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Girard Miller

Girard Miller

Finance Columnist

Girard Miller is the finance columnist for Governing. He is a retired investment and public finance professional and the author of “Enlightened Public Finance” (2019). Miller brings 30 years of experience in public finance and investments as a former Governmental Accounting Standards Board member and ICMA Retirement Corp. president.

Miller writes Governing's bi-weekly newsletter on public finance, which you can sign up for here.

He can be reached at millergirard@yahoo.com. 

Cars for Sale in Alaska, circa 2000s [DO NOT REUSE]
Finance
Do State and Local Governments Need to Worry About Inflation?
Much depends on their tax structures, particularly if Prop. 13-style tax caps are in place. But inflation-driven pressure for wage increases could squeeze budgets and crush pension funds.
May 25, 2021
 · Girard Miller
FOOD-HOMECOOKING-FIRES-MS
Finance
The State and Local Stake in the Coming Health-Care Debate
While Washington politicians argue over the latest White House proposals, governors and local leaders should promote achievable federal plans that would reduce their costs of funding health care.
May 11, 2021
 · Girard Miller
US-NEWS-CUOMO-NY
Finance
A Sprinkle of Compromise to Appease Critics of the SALT Cap
Progressives and anti-taxers oppose blue-state proposals to remove the federal limit on state and local tax deductions. Reforms must address both tax competition and income confiscation.
April 27, 2021
 · Girard Miller
Maryland's state flag
Finance
How States Can Gird for the Coming Fights Over Taxing Digital Ads
Maryland is leading the way, but its new levy faces plenty of pushback in the courts and Congress. States that want to follow suit should act quickly to craft viable uniform model legislation.
April 07, 2021
 · Girard Miller
shutterstock_243196975
Finance
5 Muni Market Incentives to ‘Build Back Better’
The White House is formulating a massive infrastructure package. Here are cost-cutting ways for Congress to help states and localities float the bonds to fund their share. Muni "flower bonds," anyone?
March 25, 2021
 · Girard Miller
The outside of a large glass building.
Finance
Can Fiscal Alchemy Bolster Public Pension Funds?
Some government employers are exploiting the peculiar rules of public finance to transfer public assets or cash from clever deals to their pension funds. But there’s risk to taxpayers when it’s magic beans and shell games.
March 11, 2021
 · Girard Miller
Chessboard and pieces.
Finance
Why Infrastructure Needs a Bottom-Up Bipartisan Push Now
It’s the only way to get a bill out of Congress before the fall, given the imperative to get COVID relief done first. Governors and mayors need to understand that it’s a game of chess, not checkers.
February 25, 2021
 · Girard Miller
People protesting.
Finance
A Bottom-Up Solution for America’s Minimum-Wage Mandates: Counties
A one-size-fits-all approach defies local cost-of-living realities. County-based indexing could help avoid losses of jobs and tax revenues, and it could appeal to policymakers on both sides of the rural-urban divide.
February 11, 2021
 · Girard Miller
Highway construction.
Finance
Pandemic Relief? Infrastructure Is the Far Bigger Prize.
The payoff for states and localities from federal infrastructure legislation is likely to be many times more than COVID stimulus aid. Governors and local leaders need to play their cards wisely.
January 28, 2021
 · Girard Miller
different cyrpto-currencies in coin form.
Finance
Could States Cash in on the Cryptocurrency Craze?
Working together to create their own alternative to Bitcoin and its copycats could be a way to generate value, at no initial cost, for struggling pension funds. Madisons, anyone?
January 13, 2021
 · Girard Miller
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