Just How Big Is The Shortfall?

A divide emerged yesterday over just how large the potential state budget shortfall is.

Aides to Gov. Martin O'Malley continued to refer to next year's budget gap as $1.7 billion during hearings taking place on the special session's second day.

But the legislature's chief fiscal analyst, Warren G. Deschenaux, told lawmakers that the Department of Legislative Services now projects a $1.5.billion shortfall.

Deschenaux said that "$1.5 billion is the new $1.7 billion," referring to revised spending and revenue projections for fiscal 2009.

O'Malley spokesman Steve Kearney said later that the governor's office will continue to use $1.7 billion. "It's a matter of their estimates being a little different than our estimates," Kearney said.

Actually, the two branches are closer than they seem, because of rounding. O'Malley puts the figure at $1.667billion. The legislature has it at $1.523.billion, a difference of $144 million.