Subsidized jobs: A faint echo of the New Deal
From: feeds.stateline.org
"A small piece of the federal stimulus program is going toward funding jobs in the private sector. Even conservatives seem to like the idea.
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AK: AEL&P prepared to sue for rate increase
From: feeds.stateline.org
"Alaska Electric Light & Power is threatening to sue the Regulatory Commission of Alaska if it doesn't get the rate increase it says it needs.
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AK: Alaska gov signs bill cutting cruise ship head tax
From: feeds.stateline.org
"With a hulking ship in the background, Alaska Gov. Sean Parnell signed legislation lowering the state's tax on cruise passengers in a move aimed at bringing more ships back to Alaska and settling an industry lawsuit over the fee.
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AK: Walker wants pipeline, tax bill documents
From: feeds.stateline.org
"A Republican challenger to Gov. Sean Parnell has filed a records request seeking documentation of any conditions on bids as part of a proposed major natural gas pipeline.
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AZ: Flagstaff officials encourage tourists to visit city despite fires
From: feeds.stateline.org
"The hiking plans are iffy, but everything else on Kim Covert's Flagstaff itinerary this weekend is intact.
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CA: California welfare recipients withdrew $1.8 million at casino ATMs over eight months
From: feeds.stateline.org
"California welfare recipients using state-issued debit cards withdrew more than $1.8 million in taxpayer cash on casino floors between October 2009 and last month, state officials said Thursday.
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CA: Unemployment insurance deficit to hit $20 billion next year
From: feeds.stateline.org
"California's budget deficit is estimated at just under $20 billion, but it could be overshadowed next year by the rapidly increasing gap between income and outgo in the state fund that pays unemployment insurance benefits.
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CO: Colorado ag exports rise
From: feeds.stateline.org
"LAKEWOOD, Colo. — Colorado's agricultural producers continue to expand products into the global market. In the last year, ag exports grew
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FL: USF scientists find long line of oil 6 inches under the sand at Pensacola Beach
From: feeds.stateline.org
"PENSACOLA BEACH, Fla. — The sugar-sand beach here appeared cleaner Thursday, after workers picked up tar balls overnight with shovels and nets. By noon they had collected 44,955 pounds of tar balls and oil material, according to the Escambia County Emergency Operations Center. But a University of South Florida geologist made a grim discovery Thursday morning, 24 hours after the worst oil onslaught in Florida so far.
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FL: Spill may derail tourism recovery
From: feeds.stateline.org
"PENSACOLA, Fla. — When the Gulf oil spill was just bad headlines in May, Panhandle counties saw visitors jump. But any silver lining offered by preliminary May visitor numbers will be cut short by oil hitting the state's beaches days after the month ended.
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FL: Despite concerns, dispersant use continues on gulf oil spill
From: feeds.stateline.org
"A month ago the Environmental Protection Agency ordered BP to stop spraying so much dispersant on oil gushing from the Deepwater Horizon well and to find a less toxic alternative to the chemical it was using. BP is still spraying the same stuff — under the brand name Corexit — that led to EPA concerns in May.
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FL: Storm threat could mean a worse gusher
From: feeds.stateline.org
"The tropical wave is some 1,100 miles from the oily disaster in the Gulf of Mexico. It could go anywhere from Florida to Mexico. It could wind up little more than rain and blustery wind.
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FL: Beaches cleaner a day after onslaught of oil
From: feeds.stateline.org
"PENSACOLA BEACH, Fla. -- Red flags of warning kept swimmers from the water Thursday as workers plucked coin- to fist-size tar balls from the coast.
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FL: Pensacola cleanup -- the last stand against oil
From: feeds.stateline.org
"PENSACOLA BEACH, Fla. -- A day after this pristine seashore was walloped with oil, most of the sticky crude was gone from its beaches -- either cleaned up, buried or swept back into the sea. But the question remained: How could miles of gooey mess have slipped past the ocean skimmers onto the shore? The answer: Easily.
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GA: The future of employment in Georgia may be greener
From: feeds.stateline.org
"Georgia could create 50,000 "green" jobs by 2016 and ride an environmentally friendly wave to a cleaner, more prosperous future, according to a thought-provoking report by the Georgia Department of Labor.
