The city’s finance department has grown 35 percent since 2019 and the cost of internal-facing departments have increased by 50 percent. Seattle’s total budget is currently $7.8 billion.
Republicans in at least six states are looking to ban basic income programs as Democrats seek to expand the no-strings-attached payments. Some state lawmakers are seeking to ban local communities from enacting similar programs.
After borrowing billions from the federal government to pay for unemployment during the pandemic, the state’s debt now stands at about $21 billion and growing. The state also currently accounts for about 20 percent of the nation’s unemployment.
The state auditor’s office found that a council created to oversee the implementation of homelessness programs has not consistently tracked spending or outcomes.
Medical debt is growing and hitting middle-class Americans hardest. States have started acting to relieve the burden, but more can be done.
With California facing a serious budget crunch, lawmakers may have to curb their policy ambitions in a variety of areas. Ahead of April tax collections, it's not yet clear if proposed cuts will be deep enough.
Since 2016, there’s been more than a 50 percent increase in Fire Department vehicles being pulled from service due to breakdowns or malfunctions. Currently, 45 percent of the department’s fire engines are older than 15 years.
California officials say that the state’s 31 prisons are necessary to accommodate the fluctuating inmate population. Analysts say the cash-strapped state could save money by closing five more.
States are sitting on near-record surpluses. How and where exactly do they store their savings?
What started as a $200,000 renovation to Fair Oaks Park has ballooned into a multimillion-dollar project. The total estimated cost will triple the city’s record for spending on a park.
The program has cost taxpayers at least $26 million so far, with more than 90 percent of those funds going to administrative and consulting costs. About 3,500 people have signed up since July.
Health outcomes and life expectancy improve in counties where residents have greater opportunity to engage in civic life.
Getting rid of personal income taxes entirely, which several states are considering, would gut services and shift taxes onto those least able to afford them.
As the national debt continues to climb past $34 trillion, lawmakers are considering extending a broadband program that would drive inflation higher and deepen deficits, all while providing already-connected residents with Internet service.
The number of nonprofit news outlets is holding steady but 203 counties are news deserts, leaving thousands of communities without access to local news.
Lawmakers hope grant and loan programs can help small towns keep their markets open.
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