Just what is this category called 'other'?

• Author: Rafool, Mandy
• Position: State budgets

A third of states' budgets are spent on "other." Here's what it includes - and excludes.

State governments pay for a great number of services from general fund revenues. While big ticket items such as education, corrections and Medicaid receive 65 percent of state general fund spending, states still spend 35 percent in other areas. What other areas? This part of the pie has many slices:

* Health and public welfare (other than Medicaid spending, which is accounted for separately)

* Aid to local governments

* General government administration (public buildings, the judicial and legal system, the legislature, the governor's office, etc.)

* Interest on debt

* Natural resources (agriculture, fish and game, forestry, etc.)

* State police

* Parks and recreation

* Business and economic development

* Housing and community development

* Sewage systems

* Solid waste management

* Libraries

* Regulatory agencies

But the list is still not complete. Many state expenditures - even though they are significant - are not included here as "other."

The reason for that is simple. The "other" category, like the rest of the pie, reflects state general fund spending. And many state expenditures are made outside of the general fund or are captured in different categories. A good example is transportation spending. Motor fuel taxes pay for most state transportation projects, usually through special dedicated funds. So even though a large portion of state money goes...