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HI: Group backtracks on civil unions
From: feeds.stateline.org
"The Hawaii Business Roundtable clarified yesterday that it has not taken a position on a civil unions bill, responding to internal dissent and under pressure from gay rights advocates for urging Gov. Linda Lingle to veto the measure.
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IA: Culver confirms Microsoft data center will be built in West Des Moines
From: feeds.stateline.org
"A long-discussed Microsoft data center planned for West Des Moines is "going forward immediately" and is scheduled to go live "in the spring of 2011," Gov. Chet Culver said this afternoon.
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IL: Sherman pops up at STAR bond signing
From: feeds.stateline.org
"MARION, Ill. -- An unexpected guest confronted state Sen. Gary Forby as he waited for the governor's arrival at the Operating Engineers Local 318 Hall in Marion Thursday.
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IL: Jobs to 'last a lifetime"
From: feeds.stateline.org
"MARION, Ill. -- With the swipe of a pen Thursday, Gov. Pat Quinn signed historic legislation that will pave the way for construction of a destination development estimated to create thousands of jobs and have a $756 million economic impact on the region.
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IN: Indiana House Speaker wants more jobs data
From: feeds.stateline.org
"House Speaker Patrick Bauer, D-South Bend, wants the state's commerce agency to release more jobs data.
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KS: State addresses benefits impasse
From: feeds.stateline.org
"The state is moving to help unemployed Kansans whose federal jobless benefits are tied up in a congressional impasse.
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KY: Unemployment down in most Ky. counties, Jefferson up slightly
From: feeds.stateline.org
"Unemployment rates fell in 93 of Kentucky's 120 counties in May, the state said Thursday.
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KY: Report on homelessness to be released
From: feeds.stateline.org
"The results of a homeless count done in January will be released next week.
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LA: BP's Doug Suttles says company 'threw everything' at gushing oil well
From: feeds.stateline.org
"A top BP official said Thursday that the company "threw everything at" the gushing Macondo well as soon as it began spewing crude oil into the Gulf of Mexico more than two months ago, but contends that knowing exactly how much oil has been flowing out is irrelevant to efforts to stop or contain the spill.
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LA: LRA is biting the dust, but mission continues
From: feeds.stateline.org
"The Louisiana Recovery Authority held its last meeting Thursday, closing a chapter on the Hurricane Katrina story of an organization that drew a road map for recovery through policy decisions guiding the distribution of $14.4 billion in federal grants.
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LA: BP shares down 8.9 pct in London; company says Gulf leak cost rises to $2.35 billion
From: feeds.stateline.org
"LONDON — BP shares fell sharply in London Friday following the company's announcement that the cost of responding to the Gulf of Mexico oil leak has risen to $2.35 billion.
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MA: Mass. wins $102m in subprime loan case
From: feeds.stateline.org
"Attorney General Martha Coakley has won a $102 million settlement from Wall Street's Morgan Stanley & Co., money that will help more than 1,000 Massachusetts homeowners who are in foreclosure or saddled with unwieldy subprime mortgages.
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MA: Smoking ban for casinos may stunt state profits
From: feeds.stateline.org
"A smoking ban in casinos backed by the state Senate yesterday could choke the Bay State's emerging gambling trade and force taxpayers to cough up more to cover lost revenues, industry insiders say.
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MA: Rate cap for insurer overturned
From: feeds.stateline.org
"In a blow to the Patrick administration, an insurance appeals board yesterday overturned the state's cap on health premium increases for small business and individual customers covered by Harvard Pilgrim Health Care.
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MD: State to install charging stations for electric vehicles
From: feeds.stateline.org
"Ladies and gentlemen, prepare to charge your engines. The state is giving a $1 million jump-start to the fledgling electric vehicle industry, as the Maryland Energy Administration awarded grants Thursday to build at least 64 charging stations in Baltimore and the rest of the state to support a hoped-for influx of battery-powered cars and trucks in the near future.
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MD: Health care workers rally for better benefits, wages
From: feeds.stateline.org
"Hundreds of health care workers — many who say they can't afford care from the hospitals where they're employed — demanded better wages and benefits at a rally Thursday where actor and activist Danny Glover was on hand to back their cause.
