A Cold '11 Budget, But Warmth for IT

The Office of Management and Budget has asked civilian agencies to ready themselves for fiscal 2011 budgets to be frozen at fiscal 2010 levels or, even worse, to be cut by 5 percent because the Obama administration is facing record deficits, which could become a drag on Democrats in elections next year.

Despite the tight budgets, a long-time information technology executive who studies the federal government's technology spending trends for Washington industry groups says the cuts shouldn't depress IT budgets in fiscal 2011. In fact, he says his analysis shows a rate increase nearing double digits. Even this weathered federal IT veteran said that seems a bit too optimistic, and cautions that such an increase is unlikely. "But that's where the numbers are pointing to," he said.