Iowa is beginning to consolidate its IT infrastructure according to a new executive order signed by Governor Culver on Friday. The order outlines the steps the state will take to streamline its IT operations and look for ways to cut costs. The Governor claims that the planned outlined in the order draws on best practices [...]
Earlier this summer, the Obama administration announced enhancements to its Federal IT Dashboard – a website designed to monitor the federal government’s $80 billion in annual information technology investments. If utilized property, says one observer, initiatives like the IT Dashboard could be used to do far more than evaluate project timelines and spend. According to [...]
As part of an effort to reduce the State of Washington’s $3 billion budget gap, Governor Chris Gregoire recently closed the brainstorming and voting period for a Web-based crowdsourcing effort. Gov. Gregoire commented on some of the citizen-submitted ideas through a series of YouTube addresses last week. Website visitors submitted nearly 2,000 ideas, with 5,600 [...]
A report released today by the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) says the days of rapid revenue declines is nearing an end for most states, a little under two years since the fall of Lehman Brothers and the beginning of the Great Recession. NCSL joins a host of state and local government fiscal observers [...]
As budget shortfalls continue to plague states across the country, several are being forced to close offices and agencies which provide services to the public. Today, the state of Washington announced that it will be closing a significant number of state offices as a result of budget shortfalls. Employees working at these offices will also [...]
The Maryland and Budget Tax Policy Institute, in conjunction with the University of Baltimore, have unveiled an on-line Government version of Sims. By using budget proposals outlined by Governor Martin O’Malley and alternatives suggested by Republic lawmakers, the “Maryland Budget Game” illustrates options the state has to close its $1.7 billion budget gap for fiscal [...]
INPUT believes that state and local government revenue forecasts will begin to catch up with the realities of the economy in 2010. But just because statehouses across the country will be able to more accurately project future revenues, does not mean those numbers will be encouraging. And 2010 will be a big election year for [...]
According to an annual forecast of top policy issues facing state legislatures, budget gaps and revenue shortfalls will continue its three-year reign atop the docket. The National Conference of State Legislatures’ says the states’ fiscal problems are “enormous, appalling and, unfortunately, at least two years away from being over.”
The NCSL has released its latest report, "State Budget Update: July 2009," detailing the condition of states' fiscal health in the year ahead. One of the biggest drivers behind the bipartisan organization's pessimistic outlook on the rest of FY 2010 and FY 2011, is the rapidly accelerating domino-effect of falling revenue streams for state and local government.
One of the biggest problems concerning tax collection is that the federal government pays people who owe money to state or local government. For those that are responsible for the management of state and local funds - the business of government - this presents a huge problem. But for Arlington County Treasurer Frank O'Leary, it also presents a huge opportunity.
