Penelope Lemov

Recent Articles

• Can the Threat of Defunding Education Slow Down Tax Cuts?
• Sep 26, 2013
• A tax fight in Missouri may signify the limits to cuts.
• 11 Comments

• Gay Marriage and State Taxes
• Sep 12, 2013
• States that don't recognize same-sex marriage will face a few tax complications come 2014.
• 7 Comments

• A Taxing Issue for Obamacare
• Sep 9, 2013
• The so-called Cadillac tax on expensive health insurance plans, which many state and local governments offer, could spur public employers to cut back their rich benefits.
• 4 Comments

• Turmoil and Trouble in the Muni Bond Market
• Aug 29, 2013
• A veteran issuer gives his perspective on the mounting woes over muni bonds.

• Foreclosure & the Eminent Domain Solution Explained
• Aug 15, 2013
• Richmond, Calif.’s plan -- which dozens of localities are considering -- is facing legal and legislative challenges. What are the pros and cons of seizing underwater mortgages using eminent domain?
• 5 Comments

• How & Why Irvine Plans to Prepay Its Pension Bill
• Jul 31, 2013
• The well-to-do city in Southern California will pay off 30 years worth of liabilities in a decade.
• 7 Comments

• How Much Did Homebuyer Tax Credits Help Housing’s Recovery?
• Jul 18, 2013
• A recent Brookings report evaluates their effects on the housing market.
• 1 Comments

• What's a Chained CPI and How Might It Impact States?
• Jun 27, 2013
• President Obama has proposed changing how the Consumer Price Index is calculated in a way that could help states cap some costs.
• 3 Comments

• A New, Sometimes Not-So-Nice Outlook for the Muni Market
• Jun 13, 2013
• Despite some positive developments, it seems the SEC and IRS are cracking down on the municipal bond market.
• 1 Comments

• Do the States Have a Debt Problem?
• May 30, 2013
• States and localities have $3 trillion in debt, but the purpose and use of debt differs significantly from the federal government.
• 6 Comments

• A Third Way for Public Pensions: Adjustable Pension Plans
• May 16, 2013
• Defined-benefit plans put all the risk on states and localities; defined-contribution plans put it all on employees. Now there's a new approach to risk sharing.
• 5 Comments

• Gun Debate Revives the Pension-Investment Dispute
• Apr 30, 2013
• When there’s public outcry over something -- whether it’s gun control or apartheid -- states and cities reevaluate what their pension plans invest in. But should they be social investing at all?
• 1 Comments

• Do Tax Breaks for Senior Citizens Pay for Themselves?
• Apr 25, 2013
• Cash-strapped states are questioning the tax exemptions they offer the elderly.
• 4 Comments

• What's Wrong with Kansas' Tax Reform?
• Apr 11, 2013
• According to finance experts from the left and right, it's the worst reform measure passed by a state in the last two years.
• 9 Comments

• Should States, Cities Invest in Gun Manufacturers?
• Mar 28, 2013
• It might make sense financially, but some argue it isn't ethical.
• 6 Comments