A few (video) details on the state budget

Roby Brock, our content partner at talkbusiness.net, has two video posts on his web site providing perspective on the budget recently proposed by Gov. Mike Beebe. The fiscal year 2010 and 2011 budgets include $146 million in unfunded appropriations (projects authorized but without budgeted funding) that could be covered if an estimated $300 million surplus is realized. That surplus, of course, depends on the future stability of the state’s economy. See that video post at this link.

Also, Brock interviewed state Rep. Bruce Maloch, the incoming Joint Budget Committee co-chair, about details of Beebe’s budget. Maloch said some of his colleagues are discussing a potential 50-cent tobacco tax increase to fund a statewide trauma center network. See that video post at this link.