Local Government

And Speaking of Cash

November 17, 2011 Cash

I haven’t seen the original report so can’t even attempt to validate the headline, but here’s a story on the risk that given its current trajectory, the City of Detroit will run out of cash by April, 2012.

Read the full article →

“Balanced” Budgets are Fine When You Have Plenty of Cash, but Balance May Not be Enough to Prevent a Crash

November 14, 2011 Budget

When I was a young Air Force pilot, one of the greybeards that I flew with counseled me that the most important job of an Aircraft Commander was “managing the margin of error.” Flying close to home, with less than a full load, or in good weather was much different from flying over the Pacific, […]

Read the full article →

Too Conservative for Their Own Good?

November 14, 2011 Budget

Good grief! Historically, Saratoga County, NY has been among the financially tightest in New York. When we wrote about Nassau County being consistently on the high side of spending per capita among New York’s county governments, we could also see that Saratoga was on the low side. In particular, you can see a graphic view […]

Read the full article →

Somewhere Between Scylla and Charybdis

October 12, 2011 Budget

Recently I had lunch and caught up with an old friend and colleague, one who’s been central to the wars over health coverage. We’re equally distressed about, not only the state of the economy, but the state of political discourse and decision making. We’ve been concerned for quite some time, but this past summer’s debt […]

Read the full article →

Albany County & Orange County, NY Budgets and their County Nursing Homes

October 5, 2011 Budget

Those who know me, know that for several years as the Albany County, NY Commissioner of Management & Budget, I developed and pushed very hard for a strategy to expand home and community based long-term care services and to close the Albany County Nursing Home. I thought and still think that this direction made much […]

Read the full article →

Good – Voters Turn Down Bond Authorization for Another Arena

August 3, 2011 Debt

Nassau County, NY is already in deep, deep financial trouble. Despite the fact that it is one of if not the wealthiest county in New York, its finances are currently being overseen by a state-sponsored and enforced financial control board. Despite their weakened financial straits, Nassau proposed borrowing $400 million for a new hockey arena. […]

Read the full article →

Unfunded Mandates?

August 2, 2011 Budget

A major complaint of counties in New York, even before the State imposed a cap (porous, but a cap) on increases in property taxes, the constant refrain was that the State mandated a host of requirements that generate costs, but which the State doesn’t pay at least part of it. However, about 40 counties operate […]

Read the full article →

It won’t be just a Federal default

July 12, 2011 Debt

Even without a default on debt payments, if the Federal government fails to increase the limit and constrains its outflows because they can no longer borrow and if the crisis goes long enough, there will nevertheless be governmental defaults. They’ll happen downstream in state and local governments which are dependent on Federal funds. Most obviously, […]

Read the full article →

County Spending Animated

March 22, 2011 Expenditures

Per capita expenditures animated by county (excluding the five counties of New York City). (Flash required.)NYS County Expend per Capita 1998-2009.swf. Experiment with the scales, speed and labeling.

Read the full article →

← Previous Entries

Next Entries →