With federal cuts coming, states, cities and counties need to step up their understanding of the programs they run and the priorities they hope to preserve.
The median balance increased by 7 percent last year, a big comedown from 31 percent growth in 2023. Still, half the states could operate solely on rainy-day accounts for longer periods of time.
Making tips tax-free would not only lower revenues but distort the tax code.
With the state facing a shortfall, the move is expected to save $20 million.
Much has been said about the health consequences of severe Medicaid cuts. A new analysis from the Commonwealth Fund considers the jobs and revenue that states could lose.
The state faces a severe shortfall, but a proposed package would raise or shift $1 billion in taxes to secure funding for various projects.
If Congress reduces matching funds for the Medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act, many states would suddenly face $2 billion shortfalls apiece.
A new forecast anticipates the state seeing nearly $1 billion less in revenue than projected as recently as November, bringing the expected four-year shortfall to $15 billion.
Trust in local government has declined in recent years. Liberty Lake, Wash., has found ways to assure residents their voices will be heard.
The city had to reshuffle more than $50 million to address the unexpected shortfall, driven by overtime costs due to staffing shortages. The Fire Department alone needed an injection of $33 million to pay for unexpected overtime.
Austin, Dallas, Houston and others face shortfalls. An analysis of the nation’s 75 biggest cities found that 54 are short of funds with a collective $300 billion in debt.
In his final budget proposal, Democrat Phil Murphy calls for replacing old and unreliable buses and rail cars.
Many states, particularly Republican-led ones, are feeling pressure to align their legislative priorities with the presidential administration. But states are facing new financial constraints after years of revenue growth.
Crystal River, Minn., is a freshly incorporated city that lacks money for services and infrastructure. A lobbyist would help secure state funds, but some local officials call the idea a “racket.”
Longtime conservative activist Carl DeMaio won an Assembly seat last year, arguing the GOP must be more aggressive against Democratic policies. Some Republicans call him a self-promoter who can’t be trusted.
A bill would set caps on infrastructure funds, allowing localities to make up the difference by charging fees on deliveries. Local officials say the plan will leave them short.
Most Read
