State budget: slight good news and a lottery win

There's some slightly good news about the state's budget situation: since July first, all tax categories have brought in a bit more than expected. Nothing major, but mo' money is good money.

Oh, that $140 million estate tax payment? Doesn't matter. Unless somebody has found a way to resurrect the dead so the can pay the estate tax multiple times, one-time payments don't matter. If the legislature is smart, it will do what you should always do with found money: stick it away for a rainy day.