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ME: Floridians protest 'Mouse moochers' from Maine
From: feeds.stateline.org
"Protesting a plan to help The Jackson Laboratory build a genetic research facility near the city of Naples, some Floridians this week told Collier County commissioners that they should "keep the mouse moochers in Maine."
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ME: State job creation increased, conservative group reports
From: feeds.stateline.org
"BREWER, Maine — Three new reports released Thursday by the Maine Heritage Policy Center, a conservative think tank based in Portland, show Maine's level of job creation has consistently increased over 15 years since 1993, but its growth is the 10th worst in the country.
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MI: Seasonal hiring helps West Michigan unemployment drop below 11 percent
From: feeds.stateline.org
"West Michigan employment got a boost in May from typical seasonal hiring, but there were signs the local job market might be gradually stabilizing.
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MI: Michigan Attorney General investigators subpoena, search state Film Office for Hangar42 Studios information
From: feeds.stateline.org
"Investigators from the Michigan Attorney General's office spent two days this week at the state's Film Office gathering materials tied to its investigation of the Hangar42 Studios project in Walker.
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MN: A loss of benefits looms, anxiety grows for jobless Minnesotans
From: feeds.stateline.org
"So, what really happens when unemployment benefits run out? After weeks of debate in Congress, it appears thousands of Minnesotans are about to find out — firsthand.
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MN: Twin Cities nurses moving closer to second walkout
From: feeds.stateline.org
"With fresh negotiations going nowhere, more than 12,000 nurses and their union could begin a second, indefinite strike against 14 Twin Cities hospitals immediately after the Fourth of July weekend. The talks, arranged Thursday by federal mediators, were apparently so unproductive that officials with the nurses union said they would file this morning a 10-day notice of their intent to strike.
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MO: Akin asks Attorney General Koster to investigate 'Bodies' exhibit
From: feeds.stateline.org
"Last week, U.S. Rep. Todd Akin filed legislation on Capitol Hill that takes aim at a cadaver exhibition coming later this year to the Galleria mall. Now he's leaning on state officials to take action.
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MS: BLOWBACK Shifting winds will bring BP oil to state's shores
From: feeds.stateline.org
"Mississippi's lucky streak appears to have ended, with oil from the BP disaster washing into the Mississippi Sound and likely to make landfall on mainland beaches within the next few days, said Trudy Fisher, director of the state Department of Environmental Quality.
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MS: Gov. Haley Barbour tells agencies to send home non-essential office workers for the day
From: feeds.stateline.org
"Gov. Haley Barbour today directed the heads of state agencies to use their discretion in releasing non-essential employees working in specific offices near the Capitol for the day because of a disruption of water service in the city of Jackson.
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MS: Crews clean up tar balls in Mississippi Sound
From: feeds.stateline.org
"PASS CHRISTIAN, Miss. -- A large patch of oil that crept into the Mississippi Sound, the fertile waters between the state's barrier islands and its mainland, was a sobering reminder that luck here could run out.
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ND: Committee talks tax relief
From: feeds.stateline.org
"The Legislature's Interim Taxation Committee reviewed two proposals that would continue property tax relief, ultimately voting to lend its support to a revamped version of last session's bill that replaces a large portion of school funding from property taxes with state dollars.
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ND: Hess Corp. plans shipping N.D. oil by rail
From: feeds.stateline.org
"A New York-based oil and gas company is proposing a $48 million railroad terminal in northwestern North Dakota to ship crude out of state.
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ND: ND eases cattle import restrictions
From: feeds.stateline.org
"North Dakota has eased testing requirements for most cattle entering the state from Minnesota and Montana.
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NH: Old Man's profile makes return
From: feeds.stateline.org
"FRANCONIA, N.H. – It may look like just a jumble of puzzle pieces from angles, but for viewers who stand in the right position, at the right angle, those pieces align into a familiar and beloved visage. And it looks like the Old Man of the Mountain has returned to the lonely cliff from which he fell more than seven years ago.
