July 25, 2018
The Fiscal Firebomb Looming for Small Cities in Illinois
A state law meant to hold municipalities accountable for pension payments may actually worsen a coming fiscal crisis.
May 18, 2018
Millennials Pose a Major Problem for States
Demographic trends suggest trouble ahead for government revenues.
April 6, 2018
Ransomware: A ‘Soft Nuclear Weapon’ Aimed at Government
We're in a new era of digital extortion. We need to do a lot more to block and mitigate attacks like the one that crippled Atlanta.
March 20, 2018
Localities Want to Make Retiree Bills More Affordable. Why Won’t States Let Them?
The cost of post-retirement benefits is threatening governments’ ability to provide vital services.
January 25, 2018
Who's Slurping the Benefits of Soda Taxes?
Local governments. But they’re not just doing it for the money.
November 6, 2017
The Before and After Effects of Flooding on Property Taxes
Hurricanes can hurt property taxes long before any water damage is done.
September 21, 2017
Stadium Shutout
Local governments are no longer as willing to take on the risky business of building a ballpark.
July 18, 2017
Back in the Black, Without the Feds to Thank
Cities that faced bankruptcy not long ago have made remarkable recoveries -- all on their own.
May 25, 2017
Where a Shopping Mall Used to Be, an Opportunity Arises
The decline of malls in America can mean lost jobs and lower tax revenues for states and municipalities -- but not always.
March 8, 2017
States and Cities May Need Shelter From the Storm Brewing in U.S. Housing Policy
Changes are likely on the way, and they could damage budgets.
January 30, 2017
Breaking Down the Financial Impact of Self-Driving Cars
They would be mostly -- but not all -- good for state and local revenues.
November 2, 2016
Will Clinton or Trump’s Tax Plans Trickle Down?
Both candidates have vowed to reform the tax code. But neither has said how their plans would impact states and localities.
September 20, 2016
Airbnb Creates an Affordable-Housing Dilemma for Cities
Cities are experimenting with ways to meet the goals of affordable housing while still reaping the benefits of the sharing economy.
July 14, 2016
Can the ‘Sharing Economy’ Reduce Income Inequality?
Not that sharing economy though -- the other one.
May 26, 2016
Redefining ‘Special Districts’ Could Have Big Taxing Consequences
If the IRS gets its way, it may be harder for special districts to issue tax-exempt municipal bonds.
March 23, 2016
States Slap Cities With Fiscal Handcuffs
Is anyone trying to balance the fiscal inequities states impose on their localities?
January 1, 2016
Climate Change and Credit Ratings
The growing intensity of natural disasters is a threat to state and local governments’ fiscal stability. How can they protect their finances and the environment?
November 1, 2015
The Always Tricky Reverse-Commuter Tax
When cities try to tax people who work in one place and live in another, things get really complicated really fast.
September 1, 2015
Municipal Bondholders Beware
The recent bankruptcy rulings in California and Michigan protected retirees’ pensions. But at what expense?
July 1, 2015
Municipal Bankruptcy's New Rulemakers
The rules for a city’s return to solvency are no longer being crafted by lawmakers.
May 1, 2015
The Costly Double Whammy of Aging
There are two primary ways retiring baby boomers will impact revenues.
April 2, 2015
Municipal Bankruptcy and the Fiscal Twilight Zone
No one really knows what might happen to San Bernardino if the California city fails to meet a May 30 deadline in its bankruptcy case.
March 9, 2015
The Unfolding Fiscal Disaster That Is Chicago
In many ways, its challenges are more serious than Detroit's, threatening its aspirations to be a global city.
March 1, 2015
The Unforeseen Fiscal Challenges of Uber-Like Services
On-demand services like Uber and Airbnb will force state and local governments to rethink taxes, zoning and retirement.
January 1, 2015
Ebola Scare Highlights the Uncertain Costs of a Pandemic
Questions loom about who will pay for the fallout of a national health crisis and what kind of impact it could have on credit ratings.
November 1, 2014
States Struggle to Contain Firefighting Costs
As fire departments’ costs have increased in recent years, their volunteers have drastically dropped.
September 1, 2014
Fracking's Financial Losers: Local Governments
Localities are forced to deal with much of the problems associated with fracking, while states and the federal government rake in all the revenue.
July 1, 2014
Can Governments Give the People What They Want?
It’s not that governments don’t want to give the public the services they demand, it’s that they increasingly can’t afford to -- even by raising taxes.
June 30, 2014
The Risks States Take for Their Distressed Cities
Wall Street can be hard on a state that moves to keep its local governments solvent or help them through bankruptcy. But it's a chance that some states have decided is worth taking.
May 1, 2014
Why Cities Can’t Go Bankrupt in Canada or Germany
There’s a lot America can learn from these two countries about how to avert municipal bankruptcies.
April 7, 2014
Distressed Localities and the Growing Role of the States
Smart state leaders are recognizing that it costs a lot less to keep a struggling city, county or school district out of trouble in the first place.
March 1, 2014
Double Whammy
Confronting social inequality is harder when a city is struggling.
February 13, 2014
The Daunting Costs of Municipal Bankruptcy
It's always going to be expensive, but getting it right is critical.
February 10, 2014
An Extraordinary Effort to Build a Future for Detroit
The diverse group of people dealing with the city's bankruptcy could teach Washington a lot about collaboration and creativity.
January 16, 2014
Who Will Cover the Costs of an Aging America?
Demographic change and tax policies that favor the elderly mean an ever-widening fiscal gap for state and local governments.
January 1, 2014
Why Paying for Public Colleges Really Pays Off
The disinvestment and reliance on higher student fees and tuition creates significant risks not only for students—but for states, too.
December 23, 2013
The Reality of Secession: Breaking Up Is Hard to Do
Colorado's county secession movement was sparked by a growing disconnect between rural and urban areas. Rather than forming a new state, it might make more sense to try to deal with that disconnect.
December 12, 2013
Cities' Fiscal Health in the Aftermath of the Great Recession
There are positive signs, but there also is a lot of variation in how they fared through the downturn and beyond.
November 1, 2013
Judges: The True Pension Referees in Bankruptcy Cases
When a city is bankrupt, judges have a big say in whose bills will be paid. For now, all eyes are on Detroit and San Bernardino, Calif.
September 1, 2013
The Secret Tax Explosion
Special districts are growing like weeds—and raising tax burdens as they proliferate.