June 30th is upon us...and as the final day of the 2016-2017 Fiscal Year, I am pleased to report that the general appropriations bill (the budget bill) will be complete by the end of the day.

At this point, legislative leaders have coalesced around a spend number - roughly $31.996 billion – but decisions over exactly where new revenues will come from to close a $1.2 - $2 billion budget hole remain elusive. One potential new recurring source of money that’s sure to be talked about in the week ahead is gaming expansion. While the House has already gone all in on a broad-based gaming bill, the Senate isn’t sure about allowing things like video gaming terminals, as well as the governor based on concerns that those new gaming venues will take away money from the Lottery and casinos. Other options on the table include borrowing and/or using money from the state’s share of the nationwide Tobacco Settlement Fund. Still up in the air are numerous decisions over whether some of the governor’s proposed tax increases make it into this year’s budget – although the administration and legislature do seem to have agreed to no broad based tax increases.