As Indiana lawmakers get ready to draft the final state budget, they are going to have to deal with a $35 million budget shortfall and nearly $65 million increase in Medicaid expenditures.
At the April revenue forecast, lawmakers were told the state will have $35 million fewer dollars to spend over the next biennium and while at the same time seeing an increase in Medicaid costs.
Fiscal experts say the shortfall in revenue is due in part to a slowing economy which results in a reduction of wage growth.
Despite that bad news, Senate Appropriations Chair Ryan Mishler, House Ways and Means Co-Chair Todd Huston and State OMB Director Micah Vincent are still positive they can cover the shortfall while keeping their commitments to education, Medicaid and the Department of Child Services.
You can hear the three in the Leon-Tailored Audio above. It runs for about 12 minutes.
