Dems are in charge of the purse strings now. Somehow I don't see any balanced budget coming from them anytime soon. Once gov't has grown, it tends to stay that way, and no Dem will ever shrink gov't.
Personally, I'd like to see a balanced budget amendment to the constitution. The last time that was tried, it seemed to upset all the power-brokers in WA, who came up with good excuses why it shouldn't be passed.