Members of the General Assembly’s Spending Affordability and fiscal committees learned of a lower than expected revenue shortfall yesterday during a briefing by the Department of Legislative Services (DLS). Warren Deschenaux, Executive Director of DLS, informed the members that the state budget gap, originally anticipated to be $740 million, has been reduced to $250 million as a result of favorable bond premiums, lower state employee health care costs due to vacancies, a reduction in Medicaid obligations, and recent budget cuts made by the Board of Public Works.
