What Would You Do With the State's Surplus? [Poll]
The state finished the end of Fiscal Year 2011 with a reported $85 million.
Rhode Island Auditor General Dennis Hoyle announced this week that the state ended Fiscal Year 2011 with an $85 million surplus. The number was reported as part of Hoyle's annual audit, known as the State’s Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (CAFR).
The $85 million includes General Fund revenues and other sources. The General Fund consisted primarily of taxes (42 percent) and federal grants (41 percent). Within the General Fund, $64.2 million of fund balance was available for appropriation in Fiscal Year 2012.
"It was anticipated that 2011 would close with a surplus," said Greg Pare, Director of Senate Communications. Of the $64.2 million available for appropriation in 2012, about $57.2 million has been applied to balancing FY 2012, he said.
That leaves $7 million, which will be applied to revenue for FY 2013, Pare said.
If you had a say in how the state applied the remaining surplus, or the whole thing, what would you have suggested?
Vote in our poll and share your thoughts in the comments section below.
ROBERT PATTERSON
8:55 pm on Wednesday, January 11, 2012
REMEMBER, THIS SURPLUS IS OUR SURPLUS NOT THE STATES,,,SO GIVE IT BACK WHERE IT CAME FROM. WE WERE OVER TAXES AND GIVE IT BACK TO US IN A CHECK, THANK YOU....
Joe Sousa.
9:00 pm on Wednesday, January 11, 2012
Don't stand by the mail box waiting . RI expects a $125 million dollar deficit next year.
David
6:57 am on Thursday, January 12, 2012
And that was after expecting a nearly 200 million last fiscal year Joe...your point? You are a sheep. It is all a game of numbers and how they feel like working them... Just like Raimando did!
Joe Sousa.
5:05 pm on Thursday, January 12, 2012
Raimando sure cleaned up a lot of the mess. On to the private plans. Clean up the mess made by the States Unions ,along with their friends the tax and spend liberals.
Marcus A
8:07 pm on Thursday, January 12, 2012
Dearest Joe head of the ICFAT Everything we hear is an opinion, not a fact. Everything we see is a perspective, not the truth.
John Tattrie
8:29 am on Thursday, January 12, 2012
So theres money left over, Pensions unfunded, Cities & Towns not given there municiple funds last year....Im confused. So what we are saying is the State didn't pay its bills & now we are going to call it a surplus. Why is it every other entity in RI business needs to zero out at the end of the fiscal year but the State Doesn't. So if this money is really there, lets start fixing some more roads or give the money back to the communities that really need it.
Another Mama
9:03 am on Thursday, January 12, 2012
As I understand it, $24 million was cut from services for the disabled. Why not restore those cuts and provide care for those who truly need it.
boss the hogg
9:10 am on Thursday, January 12, 2012
Buy MegaBucks lottery tickets !! Otherwise it goes right into greasy politician pockets..
MkM
10:27 am on Thursday, January 12, 2012
FIX THE ROADS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
TAMORI
12:41 pm on Thursday, January 12, 2012
YES, this! It would save us all money that we have to spend maintaining the undercarriage of our cars. But, unfortunately it won’t happen because we’ve become immune to bad roads, or have a “that’s just the way they are” attitude. I visited family in Florida in the early fall and was reminded just how smooth a road could, and should be.
asdfasdf22
7:49 pm on Thursday, January 12, 2012
I would use it shut down illegal spas and brothels in Central Falls, RI. After the new RI law against indoor prostitution just passed, more spas open...go figure.
Why are these illegal "massage parlors" and "spas" not being shut down??? Just take a look at backpage.com (http://providence.backpage.com/adult/) and see all the prostitution ads from these "spas"... it's crazy nothing is being done to close them.
S
11:37 pm on Thursday, January 12, 2012
Thanks I didn't know about that page I will have to go there I have been looking for a massage so ot speak.
Tom
8:18 pm on Thursday, January 12, 2012
Use some of this money to pave Broadway,its an embarrassment to Newport and it should be to the elected officials
lets take a vote
8:18 pm on Thursday, January 12, 2012
Give it to the city of East Providence council. Bruce Rogers is so smart! He is working with the states budget commision ya know! And i just heard the other 2 finished hooked on phonics 1st edition for the 5th time. And they promised to take their medication every day!
S
11:55 pm on Thursday, January 12, 2012
be nice even morons need friends
You guys in East Providence are screwed just wait to see the nice pretty hand cuffs they have for Bruce and his pal Coogan.
Tiverton Dad
12:19 pm on Friday, January 13, 2012
Give it to the Tiverton Citizens for Change (TeaCC). They will use it to lower the tax rates of their members. With that mission accomplished, perhaps they will go away and let people who care about town run things.
jim vieira
9:37 pm on Friday, January 13, 2012
Return it back to the people! All this bs that the state was in this terrible financial situation and they come up with a surplus? I guess the old saying is true" liars figure and figures lie"