clipped from: www.msnbc.msn.com MADISON, Wis. - Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick and four other Democratic governors are asking the federal government for a $1 trillion boost to deal with unprecedented state budget shortfalls.
The governors of Wisconsin, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York and Ohio say that level of federal aid is needed to deal with state budget shortfalls pegged at $42 billion for the current fiscal year alone.
The governors say they have presented their plan to President-elect Barack Obama's transition team as well as congressional leaders, including $250 billion for education and $150 billion in middle class tax cuts.