Californians can take some small consolation in the fact that the state's budget crisis is not unique. Nearly all states are grappling with fiscal woes, some of which exceed California's in a proportional sense.

Mind you, California's $38 billion deficit is humongous, larger than the budgets of 48 other states. Even so, the Golden State's revenue shortfall ranks fourth, behind Alaska, Arizona and New York, as a percentage of the general-fund budget.

During the recently completed fiscal year, 37 states were compelled to pare already approved budgets by nearly $14.5 billion, which marks the largest reduction in nearly three decades. Most governors have coped with their respective fiscal crunches with a combination of spending cuts, revenue increases and drawing down their remaining reserves.

With the exception of Vermont, all states are constitutionally required to balance their budgets. Most of them, like California, are meeting in emergency sessions, seeking to reduce their shortfalls. Fully half are looking to cut school funding while seeking tuition hikes at state universities. About half of Oregon school districts are pondering a shortened school year.

Meantime, skyrocketing Medicaid (Medi-Cal in California) costs continue to strain beleaguered state budgets. Increased costs for pharmaceuticals combined with higher enrollments are driving states deeper into the red. While cost-containment measures have helped stem the flow of red ink, soaring medical expenditures continue to outpace budget projections.

Scott Pattison, executive director of the National Association of State Budget Officers, notes that not since the recession of the early 1990s have so many states gone down to the wire before approving spending plans.

The nationwide fiscal crisis, which has been aptly characterized as "The Perfect Storm," is exacerbated by some unfunded federal mandates. The largest of these is the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, which requires all public schools to test their students. On paper, the federal government is supposed to fully finance the cost of this testing. In fact the full cost of implementing this costly reform could, over time, leave the states holding a $35 billion bag.

States also incur additional homeland security costs each time the feds raise the national terror alert. The Bush administration, moreover, wants to eliminate the State Criminal Alien Assistance Program whereby the federal government assumes partial responsibility for its continued failure to control the borders. That the president would scrap the program is all the more ironic. As governor, Bush went to court to get the federal government to help pay state costs of incarcerating illegal immigrants who commit crimes in this country. California, which by far bears the largest share of this financial burden, currently receives less than 25 percent of what it costs to keep these people behind bars.

While belt-tightening may have a bracing effect among the states, it also could stall the very economic stimulus that the White House is hoping for with its tax cuts. That's reason enough for the states to hope for some additional financial assistance the federal government.