Government Budget Deficits

OLYMPIA, Wash. - Tax increases probably can't be avoided as Washington state tries to patch a budget deficit that's ballooned to about $2.6 billion, top Democratic lawmakers said Thursday.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. - Despite multiple attempts to balance California's budget, the state can still expect to confront shortfalls approaching $20 billion during each of the next five years, according to a long-range forecast released Wednesday.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. - California will face a nearly $21 billion budget gap over the next year and a half, extending a fiscal crisis that already has led to steep cuts to public schools, social services and health programs, a state analyst said Wednesday.