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State Budgets1

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Broadcast: May 12, 2003
By Jerilyn Watson

VOICE ONE:
American states are struggling with their worst financial problems in about sixty years. I'm Steve Ember with Phoebe Zimmermann. Today we report about money troubles in the fifty states on our VOA Special English program, THIS IS AMERICA.
VOICE TWO:
American states are facing hard financial times. They are struggling with their worst money problems since World War Two. Their main support, the federal government, is paying for damages caused by the terrorist attacks of September eleventh, two-thousand-one. The federal government is paying for protection against further attacks. It is paying for wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. The states say all this leaves them without the money they need to provide for their citizens' needs.
States depend on federal money for help called grants-in-aid. The states then are responsible for helping1 their local governments and agencies.
VOICE ONE:
The states lack thousands of millions of dollars at a time when their citizens need help the most. The American economy is weak. Last month, for example, the unemployment rate reached its highest level so far this year. Many companies are closing. Or they have suspended workers. Millions of Americans have lost money in retirement2 plans and stock-market investments. Millions of others have no insurance plan for financial help for medical needs.
The states also have more people to care for these days. The national population count of two-thousand showed that only the District of Columbia did not gain population. Some states, like Nevada, grew at a huge rate. In some areas the recent arrival of many people from foreign nations has greatly increased demand for social services. New York, America's most heavily populated city, is under intense pressure to provide for poor people. So is Los Angeles, California, the second most populous3 city.
VOICE TWO:
The states' lack of money shows itself in many ways. For example, some teachers in the state of Oklahoma are cleaning schools and preparing food. The educational system cannot pay for cleaning workers or cooks. Big states like Texas and California are releasing thousands of prisoners before their sentences are ended.
Over just two years, students are paying almost twenty percent more to attend state colleges in Nebraska. And the state has stopped providing health care for almost twenty-five-thousand mothers who are poor.
Other states are closing parks. They are cutting the operating hours of libraries. Roads are not being repaired. Some public transportation has been withdrawn4. A small town in Michigan is considering selling space on their police cars for sales messages.
(MUSIC)
VOICE ONE:
The states currently face cutting about seventy-five thousand million dollars from their budgets. That is for this year and next year. In the future many states will need more money for almost all their services. They must provide their growing populations with roads, education and social services. They must help provide for health and health centers.
States also must try to make their citizens safe from terrorist attacks. State officials say the federal government has given them many security responsibilities. But they say there is not enough money to pay for them. In some states, for example, police and fire forces are being reduced. This is true although these officials are the first to respond in case of terrorism.
(MUSIC)
VOICE TWO:
Every American state has an organization that makes laws. All the states except one have a senate and a house of state representatives, delegates or assembly members. Only Nebraska has one just legislative5 house.
Most states agencies ask the governor for the money they want. For example, the motor vehicle department asks for whatever amount it needs to operate. The governor considers all such requests. The governor then proposes a state budget and sends it to the legislature.
VOICE ONE:
Lawmakers must decide about all the proposed amounts. The legislators debate. Usually, they must compromise. This is often a painful process. But after awhile they pass a budget. This measure goes to the governor to sign or reject.
VOICE TWO:
States receive income from other sources besides the federal government. States tax tobacco products, cars and individual and company incomes. They tax gifts, payments to workers and the use of natural resources. But almost forty states are saying they expected too much money from these sources.
The law requires most states to pass a budget by the end of June. The budget must be balanced. States usually get help from federal tax returns. But last year they did not get this help. If this happens again, experts say many states are in deep trouble.
VOICE ONE:
Twenty-seven states cannot raise the money they have budgeted. Thirty-four states are having to spend more money than they planned. Most blame this on health care programs, especially those for the poor. Many federal programs make costly6 requirements of states for health care. For example, the Americans with Disabilities Act says states must help poor people who need long-term medical care. This is costly.
VOICE TWO:
Common solutions exist for the problem of too little money for too many public needs. One is to raise state taxes. Another is to borrow money.
The eastern state of Massachusetts has been facing financial crisis. It expects to fall three-thousand-million dollars short of its budget for two-thousand-four. Massachusetts' money problems are the worst in ten years. Still, legislators say there is little chance tax increases will pass this year.
The budget cuts that some lawmakers have called for demonstrate the limitations that may affect state citizens. Between three-thousand and five-thousand state workers could be suspended. Colleges and universities could lose one-hundred-seventy million dollars in aid.
Massachusetts provides reduced drug costs for eighty-thousand old people. This program could be reduced by ninety-seven-million dollars.
VOICE ONE:
As you might expect, angry activists7 immediately condemned8 the proposals. They point to the suffering they say the cuts would cause old people, sick people and students. Angry people throughout the country are demanding a solution to their states' money problems.
Some public officials believe they have found a way to deal with the problems. They believe gambling9-games of chance--can rescue state budgets.
For years, many public officials wanted to ban or severely10 limit gambling. Some said games of chance were immoral11. Others worried because gambling can become an addiction-something people cannot control. Gambling addicts2 sometimes lose all their money, causing deep harm to their families and society. But a growing number of states are using gambling to help their financial problems.
VOICE TWO:
Gambling in the United States is estimated to be about a fifty-thousand-million-dollar business. Recently about half the states have decided12 to try to get some of this money for their services. For many years states taxed gambling to limit or end it. Now, states want gambling so they can tax it for profit. Supporters see gambling as a way to raise money for better schools and better teachers. They believe it can make their states richer and more productive. They see gambling as a rescue for people in need.
VOICE ONE:
Some state lawmakers have proposed more gambling clubs and expansion of state competitions called lotteries13. They also are trying to get bigger payments from American Indian gambling clubs. Gambling provides important financial help for many tribes. Indians are permitted to operate these clubs under a nineteen-eighty-eight act of Congress.
VOICE TWO:
The Maryland House of Delegates has rejected a slot-machine proposal by Republican Governor Robert L. Ehrlich Junior. But the delegates also voted to study placing these machines at horse-racing14 centers in the future. Players put metal money-coins-into slot machines. In return, they get a chance to win more money.
A Maryland delegate who opposes slot-machines at the racing centers says they are a bad influence. He says this is true especially for poor people. This legislator believes increasing chances to gamble make poor people even more poor.
VOICE ONE:
Economists argue about gambling and taxes and loans to correct states' financial problems. One expert says there is only one solution. For the states to recover financially, he says the whole nation must make a strong economic recovery.
VOICE TWO:
This program was written by Jerilyn Watson. It was produced by Mario Ritter. I'm Phoebe Zimmermann.
VOICE ONE:
And I'm Steve Ember. Join us again next week for another report about life in America on our VOA Special English program, THIS IS AMERICA.