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NH: Economy weighs on speedway
From: feeds.stateline.org
"The marketing team at New Hampshire Motor Speedway is working against the clock to sell out before the last day of NASCAR events Sunday. "Come Monday, the leftover tickets have no value," said Jerry Gappens, speedway executive vice president.
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NH: 20 years ago, a track was born
From: feeds.stateline.org
"It opened with both promise and promises, appealing to the hopeful while appeasing the hostile as it tried to reach a balance often asked of new neighbors in a traditional New England town.
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NJ: N.J. Senate president pushes for overhaul of affordable housing system
From: feeds.stateline.org
"Senate President Stephen Sweeney put pressure on lawmakers today to consider a controversial bill to overhaul the state's affordable housing system, saying today he would not support a related bill to extend a break for fees paid by commercial developers.
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NJ: Gov. Christie issues veto limiting unemployment benefits, delaying business tax hike
From: feeds.stateline.org
"People fired for gross misconduct will not be eligible for unemployment benefits and businesses will get a one-year reprieve from higher taxes under a conditional veto issued today by Gov. Chris Christie.
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NV: Failure of spending measure in Senate to affect Nevadans
From: feeds.stateline.org
"WASHINGTON -- Gordon Jones was dismayed. Out of work since October 2008, the laid-off CarMax salesman in Las Vegas said he received his last $375 unemployment check on June 2 and needed Congress to come through with some more help.
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OH: Attorney general accuses veterans' charity of scam
From: feeds.stateline.org
"Attorney General Richard Cordray went to court yesterday to try to prevent a Florida-based veterans' charity from soliciting donations from Ohioans, calling the outfit a scam.
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OH: Ohio pension fund watches BP holdings plummet
From: feeds.stateline.org
"Ohio's largest public employee pension fund has seen the rapid decline in the value of BP PLC stock as a buying opportunity, increasing its stake in the oil giant by nearly a third since the Gulf of Mexico oil spill.
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OH: Gov. Ted Strickland challenges Mary Taylor to set date for release of Ohio Lottery audit
From: feeds.stateline.org
"Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland said Auditor Mary Taylor needs to set a date for the release of her performance audit of the Ohio Lottery to eliminate the perception that she is playing politics with her office.
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OH: Dan Gilbert's company could buy an interest in Thistledown, state official says
From: feeds.stateline.org
"Two casinos may not be all Dan Gilbert has his gambling eyes focused on.
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OH: With slots a possibility, horse tracks snapped up
From: feeds.stateline.org
"State horse-racing regulators approved the sale of two racetracks to large gambling companies that are expected to play roles in the development of casinos in Ohio's four largest cities.
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OR: Cantwell threatens to withhold money for NOAA facility in Newport
From: feeds.stateline.org
"WASHINGTON -- The border skirmish between Oregon and Washington over moving the NOAA Pacific fleet to Newport intensified Wednesday after Sen. Maria Cantwell said the selection "wastes taxpayer dollars" and that Congress should consider cutting off funding for the project.
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OR: Oregon's wine industry faces prospect of lower-priced future
From: feeds.stateline.org
"Longtime Oregon winemaker Linda Lindsay huddled with her sales team last July, trying to figure out how to avoid the snares of an industry in freefall around her.
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PA: Pennsylvania lawmakers consider licensing interior designers
From: feeds.stateline.org
"Interior designers could become the next licensed profession in the state of Pennsylvania under a proposal before a state House panel Thursday.
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RI: R.I. pension fund may join suit against BP
From: feeds.stateline.org
"Rhode Island's public pension fund may join a class-action lawsuit against BP over its plunging stock price after the Gulf of Mexico oil spill.
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SD: First dirt moved for Lyon County casino
From: feeds.stateline.org
"LARCHWOOD, Iowa -- Gold-plated shovels pierced the Iowa soil Wednesday as various officials broke ground on what will be the Hawkeye State's latest casino.
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SD: Iowa will help gambling addicts, but not if they're from South Dakota
From: feeds.stateline.org
"Most of the gamblers expected to visit a new casino in Lyon County, Iowa -- which broke ground this week on a farm field east of Sioux Falls -- will come from South Dakota, Minnesota and other states.
