Liz Farmer

Recent Articles

• Job Skills Gap a Growing Concern in Cities
• Apr 5, 2013
• Cities coming out of the recession are facing new challenges with matching their workforce to available jobs, a problem that could be an early indicator of a growing national problem.

• Why States Shouldn't Count on Another Big Income Tax Boost in 2013
• Apr 3, 2013
• RBC municipal analyst Chris Mauro warns that the boost at the end of 2012 was an anomaly driven by a rush to cash in on capital gains and other income in anticipation of new tax increases in 2013.

• Why Kentucky's Pension Reform Has Some Governments Yawning
• Apr 1, 2013
• Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear calls its pension reform “a good solution to a thorny problem." But the state’s local governments are far less impressed.
• 3 Comments

• Stockton Bankruptcy Sets Stage for Pension Battle
• Apr 1, 2013
• Some say the ruling in Stockton, Calif.'s case could lead to a U.S. Supreme Court decision on how bankrupt cities deal with their pension liabilities.

• Pension Reform Success Stories
• Mar 29, 2013
• Most states and many municipalities have passed some kind of pension reform in recent years, but only a few did so in a way that addresses the immediate unfunded liability of their plans.
• 6 Comments

• The Trouble with GASB
• Mar 28, 2013
• In the world of public finance, a long-running debate over what’s included in state and local financial statements is reaching new heights.
• 1 Comments

• Scott Shuts Down Lt. Gov's Office to Save Money
• Mar 26, 2013
• Florida Gov. Rick Scott has temporarily shuttered the $510,000-a-year lieutenant governor's office in an effort to save money.

• Illinois House Passes Pension Reform
• Mar 22, 2013
• House lawmakers in Illinois have passed the first step toward significant reform of the state's woefully underfunded pension system, but the controversial move would limit cost-of-living increases.

• Muni Bonds' Tax Exemption Likely to Stay
• Mar 20, 2013
• Congressional lawmakers are skeptical of some specialty tax-free bonds but largely spoke in support of maintaining the tax-exempt status of the municipal bonds localities and states issue to fund infrastructure projects.

• SEC Stepping Up Enforcement Against States, Cities
• Mar 20, 2013
• Last week, Illinois was only the second state to ever be accused of securities fraud -- but it may not be the last. The SEC's head of municipal securities wants to increase its enforcement.

• Financing the Olympics: Are U.S. Cities Up for the Challenge?
• Mar 19, 2013
• In the wake of the recession -- and after witnessing London’s $14 billion price tag -- few cities are jumping at the chance to host the 2024 Olympic Games.

• Financially Distressed Cities Isolate Poor and Minorities, Former Receiver Says
• Mar 18, 2013
• Segregated minority and poor populations foster municipal distress, according to the former receiver for the city of Harrisburg, Pa.

• House Committee to Take up Municipal Bonds
• Mar 18, 2013
• Lawmakers on Capitol Hill this week will look at the impact of tax exemptions and deductions on states and localities.

• S&P: Christie's Budget for New Jersey Relies on Uncertain Revenues
• Mar 15, 2013
• A major ratings agency cast doubt over New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie’s proposed 2014 budget this week, saying that the Republican’s forecasts were too ambitious and relied on “new and untested revenues” to balance the ledger.

• Suburban Blight & the Affordable Housing Conundrum
• Mar 13, 2013
• As urban revival pushes more lower-income earners to the suburbs, many are struggling to provide services and redefine their identity.
• 1 Comments