Wirepoints analysis of Pew Charitable Trust data. Connecticut has 10 years of deficits to its name. New York has 11. And Illinois and New Jersey have run budget deficits every year since at least 2004.
And then there’s the problem of pensions. States like Illinois, Connecticut and New Jersey all have amassed hundreds of billions in pension debt – all self-inflicted by state lawmakers.
The pandemic had nothing to do with those past deficits and debts, but that’s exactly what more federal aid would end up paying for.
Author(s): Ted Dabrowski and John Klingner
Publication Date: 16 February 2021
Publication Site: Wirepoints