The budget situation in the states just keeps getting worse. The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities released another update to their analysis of widespread state budget shortfalls. The total is up to 43 states and the District of Columbia (up from 29 states and DC since CBPP last released an update of this report). It looks like things are continuing to get worse despite efforts by state governments to balance the books: Over half the states had already cut spending, used reserves, or raised revenues in order to adopt a balanced budget for the current fiscal year — which started July 1 in most states. Now, their budgets have fallen out of balance again. New gaps have opened up in the budgets of at least 37 states plus the District of Columbia after they struggled to close the largest budget shortfalls seen since the recession of 2001. And these problems are expected to continue into next year. Below is a great map from the CBPP report showing which states are facing budget problems in 2009 or 2010. The full report is definitely worth a read. CBPP: STATE BUDGET TROUBLES WORSEN