1/7: Ritter's budget mess

Gov. Ritter has changed course on the state budget – again.

More on that in a moment on the Face The State radio minute.

As economists predicted a recession throughout much of 2008, Republican leaders consistently pressed for increased saving. Ritter, however, ignored the early warning signs in next year’s budget. He even advocated for 5 percent growth in next year’s budget. After the economy took a turn for the worse, Ritter said it was too early to make cuts.

Ritter also banked on revenue from Amendments 58 and 59, tax increases, to save his budget. He spent his summer campaigning for both measures, which failed miserably at the ballot box.

But by December he was finally forced to backtrack, admitting his economists were using outdated information. Ritter asked department heads to start looking for cuts.

But that’s too late to stop the hemorrhage this year. It’s like putting a Band-Aid on a gunshot wound.

For FaceTheState.com, I’m Brad Jones.