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The combined budget deficit for the 50 states in 2009, according to the Center on Budget & Policy Priorities, was $190 billion. The stimulus package reduced that by $70 billion. For the 2010 and 2011 the projection is -$260 billion each year. States are usually mandated by their constitution to balance their budget so they must cut, cut, cut. Prediction is that 900,000 public sector workers, including teachers, will be laid off this year.
Ruling elites view the crisis as an opportunity to impose belt-tightening, to further erode the public space by privatization, charterization, and a shrunken, powerless work force. Panel will discuss these attacks and how popular fightbacks can begin to rebuild public space.
