Examination of this year’s State of the State addresses indicates governors are wary of storm clouds developing along the fiscal horizon.1 Their addresses to residents on the health of states reflect some caution in negotiating budget and policy agendas going forward. Tennessee’s governor, Phil Bredesen, perhaps terms it the best, stating that, “In the first year we crewed together, we had a full-blown storm to navigate. The next couple of years were in calmer waters, and last year was positively bright and sunny and with a following wind. This year, so far, we’ve got some heavy seas once again; not a real storm yet, but definitely some attention-getting waves. There’s an old sailor’s adage: You can’t control the wind, but you can adjust your sails. We can’t control the national economy, but we can make the adjustments that let us ride it out.” So this year, governors are sticking to taut budget scripts, recognizing the challenges they face, given a deteriorating economy. They are cognizant of balancing needs and do not want to lose ground with overreaching spending promises.
