Budget crunch presents early test of Moore administration

Billions of dollars in collected operating and transportation budget deficits will present Gov. Wes More (D) with one of the toughest challenges of his nascent administration. Ever ebullient, Moore was sworn in earlier this year vowing to move quickly to rebuild state government, end childhood poverty and leave no one behind as he promised that the state would “win the decade.” Those ambitions are about to be tested against stark budget realities that will make Moore, as with all governors, pick and choose and prioritize.