Pew: Florida on edge of economic ruin

A report by the Pew Center on the States puts Florida and at least nine other states on the brink of economic disaster. The Sunshine State joins California, Arizona, Illinois, Michigan, Nevada, New Jersey, Oregon, Rhode Island and Wisconsin as the states most likely to have steep tax increases, government layoffs and deep service cuts. State Rep. David Rivera, a Miami Republican who chairs both of the Florida House’s two appropriations councils, said Florida continues to face the same challenges as last year, including high unemployment, weakness in key industries such as real estate and construction and a very austere budgetary environment. [Sun-Sentinel]