Minnesota is now just over two months into the FY 2010-11 biennium…and the Governor’s unallotment decisions have basically been finalized. So, just how did the Governor come up with $2.7 billion in cuts to bring the state’s budget into balance?
The Minnesota Budget Project is releasing a new analysis answering that important question. Unprecedented: Governor’s Unallotments Cut $2.7 Billion from State Budget, delves into the details of the Governor’s unallotment choices and also provides a brief background on the unallotment process.
The unallotments will impact nearly every area of the budget during the FY 2010-11 biennium – including K-12 education, higher education, health and human services, taxes and just about every state agency. For the most part, these cuts are only temporary, with funding returning to the pre-cut level in the FY 2012-13 biennium. That, however, is not necessarily good news. The Governor’s decision to solve much of the FY 2010-11 budget deficit through unallotment did little to resolve the ongoing budget problems facing the state. As a result, Minnesota faces another signficant deficit in the FY 2012-13 biennium – ranging somewhere between $4.4 and $7.2 billion.
If our analysis doesn’t tell you everything you want to know about unallotment, you can also find more details by visiting the Minnesota Management and Budget Web site.
-Christina Wessel
