Tennessee must balance its budget.  The state constitution requires it.  If you click on the “read the rest” link below, and then scroll to the bottom of the article, you can view Republican and Democrat legislators from Tennessee talk about the budget crisis and what they must do to solve it for Tennessee.  From the Chattanooga Times Free Press:

  In the view of Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey, R-Blountville, one thing should be very clear when lawmakers reconvene today.

“I think people get it that any legislation that costs money won’t pass this year,” said Lt. Gov. Ramsey, the Senate speaker.

Any number of issues including efforts by district attorneys general and police chiefs to boost prison penalties for criminals who use guns will receive the same treatment, Lt. Gov. Ramsey said.

Tennessee currently faces the need to trim up to $900 million in spending from the yet-to-be presented 2009-10 budget as a result of its recession-battered revenues.

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