Scratch-Off Lottery Sales Soar
The sales are a rare bright spot for state budgets.
Virus Downturn Will Further Strain Troubled Public Pension Funds
New research warns that the nation’s worst-off retirement plans for state and local government workers “face the risk of running out of assets in the foreseeable future" if there's a slow recovery.
‘Double Whammy’: Oil Crash Adds to Virus Budget Woes in Some States
Alaska is dealing with some especially tough financial issues. In Louisiana, one lawmaker says: "It's just kind of the perfect storm with the coronavirus and the collapse of oil and gas."
House Democrats’ Coronavirus Aid Plan Would Distribute County, City Funding by Population
Democrats want to include funding for local governments in their latest proposal, but are expected to meet resistance from Republican lawmakers.
Where’s My Refund?: State AGs Step in to Help
Thousands of would-be travelers are after refunds for trips untaken, resorts unvisited, vacant vacation homes and memberships to closed gyms.
Federal Aid Critical for Closing West Virginia Budget Gap, Republican Governor Says
State revenues are lagging by about $200 million. Without enough federal funds to help bridge that shortfall, Gov. Jim Justice warns “you're going to have a bankrupt state.”
Pelosi Raises Possibility of Local Funding On Top of $500 Billion for States
The House speaker’s comments come amid partisan sparring over how far the federal government should go to help states and localities facing big revenue shortfalls due to the coronavirus.
Fed Expands Lending Program to Include More Counties and Cities
New guidelines for the initiative lower the population threshold for local governments to qualify, and allow for short-term debt to be repaid over a lengthier 36-month timeframe.
Millions of People Face Stimulus Check Delays for a Strange Reason: They Are Poor
The IRS has had trouble getting money to people quickly because millions of Americans pay for their tax preparation through a baroque system of middlemen.
McConnell’s State Bankruptcy Remarks Signal Growing Tension Over Federal Aid
The Senate majority leader is voicing reluctance about moving quickly to fork over more federal dollars to states as they deal with budget shocks from the coronavirus outbreak.
Global Tourism Industry May Shrink by More Than 50% Due to the Pandemic
COMMENTARY | The travel industry has faced many challenges in the past, including the 9/11 attacks and the Great Recession, but none are similar in magnitude to the coronavirus.
Senate Passes Interim Coronavirus Aid Package to Fund Testing, Extend Small Business Aid
The bill would allot $25 billion to expand testing capacity. While no new money was provided for states and localities, lawmakers said the Trump administration will give them flexibility in how other federal funds can be used.
Replacing Workers Comes with Many Costs
COMMENTARY | Faced with unprecedented economic upheaval, some employers may be underestimating the cost to replace good employees.
State Leaders Move to Protect Stimulus Checks from Debt Collectors
Some governors and attorneys general are rushing to establish protections for people with debt, trying to ensure they can use their stimulus checks on essentials like food, housing, and medicine.
Chances Dim For State and Local Aid in Pending Virus Relief Deal
While President Trump has indicated some support to bolster struggling state and local governments, he has said it can wait until the next coronavirus aid package.
Prospect of Steep Service Cuts Looms as Virus Batters State and Local Budgets
“The longer this persists, the deeper it will be for state and locals and state and local cutbacks,” one expert noted this week.
White House Plan to Reopen Economy Puts Onus on Governors
The guidance offers a three-phase approach to reopening businesses and schools that recommends states see a 14-day decline in Covid-19 infections before taking action.
Counties Say Virus Relief Fund is Shorting Them by Billions
The National Association of Counties is pushing to change federal guidelines for how the money will be distributed to states and larger-sized local governments.
Unions Pushing for Billions in State and Local Coronavirus Aid
Labor groups representing hundreds of thousands of public employees want to see Congress funnel at least another $300 billion to state and local governments.
Small, Mid-Sized Cities Currently Cut Out of Direct Coronavirus Funding
With tax revenues down sharply, all local governments are hurting. But leaders of small and mid-sized jurisdictions in particular are arguing that they need more support.
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