The state's precarious fiscal situation is getting worse -- much worse, the chairman of the House Appropriations Committee said yesterday.

Rep. Dwight Evans D-Philadelphia, said the revenue shortfall for the current fiscal year, which ends June 30, is now projected to be "at least $3 billion."

That's $700 million more than the $2.3 billion that Gov. Ed Rendell forecast three months ago, and $400 million higher than some legislators forecast just a month ago.

"The numbers are staggering," Mr. Evans said. "We have a lot of work to do. Do we need to make decisions that are painful? Absolutely."

The state's original spending plan for fiscal 2008-09 was $28.26 billion, but that is being trimmed by more than half a billion dollars. The state Revenue Department is due to release the state's April revenue collections today.

"Given the national economic indicators, the [Pennsylvania revenue] numbers could be grim," said Rendell aide Chuck Ardo.