Liz Farmer

Recent Articles

• What the Florida Pension Ruling Means for Other States
• Jan 17, 2013
• Florida's high court ruled that pension contracts can be adjusted, weighing in on an issue that many believe will make its way to the U.S. Supreme Court.
• 4 Comments

• Virginia Looks at 401ks for New Employees
• Jan 14, 2013
• Some Virginia leaders are pushing to enroll new state employees to a 401k-style retirement plan as that state’s pension costs have soared and the pension’s funding has decreased.
• 1 Comments

• Washington, D.C., Tops List of Top 10 Cities for Tech Growth
• Jan 11, 2013
• Silicon Valley? That is so 1995. As it turns out, other metropolitan areas across the country are kicking some Bay Area rear when it comes to tech job growth since the millennium.

• U.S. Chamber Chief Calls for Higher Gas Tax
• Jan 10, 2013
• The nation’s top business advocate said Thursday it was time for the federal government to “quit fooling around” with funding the transportation trust that fuels many state and local infrastructure projects and called for an increase in the gas tax.
• 2 Comments

• If Muni Bonds Tax-Exempt Status is Lifted, $150B Are at Risk
• Jan 9, 2013
• Municipal bond issuers could be forced to call as much as a collective $150 billion in debt if a plan to limit tax deductions on that bond interest goes forward.
• 1 Comments

• Will Recent Downgrades Hurt State Transportation Bonds?
• Jan 9, 2013
• Some analysts warn that states should start making contingency plans so they can continue dependably issuing transportation funding bonds.

• Muni Rates Could Increase in 2013
• Jan 5, 2013
• Some market watchers are predicting a modest increase in municipal bond rates in 2013, a turnaround from 2012 which saw rates fall to hit record lows in November.

• Tax Incentives Only Part of Picture for State Business Climates
• Jan 4, 2013
• States each year dole out billions in incentives and tax breaks for businesses, but those that spend the most aren't necessarily winning the end game, some experts say.

• Georgia's Startup Investment from Pensions Falling Short of Expectations
• Jan 2, 2013
• Six months after Georgia enacted a law meant to attract more startups by allowing the state’s pension plans to invest in them, few plans have actually taken advantage, according to an Atlanta Journal Constitution report.
• 1 Comments

• What to Know Before Funding Your Next Feasibility Study
• Dec 27, 2012
• As municipalities are trying to find ways to pay for vital infrastructure projects while their budgets remain tight, more are turning to Tax-Increment-Financing (TIF), experts say.

• What Recession? Texas, Oklahoma Rebound Fastest
• Dec 27, 2012
• Metropolitan areas in Texas and Oklahoma are leading the nation in their overall recovery from the recession, according to a Brookings report.
• 2 Comments

• Rust Belt States Drive Growth in 3rd Quarter
• Dec 26, 2012
• Rust Belt states posted some of the country’s biggest economic gains last quarter as industrial production reached a four-year high, according to an analysis by Bloomberg News.

• State Government Coalition: Eliminating Tax-Free Muni Bonds Would Have "Chilling Effect" on Economy
• Dec 21, 2012
• A coalition representing state and local governments is urging the president and the Speaker of the House to keep the federal government income tax exclusion for municipal bond interest as leaders negotiate an alternative to the upcoming fiscal cliff cuts and tax hikes schedule to kick in next month.

• Moodys Downgrades Seaside Heights, Issues 9 Other Credit Warnings
• Dec 19, 2012
• Moodys has downgraded the credit rating of one New Jersey town as a result of damages caused by Hurricane Sandy and made negative revisions to nine other public finance debt issuers, primarily along the New Jersey Shore and the South Shore of Long Island.

• Will States and Localities Keep Opting for Higher Fees?
• Dec 19, 2012
• In the years during and after the Great Recession, governments have been turning more toward raising fees, according to a recent report.