Report

• Rhode Island Overhauls Public Pensions

  Nov 22, 2011 - Faced with rising pension costs, Rhode Island passed changes to its public sector retirement system that go further than the reforms of any other state. Advocates of the plan claim it is needed to curb expanding costs that, left unaddressed, could have severe impacts on state finances and taxpayers. Opponents claim the measures go too far and put workers’ retirement security at risk.

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• Q&A

  Sep 28, 2011 - Sue Urahn, managing director of the Pew Center on the States, on pensions and retiree health care benefits.

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• States’ Revenue Estimating: Cracks in the Crystal Ball

  Mar 01, 2011 - When states’ revenue estimates are substantially off, the consequences can be significant.

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• Pew Report: How Residents in Five States View Fiscal Priorities for State Government

  Oct 06, 2010 - An analysis of public attitudes toward fiscal problems in five diverse states shows strikingly similar priorities for state government.  |  States' Fiscal Health 

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• State Pensions and Retiree Health Benefits: The Trillion Dollar Gap

  Feb 18, 2010 - States that ignored public sector retirement challenges now face a growing bill come due. 

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• The Trillion Dollar Gap - State Fact Sheets

  Feb 16, 2010 - Individual state fact sheets that quantify and describe how each state is managing its long-term pensions and retiree health care benefits.

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• State of the States 2010

  Feb 11, 2010 - States still are groping to find the bottom of a fiscal crisis prolonged by historic revenue drops and budget deficits.  "State of the States 2010" looks beyond the acute problems caused by the Great Recession to examine larger trends that have the potential to change state government in lasting ways.

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• Beyond California: States in Fiscal Peril

  Nov 11, 2009 - California's budget shortfalls have made headlines, but nine other states are in dire straits due to financial mismanagement–with potential consequences for the rest of the country. A Pew report examines how the recession has affected states from the various geographic regions with different economies, tax structures and political leanings. 

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• Cutting Corrections Costs

  Jul 31, 2009 - This report examines sentencing and corrections policies that can help states navigate the budget crunch. | Public Safety Performance Project 

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• Susan K. Urahn on States’ Ongoing Fiscal Stress

  Dec 18, 2008 - Updated 12/18/2008- States are feeling the effects of the worldwide economic crisis acutely. Here, Susan Urahn, managing director of the Pew Center on the States, discusses some of the impacts of the troubled economy across the country.

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• Legislative Year in Review: Depressed Economy Wallops States

  Oct 24, 2008 - Staggered by turbulent financial markets and anxious about a rapidly slumping economy, many state governments are slashing their budgets, frantically trying to stay afloat.

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• Leadership Matters: Governors’ Pre-K Proposals Fiscal Year 2009

  Apr 24, 2008 - For fiscal year 2009, 16 governors and the mayor of the District of Columbia acted boldly to protect and grow high-quality, voluntary pre-kindergarten programs. Their proposals total $261 million in increased funding for pre-k and would make early childhood education programs available to 60,000 more children, if passed by state legislatures. Tested by fiscal challenges, these leaders remained committed to pre-k. Others named here failed to recognize that pre-k is vital to both children’s success in school and the health of the economy.

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• Growth and Taxes

  Jan 03, 2008 - State tax systems are failing to keep up with fundamental shifts in the economy and are impeding states’ overall fiscal health, according to analysis released by The Pew Charitable Trusts’ Center on the States in Governing magazine.  The article, "Growth and Taxes," details how some states are adapting elements of their tax structure to meet the changing economy. The data reveal complexities associated with giving businesses tax breaks and highlight ways for states to encourage economic vitality within their borders. The research also points to a number of states that are either leaders or laggards in these efforts.

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• Special Report on Medicaid: Bridging the Gap Between Care and Cost

  Jan 02, 2007 - This report examines the challenges facing state Medicaid programs and the balance to be struck between care and cost considerations.

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