State & Local Weekly News Wrap-Up

By Timothy Brett posted Aug 12,2011 04:05 PM

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MULTI-STATE:

The budget gap faced by state governments has totaled more than $527 billion since 2007, forcing lawmakers to slash state spending nationwide, according to data released Tuesday at the National Conference for State Legislatures. When drafting budgets for the upcoming year - and in some states the next two years - lawmakers forecast slow to moderate economic growth and expect to make fewer cuts. But that was before the recent political turmoil over the debt ceiling, a precipitous drop in the stock market and the downgrading of government bonds. Analysts predict lawmakers will face budget shortfalls totaling $89 billion in 2012, less than the $145 billion shortfall they faced in 2011. State lawmakers made their budget forecasts before the recent economic turbulence and Tuesday's announcement by the Federal Reserve that it was revising downward its forecast for economic growth in the U.S. In a survey of state officials who work on the budgets, slower than expected economic growth was the biggest concern over whether states would meet their revenue forecasts, and therefore avoid additional budget cuts. States have closed $527B budget gap since 2007

KANSAS

Kansas Governor Sam Brownback is rejecting a $31.5 million federal grant intended to support his state’s implementation of federal health care reform requirements. In an announcement Tuesday, the Governor cited the federal deficit as his reason for rejecting money the state applied for just last December. The money was supposed to support integration of state health insurance databases in to an exchange and increase the use of electronic medical records. The grant was awarded based on merit. Kansas and six other states were noted as innovators for their plans when the grants were awarded in February. All states are required to implement a health insurance exchange by 2013, and states that do not meet this deadline will have an exchange managed at the federal level by the Health and Human Services Department. Kansas rejects $31.5m federal grant for health insurance exchange

MARYLAND

Baltimore is bolstering its CitiWatch video surveillance program, with the addition of 12 new cameras to the city’s culturally significant Pennsylvania Avenue, bringing the total number of cameras in Baltimore to 538. “Our CitiWatch program has been instrumental in supporting the work of the men and women of the Baltimore Police Department to reduce violent crime,” Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake said in a release. The camera program has reduced crime by 25 percent in coverage areas. in 2010 it assisted with over 1,282 arrests, including more than 125 arrests for violent crimes such as robberies, assaults and illegal gun possession, according to city’s release. Baltimore expands its video surveillance program

OREGON

IBM and the city of Portland have developed a computer simulation model that seeks to coordinate various policy initiatives so they’re more successful. For example, the city recently announced plans to achieve a 40% reduction in carbon emissions by 2030. The IBM model emphasizes that policies that encourage bicycling and walking will create healthier citizens, who would then presumably drive less and use alternative forms of transportation, thereby helping the city reach its goal. In a similar vein, the computer simulation model includes an interactive map that shows the relationships among various city systems in areas such as housing, education, public safety, transportation, health care and government services. The model was built to support the Portland Plan, the city’s roadmap for the next 25 years. Joint venture links IBM, Portland

CONTRACTING/ACQUISITION

Harris Corp. has received a $50 million work order contract from the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) to deliver public safety radios, technology and services for the Oregon State Radio Project, which will support the mission-critical communications needs of ODOT and the Oregon State Police. This is the first work order under a larger master pricing agreement that is part of the multi-phase Oregon State Radio Project. The program includes those systems currently operated independently by the ODOT and the Oregon State Police, and initiates an integrated statewide network that will allow Oregon to comply with the federal narrowbanding mandate that governs spectrum use for land mobile radio (LMR) systems. Harris Awarded $50M Contract by the Oregon Department of Transportation for Statewide Radio Project

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