Revenue droop forces 2.2% state budget cut

Gov. Mike Beebe on Tuesday cut the state’s projected budget for this fiscal year by about $100 million, citing a greater-than-expected dropoff in tax collections.

The governor’s action reduces the state’s general revenue budget from $4.5 billion to $4.4 billion, or about 2.2 percent.

Beebe said the cut reflects the recession and was made early enough in fiscal 2010, which started in July, to allow agencies to adjust. He said he expects no layoffs and some of the money to be made up by not hiring for vacant positions.

“The good news is we don’t wait until the eleventh hour and then find out that you got to raise ...