Liz Farmer

Recent Articles

• S.C. Treasurer Clashes with State Pension Commission
• May 21, 2013
• Curtis Loftis has made it his mission to overhaul the investment commission that oversees the state’s pension fund. But it hasn't been easy.
• 7 Comments

• Detroit's Recovery Plan Increases Default Risks
• May 16, 2013
• Moody's, the credit ratings agency, has warned that Detroit’s preliminary financial operating plan opens the door to place bondholders on the hook for the city’s debts, a move that would further damage the city’s already low credit rating.

• Detroit's Recovery Plan Increases Default Risks
• May 16, 2013
• Moody's, the credit ratings agency, has warned that Detroit’s preliminary financial operating plan opens the door to place bondholders on the hook for the city’s debts, a move that would further damage the city’s already low credit rating.

• Are Governments Ignoring Their Short-Term Workers?
• May 8, 2013
• One wonders what incentive there is to work for a government at all unless you’re in it for the long haul.
• 6 Comments

• SEC Charges Harrisburg with Securities Fraud
• May 6, 2013
• Pennsylvania's capital, which is under receivership after nearly going bankrupt, is the second municipality or state to get charged with securities fraud this year.
• 1 Comments

• Short-Term Gains Won't Outweigh Long-Term Pain
• May 1, 2013
• Preliminary tax data from the Nelson A. Rockefeller Institute of Government for 45 states shows revenues are up nearly 13 percent from last year.

• Why Financial Literacy Matters to Governments
• Apr 30, 2013
• Low-income people need more than a steady paycheck to achieve financial stability. They also need help gaining access to traditional banking and credit services -- something 28 percent of Americans lack.
• 3 Comments

• Ariz. May be 2nd State to OK Gold, Silver Currency
• Apr 24, 2013
• Ditching dollars for gold has become a popular notion among some conservative leaders and pundits (perhaps most notably Glenn Beck) in recent years.
• 5 Comments

• Feds Eye State, Local Pension Transparency Reform
• Apr 23, 2013
• In a move that’s expected to stir up staunch resistance from public pension managers, some Capitol Hill lawmakers have proposed new pension transparency regulations for local and state governments.
• 5 Comments

• Retiree Health-Care Benefits: The Next Shoe to Drop?
• Apr 22, 2013
• The rising cost of health care for retirees may force states and localities to make wholesale changes to their pension health plans.
• 6 Comments

• Has Pension Reform Gone Too Far?
• Apr 19, 2013
• Faced with growing pension gaps, states and localities in recent years have reacted with sweeping reforms.
• 11 Comments

• Moody's New Rules May Mean More Downgrades
• Apr 17, 2013
• Moody’s Investors Service announced its highly anticipated new ratings rules, which could result in downgrades for dozens of cities and school districts.
• 1 Comments

• Fitch: Kentucky's Pension Reform Still Has Uncertainty
• Apr 12, 2013
• Kentucky’s pension reform signed into law this month marks a positive step but should not be heralded as a cure-all to the state’s massive underfunding problem, a major ratings agency said Friday.
• 1 Comments

• Obama's Budget Targets Wealthy, Social Security to Lower Deficit
• Apr 10, 2013
• President Obama's fiscal plan for 2014 contains a mix of tax increases and breaks that some are concerned could mean increased costs for states and localities.
• 1 Comments

• Moody’s: New York’s Pension-Deferment Plan Has Long-Term Risks
• Apr 9, 2013
• New York’s new law to allow some cities to defer pension payments would increase their unfunded pension liabilities and could hurt their credit outlook.