Inflation, tight property tax caps and cooling sales tax revenue are forcing municipalities to cut contracts, raise fees and reduce services.
With nearly $7 billion in K-12 support delayed, districts are bracing for cuts to staff, programs and student services.
Blame Ozempic. And maybe tariffs.
Updates enacted by Congress will make this successful program for low-income communities even more attractive to investors, particularly for housing. But there are plenty of ways to take advantage of the current program.
Chicago is $1.15 billion short. A report commissioned by Mayor Brandon Johnson looks unlikely to solve that problem.
California’s high housing costs and Louisiana’s entrenched hardships continue to leave millions struggling.
Innovators, investors and practitioners are on the hunt for fruitful applications of blockchain and other evolving financial technology. Undoubtedly some of their ambitions will involve government finance. Which ones might actually pan out?
Congress has substantially increased support for the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit program. That should help finance thousands more units.
Sex abuse settlements, dwindling tourism dollars and downtown decline have created budget problems city leaders say will take years to repair.
President Donald Trump has taken aim at cashless bail, arguing it encourages crime.
A new report from the Government Accountability Office details the ways that recent changes have diminished FEMA capacity. Local officials responsible for response and recovery want to be part of the conversation about what comes next.
At least 20 of the nation’s 25 largest cities face budget gaps in 2026. As cities lean on reserves and costs outpace revenues, experts warn state flexibility will be critical.
States are spending a lot of their federal TANF money on things that don’t help families that need it the most, and work reporting requirements keep too many families from accessing benefits.
No matter where they end up, import taxes aren’t likely to drive inflation enough to have much effect on state or local tax revenues. Public financiers have more to think about amid federal aid cutbacks, AI's impact on employment and rate-cutting by the Fed.
