Tiny liquor bottle surcharges send millions to towns for cleanup, but critics say they fuel litter and drunk driving.
Future in Context
A look at Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley’s innovative approach to tackling homelessness, budget challenges and systemic inequality. Crowley is among those recognized as this year's Public Officials of the Year.
The Legislative Emergency Board approved the funding last week. Spending on wildfires this year has reached $250 million, which is more than double the amount budgeted for the response.
As a recent study documents, federal fiscal stimulus created a budget windfall for states. Most cut taxes, and some now must scramble to make up for shortfalls. Congress is likely to impose tighter restrictions on future countercyclical aid, so it’s a time for all levels of government to get their acts together.
The state Capitol’s pension debt clock acted as a reminder for the last eight years of how much taxpayers were on the hook to pay. But now the state’s retirement system is fully funded and the digital clock has gone dark.
Michigan appointed a chief infrastructure officer to help localities apply for federal dollars and meet statewide infrastructure goals. What can other states learn from this approach?
The state’s Industrial Commission, made up of the governor, attorney general and agricultural commissioner, has approved a project to expand education about carbon dioxide capture and storage, which includes a newly debuted website.
State Reps. Jaime Greene and Nancy DeBoer say the plan will ensure students leave school ready for higher education and lifelong careers by reversing cuts to school safety and mental health resources and modernizing the state’s Merit Curriculum.
State revenue collections are returning to earth after several years of high budget surpluses. In many cases, they used the unexpected funds for one-time investments and to shore up reserve funds.
Charlotte’s City Council has approved a sales tax increase to fund transportation. It faces long odds gaining approval from the state Legislature, not to mention spiraling construction costs.
The state has grown by about 2.4 million people since 2003 and yet the DMV says it’s only been authorized to open three new driver’s license offices. The Legislature sets the number of staff for the DMV, which is capped at 568.
The new rules will ban utilities from billing ratepayers for contributions or gifts to political candidates, political parties and political or legislative committees, or to a trade association, chamber of commerce or public charity and more.
The cuts from the roughly $20 billion, six-year transit plan would defer some maintenance projects, delay the transition to fully electric state-run buses and pause the development of other initiatives.
Revenue growth over three years outpaced earlier trends and fueled new spending, but has since pulled back. What does it mean for the future of state budgets?
Mayor Brandon Johnson has warned of “sacrifices that will be made” to account for the multimillion-dollar spending gap. City officials have cited declining state revenues and rising pension and personnel costs as the cause.
The state Department of Health Care Policy and Financing underestimated how sick its members would be. Medicaid covers about 1.26 million people in Colorado.
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