Montana and North Dakota have no major budget problems; Minnesota and the other states do

WCCO-TV’s Pat Kessler notes that Minnesota’s $1.2 billion budget deficit forecast places the state near the middle of states facing financial problems. Only North Dakota and Montana currently have budget surpluses, he said.

And Wisconsin is in worse shape than Minnesota, listed 10th on a list of states in “fiscal peril.”

Among his sources is a lengthy July report from the National Conference of State Legislatures, which says: “2009 will mark one of the most difficult years in history for state budgets. The fiscal challenges are enormous, widespread and, unfortunately, far from over.”