MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

US budget deficits the biggest long-term worry for top economists

Growing protests from US government employees who fear drastic cuts in jobs, salaries and benefits

United States government deficits are the biggest long-term worry of top U.S. economists, according to a survey released Monday. The survey of 47 top economists by the National Association of Business Economics predicted that the US federal deficit will jump to 1.4 trillion US dollars in the fiscal year ending in September.

In the November survey, the economists had forecast a 1.1 trillion deficit USD. The economists' forecast is a bit more optimistic than the latest projection of a 1.5 trillion USD gap from the non-partisan US Congressional Budget Office.

The previous survey was taken before Congress agreed to extend former president Bush-era tax cuts for all income brackets and have a one-year holiday on a portion of the payroll tax. The payroll tax holiday, which hadn't been widely expected, added about 112 billion USD to the federal deficit.

Asked to rank the seriousness of various economic problems, with one meaning no concern and five equalling extreme concern, the federal deficit was the biggest worry, with an average score of 4.1.

State and local government budget deficits and debt was the second biggest worry with a score of 3.4.

The survey results come as fierce debates are raging in Congress and in statehouses across the United States about how to address gaping budget gaps. There is a chance the federal government could even shut down without a budget deal, and public employee unions across the country are protesting proposed cuts at the state and local level.

Some leading economists, including Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke, have argued that while deficits must be addressed, the economic recovery is still too weak to implement deep spending cuts or tax increases.

Despite the budget worries, the economists are more optimistic about growth than they were three months ago. They expect US economic growth to reach 3.3% in 2011, up significantly from the 2.6% growth rate forecast in November.