"The state hopes to receive $15 billion in federal aid, which would wipe out its near-term deficits, obviating proposals to increase taxes or reduce spending. While that would be beneficial in the short run, it still would leave the state with significant future gaps," Andrew Rein, the head of the Citizens Budget Commission, said in a statement. "No matter the level of federal aid, the State should be pursuing structural spending reforms to ensure that its finances are stable coming out of the recession.”