Budget shortfall is $650 million

It's been a moving target, but forcasters said today that the state's projected deficit is $650 million.

That figure really isn't too different from the latest we've been hearing from some on the Senate Finance Committee, but it gives lawmakers in the session that starts Saturday something firm to work with.

Whether it means schools won't be cut, or Medicaid won't suffer or state employee salaries won't be reduced remains to be seen. It probably doesn't dramatically change the path lawmakers have to go down in the coming weeks to balance the budget, because several leaders had been predicting the shortfall would be this high.