April 1, 2019
A Cautionary Tale for the New Muni Bond Era
A decade after the Libor scandal, a new approach to interest rates could help U.S. states and cities -- if they change their thinking.
February 15, 2019
The Fairest Tax During a Recession May Be the Least Popular
What's "fair" changes along with the economy.
December 11, 2018
It’s Hard to Get Cities to Share Services. States Can Help.
Fiscal incentives can encourage local governments to consolidate redundant operations.
October 15, 2018
Automation Can't Replace Accountants
Government accounting is changing, but we'll still need smart humans in charge.
August 28, 2018
For Muni Bond Sales, Brand Matters
Marketing is especially important for smaller local governments, and states have a role to play.
June 19, 2018
A Glimpse Into the Future of P3s
The real money isn't in roads and bridges. It's in people and services.
April 11, 2018
Partners at Last: CIOs and CFOs 4.0
Chief information officers and chief financial officers haven’t always gotten along. That’s not true anymore.
February 27, 2018
Can An Old Tax Tool Teach Us New Tricks?
Fiscal equalization offers three lessons in local tax policy and regional prosperity.
December 1, 2017
Friends With Tax Benefits
Deep within the Affordable Care Act is a tax break that could help a lot of budgets.
October 9, 2017
Tax Battle Lines Shift in Cities and Suburbs
Local income taxes were once blamed for causing businesses to flee to the suburbs. Not anymore.
August 23, 2017
What's Good Enough for the Gherkin Should Be Good Enough for Americans
The most sophisticated risk managers in the world invest in state and local governments. So why are Americans so hesitant?
June 28, 2017
Who Pays the Local Tax Bill?
There’s disagreement over who bears the biggest burden: the poor or the wealthy.
April 18, 2017
Millennials’ Investment Strategy Could Be a Boon for Government
Their drive to make a meaningful impact could provide the public sector a new pool of investors.
February 22, 2017
The Secret Benefits of Sharing Government Services
They may not show up in the bottom line.
December 13, 2016
Selling Your Sewer’s Story
Financial statements can make the best case for public works investors.
October 11, 2016
A Better Way to Measure Pension Debt's Danger
'Overlapping' is often ignored, resulting in misleading assumptions about government liabilities.
August 23, 2016
Bias in the Municipal Bond Market
Does a sullied past haunt a bond issuer’s future?
June 1, 2016
3 Ways to Take P3s to the Next Level
"Blended" models have the potential to bridge some big gaps in infrastructure finance.
April 28, 2016
The Great Recession's Lessons on Rainy Day Funds
At least one state is using the experience to find a new way to prepare for the next recession.
February 1, 2016
How 'Philanthrocapitalism' Could Transform Government
Mark Zuckerberg has ushered in a new form of philanthropy that has the potential to bring about positive change
December 1, 2015
Is 'Fair Value' Accounting Actually Fair?
The practice is loved by government accountants and scorned by bankers and investors.
October 1, 2015
CFOs Are Movin' On Up
In local government, chief financial officers are starting to find a clearer path to the top spot.
August 1, 2015
Are Muni Bonds an Income Equalizer?
A surprising look at who owns and who benefits the most from tax-exempt debt.
June 1, 2015
3 Ways to Bring Taxes Into the 21st Century
But only one of these three modernization methods of revenue raising has a chance.
April 1, 2015
The ‘New Neutral’ Is Here
That’s bad news for those who manage public money.
February 1, 2015
The ABCs of Cost Accountability
Want to know how to do less with less? Activity-based costing has great promise.
December 1, 2014
Environmental Risks Becoming Part of Bond Assessments
Municipal bond investors have started asking governments to disclose their area's environmental hazards, but a lot of the information they want is not yet known.
October 1, 2014
Seattle Adopts an Old Way to Pay for New Parks
While the city's parks no longer have to compete with police and other essential services for funding, this model has its drawbacks.
August 1, 2014
Should Someone Audit Government Auditors?
There's a push for local governments to establish independent audit committees.
June 1, 2014
Public Health Funding May Get a Shot in the Arm
After suffering deep cuts during the recession, public health officials are rethinking how to fund these essential services.
April 1, 2014
Bonds and the BFF Problem
A new rule tries to keep muni market players from getting too friendly.
February 1, 2014
This Annual Financial Report Says What?
If there’s a bright side to governments’ money problems, it’s that it’s forcing them to use plain English to talk about their finances.
December 1, 2013
How to Make ‘Pay As You Go’ Work for Large Capital Projects
Maricopa County, Ariz., has found a way to make paygo pay off.
October 1, 2013
The Murky Muni Market in the Post-Detroit Bankruptcy Era
State and local governments need to change how they tell their story.
August 1, 2013
Do Cities Actually Save Money When They Merge?
There are benefits in city consolidations, but the payback may not be financial.
May 31, 2013
What’s the Point of Rainy Day Funds?
States and localities both save for unseen emergencies and hard times. But when it comes to using the funds, their approach couldn't be more different.
March 29, 2013
How to Talk About Tax Expenditures
There are ways to take some of the partisan heat out of the discussion.
January 31, 2013
Muni Bonds' Future May Lie in Foreign Investors' Hands
Foreign investors matter to the municipal bond market for two reasons.
August 28, 2012
Are We Asking Our Finance Officers to Do the Impossible?
We’re trying to use financial risk-management tools to solve political problems. That’s putting the people who manage public money in a tenuous position.