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Past the Deadline

California, 2008 Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger didn't sign the budget until 85 days after the 2009 fiscal year began, making it the latest in state history. Although state government...

California, 2008
Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger didn't sign the budget until 85 days after the 2009 fiscal year began, making it the latest in state history. Although state government didn't shut down, California was unable to make payments to vendors, local governments and school systems.

Illinois, 2007
The annual budget wasn't completed until eight weeks into the new fiscal year after Governor Rod Blagojevich and state legislators feuded over the governor's health care plan. A one-month budget kept the state operating in July, and in August, the state continued paying workers even in the absence of a budget.

Michigan, 2007
State government shut down for a few early-morning hours at the start of the October fiscal year, before the legislature approved a new tax on services and a one-month budget to keep operations going. The annual budget was completed a month later and the services tax was repealed a month after that.

Pennsylvania, 2007
Without a budget and with lawmakers unable to agree to a stopgap measure, Pennsylvania furloughed around 25,000 workers on July 9. By the following day, lawmakers had struck a deal and the workers were back on the job.

New Jersey, 2006
When budget disagreements lingered into July, Governor Jon Corzine ordered a government shutdown, even though previous New Jersey governors had continued state operations without a budget. Tens of thousands of state workers stayed home and Atlantic City casinos closed until the shutdown ended a week later.

Josh Goodman is a former staff writer for GOVERNING..
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