Lawmakers in Maryland and Virginia, a year after they used billions in federal stimulus dollars to delay severe cuts and layoffs, will return to work Wednesday with their budgets again deeply in the red and a dwindling pool of federal cash to help them.

Stimulus money is slated to run dry over the next fiscal year as the economic crisis outlives the stopgap funds. The loss means legislatures in both states will reopen caustic arguments they shelved a year ago, likely eliminating jobs and dismantling services that had been expanded or saved by the $787 billion federal spending bill.