1. budget [5bQdVIt] n. 预算
2. addict [E5dIkt] n. 入迷的人, 有瘾的人


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1 helping 2rGzDc     
n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的,辅助的
参考例句:
  • The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
  • By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。
2 retirement TWoxH     
n.退休,退职
参考例句:
  • She wanted to enjoy her retirement without being beset by financial worries.她想享受退休生活而不必为金钱担忧。
  • I have to put everything away for my retirement.我必须把一切都积蓄起来以便退休后用。
3 populous 4ORxV     
adj.人口稠密的,人口众多的
参考例句:
  • London is the most populous area of Britain.伦敦是英国人口最稠密的地区。
  • China is the most populous developing country in the world.中国是世界上人口最多的发展中国家。
4 withdrawn eeczDJ     
vt.收回;使退出;vi.撤退,退出
参考例句:
  • Our force has been withdrawn from the danger area.我们的军队已从危险地区撤出。
  • All foreign troops should be withdrawn to their own countries.一切外国军队都应撤回本国去。
5 legislative K9hzG     
n.立法机构,立法权;adj.立法的,有立法权的
参考例句:
  • Congress is the legislative branch of the U.S. government.国会是美国政府的立法部门。
  • Today's hearing was just the first step in the legislative process.今天的听证会只是展开立法程序的第一步。
6 costly 7zXxh     
adj.昂贵的,价值高的,豪华的
参考例句:
  • It must be very costly to keep up a house like this.维修这么一幢房子一定很昂贵。
  • This dictionary is very useful,only it is a bit costly.这本词典很有用,左不过贵了些。
7 activists 90fd83cc3f53a40df93866d9c91bcca4     
n.(政治活动的)积极分子,活动家( activist的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • His research work was attacked by animal rights activists . 他的研究受到了动物权益维护者的抨击。
  • Party activists with lower middle class pedigrees are numerous. 党的激进分子中有很多出身于中产阶级下层。 来自《简明英汉词典》
8 condemned condemned     
adj. 被责难的, 被宣告有罪的 动词condemn的过去式和过去分词
参考例句:
  • He condemned the hypocrisy of those politicians who do one thing and say another. 他谴责了那些说一套做一套的政客的虚伪。
  • The policy has been condemned as a regressive step. 这项政策被认为是一种倒退而受到谴责。
9 gambling ch4xH     
n.赌博;投机
参考例句:
  • They have won a lot of money through gambling.他们赌博赢了很多钱。
  • The men have been gambling away all night.那些人赌了整整一夜。
10 severely SiCzmk     
adv.严格地;严厉地;非常恶劣地
参考例句:
  • He was severely criticized and removed from his post.他受到了严厉的批评并且被撤了职。
  • He is severely put down for his careless work.他因工作上的粗心大意而受到了严厉的批评。
11 immoral waCx8     
adj.不道德的,淫荡的,荒淫的,有伤风化的
参考例句:
  • She was questioned about his immoral conduct toward her.她被询问过有关他对她的不道德行为的情况。
  • It is my belief that nuclear weapons are immoral.我相信使核武器是不邪恶的。
12 decided lvqzZd     
adj.决定了的,坚决的;明显的,明确的
参考例句:
  • This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
  • There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。
13 lotteries a7a529c8b5d8419ef8053e4d99771f98     
n.抽彩给奖法( lottery的名词复数 );碰运气的事;彩票;彩券
参考例句:
  • Next to bullfights and soccer, lotteries are Spain's biggest sport. 除了斗牛和足球以外,彩票是西班牙最热门的玩意儿。 来自辞典例句
  • Next to bullfight and soccer, lotteries are Spain's biggest sport. 发行彩票在西班牙是仅次于斗牛和足球的最大娱乐活动。 来自辞典例句
14 racing 1ksz3w     
n.竞赛,赛马;adj.竞赛用的,赛马用的
参考例句:
  • I was watching the racing on television last night.昨晚我在电视上看赛马。
  • The two racing drivers fenced for a chance to gain the lead.两个赛车手伺机竞相领先。

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