BREAKING: Ohio Bleeding Red

NBC 4 has the story. Tomorrow, they will have interview, during which, I assume, Governor Strickland will grovel… A lot…

Gov. Ted Strickland on Monday announced a new $640 million state budget gap, the third deficit this budget cycle, and said the next two-year budget could be as much as $7.3 billion in the red.

The state is facing an unprecedented economic crisis that will only get worse without direct federal help, Strickland said. The governor flatly ruled out a tax increase, saying it could make things worse under the current conditions.

Strickland continues to press the federal government for direct aid to the states that he said could prevent further cuts to the current budget. He sent president-elect Barack Obama a letter Monday asking for $100 billion in block grants to the states and $3.2 billion to help with welfare expenditures and another economic recovery package.

For the first time, Strickland said the state would likely to have to dip into the rainy-day fund - which currently has about $750 million - to deal with the economic slowdown. He has previously said the rainy-day fund should be saved for even worse times ahead.

NBC 4 will talk with Strickland Tuesday as he asks President-Elect Obama for help during the economic crisis.