After all the wrangling over the state budget and extended legislative session and two special sessions, how much of the budget was really cut? Not much, it turns out. The figures are still being tallied but according to the Legislative Finance Division, the professional, and nonpartisan, financial analysis arm of the Legislature, the net state operating general fund reduction in Fiscal Year 2016 over the current FY 2015 is $161.23 million. The reduction in state agency budgets is estimated at $358.66 million, but when nexpenses like debt service on bonds and payments topension funds, which are obligated (and higher in FY 2016), then the savings shrinks.

Whatever figure is used seems like a drop in the bucket when compared with the $3.8 billion projected deficit for FY 2015 and about $3.2 billion for FY 2016. There will also be a separate savings from reduced

capital budget spending in FY 2016, from about $595 million to $118 million, but this $477 capital budget savings is largely a one-time deal that won’t be repeated next year. The FY 2016 $118 million capital budget is a bare minimum that mostly covers required matching for federal funds, and very critical repairs to state facilities.

 

As for state jobs, it will be a while before this is sorted out, state adofficials say. As a rough guide, it appears 500 positions will be affected in FY 2016 but some positions are vacant and others will be emptied by retirements and other voluntary departure. It’s possible that about 200 state workers might face actual layoffs, but it’s too early to say.

 

Here are totals for the budget, in unrestricted general funds: The FY 2016 total for state funds in the operating budget is $6.092 billion, compared with $6.195 billion in the FY 2015 current budget. The agency operating budget (excluding debt service, pensions and other items) is $4.896 billion, down from $5.254 billion. As we mentioned, the FY 2016 capital budget approved by lawmakers is $118.4 million, down from $594.6 million in the current FY 2015.