Instead, he found himself grappling with the worst fiscal crisis since 2008 as oil prices plummeted, bleeding billions of dollars in royalty revenues from the provincial coffers.
New estimates by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities show that state governments are facing their worst fiscal crisis since the 1930's.
Only a small part of it comes from America's big and growing entitlements, Medicare and Medicaid (health care for the elderly and poor, respectively) and Social Security (public pensions), whose worst fiscal problems lie beyond 2019.
But until 1996 Glasgow avoided the worst fiscal effects of this because it was part of the Strathclyde authority which both gave political voice to the west of Scotland and brought together the city and its hinterland.
Such sit-downs have usually come later in the budget season, but this year the state faces its worst fiscal plight since the Great Depression.
It's the worst fiscal crisis since the disaster of the 1970's.
This year, the Legislature will face the worst fiscal crisis in a generation: a budget shortfall of at least $5 billion, a bleak economic outlook, few reserves and the equally dire plight of New York City.
Just as New Jersey has patched up its worst fiscal mess ever, the state is staring at another: next year an enormous payment for its shrinking pension funds will come due.
New York State stands to receive at least $2 billion from an aid package that Congressional leaders have put together to help states grapple with the worst fiscal crisis they have faced in decades, lawmakers announced today.
On Thursday, the world's largest software company reported its worst fiscal year since it initially sold stock to the public in 1986.
THE NEWS Microsoft, the world's largest software company, reported its worst fiscal year since it first sold stock to the public in 1986.
