The U.S. homeland is out of range of military strikes, but state and local governments could see cyber attacks, cloud service disruptions and rising supply costs.
State and local governments have been issuing record amounts of debt, mostly to maintain and expand infrastructure. Will the surge continue?
State efforts to rein in misconduct have triggered financial crises for legitimate providers, cutting services for seniors and people with disabilities.
After years of historic growth, the median state’s rainy day savings fell in fiscal 2025.
Some mayors openly challenge federal actions while others pursue quiet cooperation to protect resources for their constituents.
Citing rising SNAP and public benefits fraud, U.S. Attorney Leah Foley says the new position will centralize investigations and increase prosecutions.
The state will need to reform its antiquated tax code, warily approach bond measures that tie the hands of policymakers, and get serious about spending oversight.
Oklahoma puts its tobacco settlement funds in a trust, spending only the interest. The strategy has had long-term public health benefits.
Local leaders lay out practical steps to stabilize funding and streamline assistance before the next crisis hits.
Despite more than $543 million in bets in December, heavy promotional deductions left the state with roughly $521,000 in tax receipts.
Districts that once celebrated a historic funding increase now face deficits driven by rising costs and falling enrollment.
An Urban Institute analysis tracked growth in median household income between 1970 and 2023. State rates range from negative to nearly 80 percent.
As federal aid shrinks in 2026, wide disparities in sales tax reliance highlight the limits and risks of leaning more heavily on consumption taxes.
A market crash doesn’t seem imminent, but there are lessons for public financiers, pension funds and policymakers from collapses of the past.
With pandemic-era aid gone and long-term structural challenges looming, 2026 budget debates will test lawmakers’ ability to balance short-term gaps and future risk.
They should take steps to protect and boost their own revenues. And they should take a second look at their own tax cuts.
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