Finance
Inside the tricky politics of special legislative sessions
Governors in several states are trying to get their priorities passed before the November election.
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Eliminate Manual Processes Route and Approve Invoices from Anywhere
Today’s finance teams carry a heavy burden, supporting everything from growth strategies to long-term planning – all while continuously delivering monthly and quarterly numbers and keeping cash flowing. But even as demands on finance departments grow, many still spend excessive time using paper, spreadsheets, and e-mails to process vendor invoices, approvals, and payments.
A $100 fine should never equal jail time
COMMENTARY | Several states have begun to change their laws to remove unjust or inequitably implemented fines and fees. It's a start, but states need to do more.
Public voices often ignored in states’ opioid settlement money decisions
People, including those who have lost loved ones to the opioid crisis or are dealing with it daily, are routinely shut out of having a meaningful say in how the settlement windfall can be best used to address the damage.
Facing natural disasters, more lawmakers look to make oil companies pay for the damage
The oil industry rejects the idea that as contributors to climate change, they are legally liable for disaster damages.
Sports betting is soaking ‘financially constrained’ households
After sports betting was legalized, people saved less and gambled more.
How one state has risen as ‘a leader’ in medical debt protections
Many states are cracking down on medical debt collection and payment practices, but New York’s efforts stand out, one expert says.
Food prices are high. To help, states are cutting the grocery tax.
The number of states that still tax groceries is shrinking. Voters in two states will decide in November whether to join a movement away from the sales tax.
Ballot questions tackle high property taxes that come with rising home values
Colorado’s new cap on property tax revenue isn’t enough for some activists. Conservatives elsewhere agree.
Guaranteed income programs might improve people's lives, but not their health
A new study examining cash transfer programs' effects on participants' health found limited impact.
States could struggle to cut workforce costs in next downturn
It's a well-worn script. When states face budget challenges, they typically look to cut personnel spending first. But that might not work this time.
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Kansas v. Missouri stadium battle shows how states are reigniting border wars
Kansas may spend billions of dollars to lure pro sports teams from Missouri, just a few miles away.
A tweak to the tax code could break “honest graft” and fix the housing crisis
COMMENTARY | Antiquated tax policies have long rewarded speculators who sit on vacant land and penalized landowners who build something on it. A land value tax could change that.
What defines a heat wave? The answer could decide where disaster dollars go.
With heat waves and wildfire smoke emergencies increasing, there's not always a clear pathway for states to access federal aid.
Governments, get your refundable tax credits here
COMMENTARY | The Inflation Reduction Act includes green tax credits that state and local agencies can use on clean energy vehicles, infrastructure and renewable energy projects.
Unemployment insurance fraud during the pandemic cost states $135B—and counting
Fraudsters are still finding ways to collect on claims. But there are two crucial ways to get the problem under control, experts say.
After several years of rapid growth, state budgets are downsizing
For most states, 2025 represents a return to more typical economic conditions after an atypical period for their budgets.
The devil is in the (financial reporting) details
States and localities don’t have the manpower to handle the current load of burdensome financial reporting requirements—let alone the series of new ones announced yearly. They're pushing back.
School vouchers were supposed to save taxpayer money. Instead they blew a massive hole in Arizona’s budget.
Arizona, the model for voucher programs across the country, has spent so much money paying private schoolers’ tuition that it’s now facing hundreds of millions in budget cuts to critical state programs and projects.
States, cities consider ‘mansion taxes’ to fund affordable housing
From sales taxes to real estate transfer taxes, governments are desperately trying to identify dedicated funding tracts for homelessness and housing initiatives.
New data tool looks to cure medical debt woes
As state and local governments grapple with the impacts of medical debt on their communities, a new resource looks to help inform strategies aimed at remedying the financial burden.
