BOSTON - Backs aren't the only things hurting as residents of the Northeast shovel away mounds of snow left by the year's first big storm. State and city budgets also are strained.
While the storm meant a pile of green for plow drivers, clearing away the snow was a headache for governments wrestling with fiscal shortfalls. And the trouble isn't over: Rain expected this week, combined with melting snow, has several states bracing for flooding.
The storm, blamed for 58 deaths, headed out to sea after taking a parting shot at Boston, which got a record 27.5 inches by the time it stopped snowing Tuesday morning.
Even though the storm was gone, many schools remained closed yesterday, including all Philadelphia public and parochial schools, because of snow-clogged, slippery roads.
The storm cost Massachusetts between $7 million and $8 million in snow removal, bringing the state's total so far this year to at least $62 million. The state had budgeted $16 million in fiscal 2003 for snow removal.
New York Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg estimated the storm would cost his city $20 million.
And it could have been worse, some state officials said, coming as it did on a holiday weekend when many businesses were closed.
Twelve weather-related deaths were reported in Pennsylvania, two in Illinois, eight in West Virginia, six in Missouri, two in Virginia, 11 in Maryland, four in New York, four in Iowa, three in Tennessee, two in New Jersey and one each in Nebraska, Ohio, Massachusetts and Connecticut.
The storm that produced the heavy snow also brought heavy rain that caused weekend flooding in Tennessee, Kentucky, southern West Virginia and southwestern Virginia.
Residents of some areas braced for more flooding as the snow melts and more rain is likely later in the week. West Virginia Gov. Bob Wise said more than 200 families had been affected by floods.
While the storm meant a pile of green for plow drivers, clearing away the snow was a headache for governments wrestling with fiscal shortfalls. And the trouble isn't over: Rain expected this week, combined with melting snow, has several states bracing for flooding.
The storm, blamed for 58 deaths, headed out to sea after taking a parting shot at Boston, which got a record 27.5 inches by the time it stopped snowing Tuesday morning.
Even though the storm was gone, many schools remained closed yesterday, including all Philadelphia public and parochial schools, because of snow-clogged, slippery roads.
The storm cost Massachusetts between $7 million and $8 million in snow removal, bringing the state's total so far this year to at least $62 million. The state had budgeted $16 million in fiscal 2003 for snow removal.
New York Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg estimated the storm would cost his city $20 million.
And it could have been worse, some state officials said, coming as it did on a holiday weekend when many businesses were closed.
Twelve weather-related deaths were reported in Pennsylvania, two in Illinois, eight in West Virginia, six in Missouri, two in Virginia, 11 in Maryland, four in New York, four in Iowa, three in Tennessee, two in New Jersey and one each in Nebraska, Ohio, Massachusetts and Connecticut.
The storm that produced the heavy snow also brought heavy rain that caused weekend flooding in Tennessee, Kentucky, southern West Virginia and southwestern Virginia.
Residents of some areas braced for more flooding as the snow melts and more rain is likely later in the week. West Virginia Gov. Bob Wise said more than 200 families had been affected by floods.