John E. Petersen

Recent Articles

• 2011: The Bad Year That Wasn’t
• Dec 26, 2011
• In this Public Finance column, John E. Petersen says that despite dire forecasts, states and localities paid their debts on time and in full.

• State, Local Finances in a Global Economy
• Oct 31, 2011
• State and local fiscal fortunes are now linked to the ups and downs of markets on every continent.

• States and Localities Can’t Afford Big Government Projects
• Aug 31, 2011
• The fiscal situation will likely make huge capital projects like the space shuttle program and Boston’s Big Dig a thing of the past.

• Who's the First to Go?
• Jun 30, 2011
• Public employees are at the front of the firing line, paying the price for widespread voter angst.
• 1 Comments

• The Debt Demon
• Apr 29, 2011
• Have states and localities borrowed too much?

• Is Federal Help Truly a Myth?
• Feb 28, 2011
• History says cities and states can look to the feds for a fiscal rescue plan.

• The Effect of Federal Budget Cuts on States and Localities
• Jan 1, 2011
• When the federal government starts reducing its deficit, watch out below!

• The Effects of the Housing Market on Government Finance
• Nov 1, 2010
• Plunging real estate values have devastating consequences for government finance.
• 2 Comments

• Could Credit Default Swaps Undermine the Fiscal Stability of Municipal Bonds?
• Sep 1, 2010
• Could credit default swaps undermine the fiscal stability of state and local bond issuers?

• The Similarities Between Sacramento and Athens
• Jun 30, 2010
• Some see California's future in Greece's current woes.
• 1 Comments

• Build America Bonds Make a Mark
• Jun 1, 2010
• The new Build America Bonds are having an outsized impact on the way states and localities raise money to build and fix infrastructure.
• 1 Comments

• Sinking Ships of State
• May 1, 2010
• Deep cuts in state and local spending may exert an undertow on the nation's recovery.
• 3 Comments

• Fairy Tale Pension Projections
• Mar 1, 2010
• Assumptions about return rates and risky investments foreshadow big problems.
• 2 Comments

• Defining State Debt
• Jan 1, 2010
• State borrowing takes on so many forms that it's hard to figure out what the total is.

• A Boost for the Muni Bond Market
• Nov 1, 2009
• Build America Bonds are like the cash-for-clunkers program: They bring buyers in.