Scott Pattison, National Association of State Budget Officers, Executive Director discusses his organization’s recent report on the fiscal situation in all 50 states. The report found that while state budgets are improving, they remain burdened by weak tax revenue and growing costs of entitlement programs, such as Medicaid.
Walter Olson, Cato Institute, Senior Fellow discusses how House Republicans are using the 2012 agriculture appropriations bill to send several messages to Democrats.
Joshua Gotbaum, Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation, Director discusses The Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC) as it offers protection of more than 27 thousand private-sector defined pension benefit plans. However, the agency, which is funded by premiums charged to participating pension plans, has operated under a deficit since 2002. As part of the 2012 budget proposal, the PBGC would receive authority to charge an additional premium that is based on the credit worthiness of a pension plan’s sponsor.