budgets and bottles

Just how bad is the budget crisis that many states are experiencing? Reuters says that they are "sunk in the worst financial doldrums since World War II." But, those aren't their words. The wire service is repeating the statement made by the National Governor's Association in their Fiscal Survey of States (pdf). It may be time to look for some creative ways to decrease projected budget deficits. Delaware is reviewing one solution that Massachusetts followed in 1990 -- having unclaimed bottle deposits turned over to the State. I'm not keen on the idea of the State benefitting at a cost to the environment, and I've written a little on the subject before. I appreciate the State's consideration of ways to lessen the bleak financial picture we've seen painted in the media. Hopefully, we'll also consider some other ideas that don't rely upon me throwing a bottle away, rather than having it recycled, to benefit the State's finances.