NLC Report: City Finances Appear to Be Getting Stronger
But there’s a caveat: Infrastructure and pension costs will weigh on municipal budgets in future years.
Navigator Award Finalist: Joshua Schoemann, Washington County, Wis., Administrator
Before diving head-first into a local government’s budget season, it’s important to establish priorities first.
Recession’s Shadow Still Hangs Over Finances of Some Counties
“General revenue is slowly coming back, on the other hand we’re seeing rapid increases in mandated costs,” says the author of a new National Association of Counties report.
Chicago Teachers Strike Averted; Kentucky Confronts Lexington’s Panhandling Ban
Also in our State and Local Daily Digest: Oso landslide legal settlements in Washington state; Oklahoma failed to obligate disaster recovery funds; and an Oregon county challenges state over dam.
Navigator Award Finalists: Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton and Lt. Gov. Tina Smith
There’s a need to expand access to free pre-kindergarten programs in Minnesota. And while an earlier Dayton administration proposal to do that in a big way didn’t gain traction, the North Star State took an important step in the right direction.
Smart City Development Is a Marathon, Not a Sprint
Chula Vista took a decade to ensure the West Coast’s largest waterfront smart development is built with sustainability in mind.
Can You Go Home Again? Some Older Retirees Say Yes
Some older retirees are finding that Snow Belt states, where their families live, may be more to their liking than the sunny states they first retired to.
7 Years After Recession, States Are Still Rebuilding Reserves
Building up reserves and balances is a sign of fiscal recovery, but there is no one-size-fits-all rule on when, how, and how much to save.
Philanthropic Plan ‘Certainly Could Change the Face of Government Funding’
Donors and officials in Kalamazoo, Michigan, are negotiating a $500 million proposal to end a difficult structural deficit by lowering property taxes and increase spending to reduce poverty—and critics are concerned it may be undemocratic.
Smart Cities Technology Is Appealing, But How Will It Get Financed?
Local governments already have challenges with funding their existing infrastructure, raising questions on how to make investments in smart technologies a reality.
The State-Budget Cuts Trapping Poor Parents
In Louisiana, a lack of governmental assistance has left many without childcare options.
California's Sanctions Against Wells Fargo
The state is cutting ties with the bank for a year, following a scandal involving fake accounts.
Cities Have the 'Ability to Coalescence That Bottom-Up Movement' to Fix Racial Inequalities
At a pivotal point in U.S. history, local governments and the private sector must collaborate to close opportunity gaps where the federal government cannot, according to social justice experts.
Navigator Award Finalist: Jonathan Ball, Chief Legislative Fiscal Analyst, Utah State Legislature
Budgetary stress testing is an important tool that allows Utah to stand on a stable fiscal foundation.
Tears Over Oregon’s Pensions ‘Moral’ Dilemma; Texas Warning Over Refugee Resettlement
Also in our State and Local Daily Digest: Cancer-causing metal in New Jersey water systems; South Dakota city leaders spar in meeting; and Florida’s new invasive species discovery.
Examining California's Pension Gap
It was a deal that wasn’t supposed to cost taxpayers an extra dime. Now the state’s annual tab is in the billions, and the cost keeps climbing.
For State CIOs, the Time Has Come to Be Agile
“Waterfall has led us into a lot of wasted time and effort,” says Maryland’s state chief information officer, David Garcia.
Tax Incentive Evaluation in 2016—in Law and Practice
Studies help states improve economic effectiveness.
A New Way to Build a Budget
Burnet, Texas Budget Director Connie Maxwell saved 50 percent of her time previously spent wrangling with Excel spreadsheets, an all too common problem for small city governments.
Gov. Jerry Brown Vetoes “Tampon Tax” Bill
According to the governor, California can’t afford new tax breaks while its budget remains “precariously balanced.”
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