The state's books are projected to be about $225 million off due to a lapsed reciprocity agreement with Minnesota and lagging cigarette sales tax revenues.

The Legislative Fiscal Bureau today released its annual update, finding that the state has a projected gross balance of $55.7 million. Once statutory balance is figured in, the net balance at the end of the biennium in mid-2011 is projected to be -9.3 million.

Even so, Dem legislative leaders say a budget repair bill is not necessary.

-- By Greg Bump