This recession has taught us than it's far more difficult to contract that it is to expand. That's a lesson we'd forgotten during the past four decades, but it's back now with a vengeance.
Douglas County school officials are dealing with the issue now, because their budget is directly tied to the state's.
Nevada's school districts are on the downward slide of the last seven months of a budget plan that was put into place in July 2007.
Because the state budgets for two years, lawmakers literally have to gamble on what will happen with the economy.
Sure they've got the Economic Forum, which predicts what the state's budget revenues are going to be, but that's only slightly better than a racetrack tipster when it comes to long-range planning.
Schools, local governments, state government all have to open their books to the public. Their difficulties are the stuff of headlines.
But the people who must pay to support government at all levels are also hurting. Their suffering is less obvious, but just as real.
Unemployment and foreclosures are also the stuff of headlines.
Like the rest of us, our government will have to get by with less.
This recession is a wake-up call for all of us to mend our ways.