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US: Spending on local projects plummets
From: feeds.stateline.org
"States and local governments are slashing spending on schools, roads, offices and other construction projects so fast that even federal stimulus money hasn't filled in the gap.
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UT: Utah governor sees state's economy improving
From: feeds.stateline.org
"Gov. Gary Herbert says Utah's economy is starting to recover.
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WA: BP boycott gains little traction as consumers value price, support small-business owners
From: feeds.stateline.org
"Gas stations that sell BP gasoline in Washington have it easy. None bear the corporate name that is fast becoming a prefix for "oil spill."
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WA: Boeing halts flights of 787 for inspection
From: feeds.stateline.org
"Boeing has temporarily grounded its 787 Dreamliner flight-test fleet while it checks for an assembly flaw in the horizontal tails built by Italian manufacturing partner Alenia.
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WI: Northern Wisconsin region suffering long dry spell
From: feeds.stateline.org
"LAKE TOMAHAWK, Wis. — The drought that has gripped northern Wisconsin for eight years is drying up lakes, distressing wildlife and forests and changing Pat Wingo's business.
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WV: Dependence is not a sign of strength
From: feeds.stateline.org
"As the demographer for the Bureau of Business and Economic Research at West Virginia pointed out recently, the population trends in the state are cause for concern.
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WY: State seeks to shut restaurant over taxes
From: feeds.stateline.org
"The Wyoming Department of Revenue has filed a rare request asking state District Court to shut down a Casper restaurant for not paying its sales taxes, a department official said Thursday.
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The RGGI raid: how cap-and-trade revenues went to fix state budgets
From: feeds.stateline.org
"An innovative carbon-control regime in the Northeast states was intended to raise money for energy efficiency programs. Now, some of the cash-strapped states are using the money to plug their budget holes.
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Bighead carp found near Lake Michigan
From: feeds.stateline.org
"TODAY'S TAKE: Tuesday's discovery of an Asian carp just off Lake Michigan pit Great Lakes states against each other and revived fears that the invasive species may be about to take over the lakes despite scientists' efforts to keep it out.
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Gulf states fear long-term fiscal effects of oil disaster
From: feeds.stateline.org
"The Gulf Coast states were hopeful that 2010 would be a year of economic revival. Now, one of the worst environmental tragedies in U.S. history is jeopardizing the future of the tourism, fishing and deep-water oil drilling industries. Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida do not have the money to offset the revenue losses and are counting on BP to rescue them.
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Gulf govs hail judge's ruling on drilling moratorium
From: feeds.stateline.org
"TODAY'S TAKE: A federal judge's decision overturn the federal ban on offshore drilling drew praise from Gulf state governors who had complained that idling oil production would put workers out of work.
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State budget cuts: across the board, and at cross-purposes
From: feeds.stateline.org
"
Faced with historic budget deficits, states used blunt force to make deep cuts in 2010. In some cases, those cuts may come back to cost money later.
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New York hikes cigarette taxes
From: feeds.stateline.org
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TODAY'S TAKE: New York has become the latest state to raise cigarette taxes in the face of a budget deficit that exceeds $9 billion. Once the increase takes effect in July, New Yorkers will pay the country's highest tobacco taxes.
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States ride broadband wave
From: feeds.stateline.org
"With an infusion of even more funding for planning since the National Broadband Plan was released in March, states are moving ahead with efforts to expand high-quality broadband access, even as a court ruling against the FCC’s net neutrality authority leaves them seeking clarity.
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Visit the Stateline.org Economy & Business Page
From: feeds.stateline.org
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Proactive tax planning to take advantage of timely tax saving opportunities.
Comprehensive business services that integrate income tax compliance
and planning with investments and insurance choices.
Consulting services that review businesses to find hidden opportunities to
increase wealth accumulation and retention.
Foreign investor tax services.
Individualized accounting system setup for new businesses.
State of the art payroll tax services and sales tax preparation.
Preparation of business and individual tax returns and financial
statements.
Budgeting and projection preparation and monitoring, facilitating the
creation and tracking of events.
Assistance in selection and installation of computer hardware and
software, ongoing monitoring and updating of systems.
