This Report provides an analysis of the FY2012 Enacted General Fund budget. Key findings are: Detail on how the tax increases passed in January averted a fiscal disaster in FY2012; over $388 million in cuts to human service programs; and despite the recent tax increases and spending cuts, the FY2012 budget proposes over $1 billion in spending for which there is no revenue, and is subject to an accumulated deficit of over $7 billion after accounting for unpaid bills left over from FY2011.

How the state elects to resolve its record deficit will have a meaningful impact on the size and duration of the recession in the state's economy. Given this scenario, the state's best hope of growing its economy and countering the recession is to close its deficit by raising taxes progressively and maintaining or expanding spending on services.