PPT Slide
The next chart indicates those items which did not receive full general fund funding in the Governor’s Executive Budget (except for the TOPS program). Items listed under the NEEDED column show the general fund cost of continuing the program at continuation level. Items under the FUNDED column indicate the amount funded in the Governor’s Executive Budget. Two items listed on the chart, inflation and merit increases, will have to be absorbed by the agencies without additional funding; these are real costs that when not funded over time begin to negatively impact an agency’s ability to provide services at the current level. The chart does not list those high profile issues not funded in the budget such as teachers pay. Hence, the chart points out that the Legislature will have to come up with revenue sources for the aforementioned expenditures, or cuts elsewhere in the budget if it wants to fund such items.