Finance
Managing public finance has become a demanding aspect of state and local government, especially as economic health fluctuates and outside forces create revenue instability. Articles on taxes, budgets, pensions and bonds help to bring insight to finance management at the state and local level.
Providers report denial rates up to 17.5 percent. To cope with the mounting financial pressure, some small clinics have stopped accepting Medicaid altogether.
The $3 billion injection from Congress will return the state’s revenue almost back to where it was in Feb. 2020. But lawmakers across the nation are still concerned about their states’ financial health.
California state workers took a two years’ pay cut last year to help lessen the state’s looming budget deficit. The state is set to receive $26B in federal aid, but it may not be enough to return salaries to normal.
Cullman County is expected to receive $21 million over the next two years in federal funds. Officials are already planning to spend some of the money on revenue shortfalls, employee support and other legacy projects.
As expected, the Maryland law that created an online advertising tax is facing legal opposition from lobbying groups backed by Amazon, Google and Facebook. The groups argue the law violates the commerce clause.
It’s an opportunity, particularly for localities, to make long-term investments not only in infrastructure but also in the way they perform their work for the post-pandemic future.
Broadband and vaccine distribution will be the big winners when it comes to new relief spending by cities and counties, according to a survey. PPE purchases and IT infrastructure could see fewer dollars.
Experts, vendors and local governments are designing online services in an accessible way while at the same time working toward community-wide banking equity.
Officials predict city budgets will be cut anywhere from 15 to 40 percent in the next year. The best way to do more with less is to use data as a tool to find out what works and where there’s opportunity to save.
Wayne Langerholc has introduced legislation to slow down bridge tolling as a way to finance the state’s transportation needs. Previously, the state’s use of public-private partnerships has been a bipartisan success.
Billions in new federal funding come with some strings attached. Nevertheless, the sheer amount will be enough to erase budget shortfalls in states and cities across the country.
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.
As the Biden administration works to approve another relief funds package to states, some officials are split over whether the money is really needed. Democrats welcome the support while Republicans say it's unnecessary.
A study found that businesses in majority white areas received more money from the Paycheck Protection Program than those in mostly Latino areas, only exacerbating California’s racial and financial disparities.
It's premised on a highly selective interpretation of lagging data, along with narrow assumptions of need.
GOP lawmakers want to use the estimated $1.6 billion that the state will receive from the federal relief package to fund $500 million in tax cuts, the unemployment insurance fund and teacher bonuses.
For years, the state’s Department of Health had urged lawmakers and Gov. Inslee to increase funding for public health programs. Now, the coronavirus pandemic has highlighted the need for better fiscal support.
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.
The pandemic assistance plan includes more than $2.1 billion in grants and fee waivers for small businesses as well as $600 stimulus payments for residents with an annual salary of $30,000 or less.
A new state transportation proposal would fund road improvements and offset revenue losses caused by the pandemic, but it would require increased fees on gas, bikes, public transit, ferries and ride-hailing trips.
The president's plan would send tens of billions in unrestricted aid to states, including those holding up well. Aid from Washington should target preserving basic services and fighting the pandemic.
Maryland made history last week, becoming the first state in the country to codify a tax on digital ads. The move would have a significant financial impact on big tech, but the bill will probably face multiple legal challenges.
The City Council has authorized $977,000 to help local organizations combat the financial damages of the pandemic. Since April, the city has already approved $3.25 million for COVID response.
Congressional Democrats are pushing the $1.9 trillion package, including stimulus checks, extended unemployment benefits and monthly payments to parents, ahead before pandemic protections expire. Republicans say it’s too expensive.
The Florida city will begin considering using and accepting bitcoin for some of its financial transactions. Mayor Suarez is a strong proponent of the cryptocurrency for the city, but others are worried about its stability.
As a way to keep money in the state’s economy, lawmakers have introduced several proposals that would allow those who mistakenly received unemployment benefit payments to keep the money, instead of returning it.
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.
The state is paying San Diego prison guards to wear body cameras in an attempt to increase transparency about the treatment of disabled inmates. The facility will also install a surveillance system.
Over the past several decades, spending on jails has grown significantly. As the coronavirus pandemic reduces revenue and forces budget cuts, cutting jail expenditures could save cities and counties billions of dollars.
California State Sen. Mike McGuire has proposed a marketing campaign to boost in-state travel once coronavirus travel restrictions have been lifted. The state’s tourism earns $12.2 billion and employs 1.2 million.
The Fair Political Practices Commission reported a record $1.9 million in penalties last year, one of which amounted to $1.35 million with the L.A. County Board of Supervisors over improper use of public funds.
