Transferring public assets or the revenue they generate may be an idea whose time has come.
A new report highlights major holes in local governments' online disclosure of how economic development dollars are spent.
A roundup of money (and other) news governments can use.
North Carolina wants to use existing low rates to shore up retiree pensions and health-care debt.
Changes are likely on the way, and they could damage budgets.
When state laws drive so-called "debt traps" to shut down, the industry moves its business online. Do their low-income customers follow?
A roundup of money (and other) news governments can use.
The president's budget director wants to eliminate a fund that supports research-backed state and local projects. It's won bipartisan support in the past. Will Congress step in to save it?
Few families use them -- and even fewer put enough money away to matter. Advocates, however, say the programs are too young to judge.
A roundup of money (and other) news governments can use.
Most states don't keep track of how much they give to students and their families in tax breaks. That could be hurting their ability to make college affordable for all.
They may not show up in the bottom line.
A roundup of money (and other) news governments can use.
A roundup of money (and other) news governments can use.
Several states are preparing to offer a retirement plan that helps private-sector workers -- and taxpayers -- save money.
The states and cities expanding early education have wrestled with the question of what qualifies as "universal."
A roundup of money (and other) news governments can use.
Most recessions, he said, are self-inflicted.
In much of the country, states are offering localities less financial help than they were before the recession. That won't change anytime soon.
Kicking the can down the road is always tempting. But for infrastructure, innovative public-private partnerships offer a prudent alternative.
Some states are seeking to fill funding holes and potholes with toll money. But it's an uphill battle.
They would be mostly -- but not all -- good for state and local revenues.
A roundup of money (and other) news governments can use.
But as prices climbed, housing inventories have shrunk, making the market less attractive to homebuyers. See how your metro area compares.
Traditional public procurement processes don't work in an era of startups and rapid technological change.
In addition to new tax breaks, some states are also considering raising gas and sin taxes.
Investors love a federal green-energy program for property owners. But if there's a backlash, localities could be caught in the middle.
The link between corruption and debt is particularly prominent for private projects, such as stadiums.