Liz Farmer

Recent Articles

• Washington, D.C. Could Lose $6 Million Per Week in Shutdown
• Oct 4, 2013
• The news came as the city is dipping into its own reserve funds to continue operating during the shutdown.

• Are Retiree Health Care Benefits Empty Promises?
• Oct 3, 2013
• Retiree health benefits, commonly treated by governments as malleable when times are tough, may be harder to slash if a recent California court ruling holds.
• 3 Comments

• The Next Battle: To Raise the Debt Ceiling or Not?
• Oct 2, 2013
• If Congress doesn't raise the debt ceiling later this month, state and local programs could experience massive spending cuts. But the impact depends on a number of factors, experts say.

• State Treasurers Caught in Politics’ Crosshairs
• Oct 1, 2013
• As finances grow tighter and pension liabilities stay in the spotlight, treasurers in several states have been clashing with their peers about how best to manage the money.
• 1 Comments

• Phoenix CFO Tapped for D.C.'s Top Finance Post
• Sep 27, 2013
• Jeff DeWitt helped rescue Phoenix financially during the recession. Now he faces new challenges in D.C., if confirmed
• 1 Comments

• How Much Financial Disclosure is Enough?
• Sep 25, 2013
• In an effort to avoid reporting mandates from the SEC, states are being urged to voluntarily disclose information about their finances in a more formalized way.
• 5 Comments

• Pension Liabilities May Play Bigger Role in Ratings
• Sep 19, 2013
• Moody's proposes making pension liabilities a bigger factor in bond ratings, which may lead cities to make better financial decisions.
• 8 Comments

• Can Public Employees Be Trusted to Choose the Right Retirement Plan?
• Sep 19, 2013
• We trust our public employees with taxpayers’ dollars, public resources and essential services -- but does any of that mean they’ll make the right choice for their own retirement?
• 36 Comments

• Can Mass. Succeed Where Others Have Failed?
• Sep 10, 2013
• As services take over the economy, the traditional sales tax has become less helpful to state revenues. Despite several states' failed attempts to tax services, Massachusetts is trying it again.
• 1 Comments

• Report: State Pension Systems Underfunded by $4.1 Trillion
• Sep 4, 2013
• More stringent accounting practices show state employee pensions combine for an underfunded ratio of 39 percent, according to a new report.
• 26 Comments

• How Detroit Put a Rain Delay on El Paso's Stadium Financing
• Sep 3, 2013
• Detroit's bankruptcy rattled the muni bond market when El Paso needed it most.
• 10 Comments

• San Bernardino Wins Bankruptcy Protection
• Aug 29, 2013
• The ruling, which makes San Bernardino the third California city to get bankruptcy protection, could serve as a guide for other cities like Detroit that are in financial distress. Observers also say it's an important test for Chapter 9.
• 16 Comments

• 3 Cities That Used Disaster to Revitalize Their Future
• Aug 1, 2013
• Hit by tornadoes and earthquakes, Tuscaloosa, Ala.; Greensburg, Kan.; and San Francisco all learned how to turn local tragedy into a new and vibrant vision. Their lessons are a playbook for local officials dealing with disasters.
• 2 Comments

• Natwar Gandhi, D.C's Fiscal Turnaround Wizard, to Retire
• Jun 24, 2013
• The District's Chief Financial Officer, who's known as "Dr. No," will retire in July.
• 2 Comments

• What Will New Bosses Mean for Muni Bonds?
• May 31, 2013
• New leaders at both the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board may have big changes in store for the municipal bond market and its issuers.