BECAUSE THEY are part of the city government, the D.C. Courts are subject to the budget presures being felt in all departments. But their situation is slightly different, because they are a separate branch of government and, by statute, have the authority to submit...

States in crisis raise the tax burden on the poor. The mainstream press tells us that the recession is over. And George W. Bush has proclaimed the economy "strong." But many states are facing their worst budget deficits since the Great Depression. Overall,...

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's effort to retool the state's health care system ran aground Monday after some lawmakers raised concerns that it was too costly for the cash-strapped state.The $14.7 billion program, negotiated only weeks ago with Democratic leaders, failed to get out of a key...

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is considering the early release of more than 20,000 low-risk prison inmates from the nation's largest prison system as a way to save money amid a worsening budget crisis, a newspaper reported Thursday.Only nonviolent offenders would be eligible, and prisoners considered for...

This article is about how the legislators will be willing to cut their spending to help California's budget crisis: Defines terms such as opportunity cost