The Trump administration is holding federal grants hostage to its priorities.
Texas cities and counties already face limits on how much revenue they can generate. Local leaders have warned that further restrictions would mean fewer services like parks and libraries.
The state employed disciplined budgeting, debt repayment, spending cuts and targeted tax relief to dig itself out of a cash-flow crisis. To deal with crushing national debt, Washington policymakers should model this discipline.
Success in the coming years will require sustainability, adaptation and perseverance, especially as AI both enhances and disrupts government. Professional leaders need to look beyond the short term, facilitate change where needed, and reinvent themselves.
Over 2,100 schools in 26 states have adopted shorter weeks, mostly in rural districts seeking teacher retention and budget relief.
Program and tax changes in the massive budget reconciliation bill are reshaping states’ short- and long-term fiscal pictures. How will policymakers respond?
State and local financial managers face the impact of federal aid cutbacks, plus new rules and even some opportunities. It’s time to focus on what’s practical and necessary, both near and longer term.
Florida, meanwhile, gains one every two minutes. New data shows how population shifts are reshaping budgets and tax bases nationwide.
Reduced revenues and rising costs leave municipalities tightening their budgets, per a new National League of Cities report.
The state’s projected budget deficit for fiscal year 2026 has increased to $58.3 million. Idaho’s constitution prevents it from running a budget deficit.
City officials won state approval to sell $125 million in short-term bonds to cover payroll for nearly 5,000 workers through the end of the year.
Conservatives backed criminal justice reforms in hopes of driving down corrections costs and state budgets. A lot of violent and repeat offenders would have to be released to achieve real savings.
It’s not yet clear how much financial support states can expect from a reimagined FEMA. A new analysis of past costs sheds light on the gaps they might have to fill.
Short-term interest rates are likely to continue ratcheting down, making it a challenge for state and local financiers to maximize income on investments. But there are a few opportunities here and there.
Federal funding is a bigger share of state budgets than ever. It comes with too many strings and strictures that choke off efficiency and innovation, and it threatens democratic self-governance.
As demand for GLP-1 medications for weight loss surges and drug costs exceed $990 per month, state policymakers wrestle with coverage decisions and affordability concerns.
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