There’s a saying in the state budget world that there is no such thing as a “normal” budget cycle. Part of the budgeting process requires allowing for unforeseen events. The past five years have ...

"My ancestors were scientists before the word ‘scientist’ came into their lives.” Those are the words of Jaytuk Steinruck in a recent video highlighting the work of the Tribal Marine Stewards Network ...

Since 2020, the U.S. has experienced an average of 23 disasters a year that caused at least $1 billion of destruction each, ...

After years of rapid expansion, growth in state rainy day funds slowed in fiscal year 2024. Although the median rainy day fund balance increased by 7% in fiscal 2024, that still marked a steep drop ...

For the past two years, state and local governments have been a major force in the job market, hiring new employees at a pace not seen in decades and helping drive the nation’s overall employment ...

Los Angeles and Houston could add thousands of low-cost housing units to their downtowns by converting vacant office buildings to “tiny apartments” with shared kitchens, bathrooms, and living rooms, ...

Median rents in New Mexico increased by 60% from October 2017 to October 2024, much more than the 27% recorded for the U.S. overall. The average price of a New Mexico home climbed even faster during ...

Several state legislatures took steps in 2024 to enhance funding for public pension systems by adopting strategies to increase annual employer contributions to their retirement systems, manage how ...

The United States has a shortage of 4 million to 7 million homes and, at the same time, an all-time-high office vacancy rate of 20%, meaning that more than a billion square feet of office space is ...

Only two states reported annual deficits in fiscal year 2022—the fewest in at least 20 years—largely because state revenue collections increased at a record pace nationwide. Despite this short-term ...

Philadelphia’s immigrant population has been growing for three decades, while its U.S.-born population has declined in number since the 1950s. Those divergent, intertwined trends pose both big ...

This article is the third in a series about public finance issues that are likely to capture the attention of lawmakers this year. Environmental, social, and governance (ESG) investment strategies ...