NEW: Speaker Tells House Democrats RI Facing a $150M Deficit in 2020

NEW: Speaker Tells House Democrats RI Facing a $150M Deficit in 2020

House Democratic lawmakers were told Thursday afternoon by Speaker Nick Mattiello that the state is facing a $150 million shortfall for Fiscal Year 2020, as the state’s revenue estimating conference wraps up Friday. 

The news was delivered at a party caucus at the Rhode Island State House before the House went into session on Thursday.

The somber financial news raises questions about the funding of new initiatives.

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Revenue numbers in this fiscal year have been fluid. April for the State of Rhode Island, in which adjusted revenues were up $35 million over expected revenues.

The month of March, however, had seen a revenues fall well short of expectations.

The $150 million shortfall for the next Fiscal Year coupled with a current year deficit of $50 million puts lawmakers in a combined $200 million hole.

Assessing Priorities

According to state house sources, Mattiello inquired individually from lawmakers at the caucus as what their top priorities are for the coming year, in light of the state’s fiscal constraints — and that members were told specifically that the budget gap presents a problem to social service programs. 

House leadership also indicated that it wants to give more power to House Oversight to keep state government departments’ budgets “accountable.

In April, Mattiello said on GoLocal LIVE that Governor Gina Raimondo's budget proposals to legalize marijuana -- and expand free taxpayer-funded tuition from CCRI to RIC -- were unlikely this year.