The US Department of the Treasury last week issued a new report indicating that Build America Bonds have saved $12.3 billion dollars in borrowing costs for state and local governments when compared to issuing tax-exempt debt. The analysis also found that over one thousand separate bonds have been issued in 48 states for a total [...]
Last month, Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley launched a website to help financially struggling residents find money-saving programs and support services provided by the state. The WE Connect: Maryland campaign is meant to spread information to individuals and families who are in need of assistance, but are unaware of existing resources, the Governor said in a [...]
We see a lot of movement in this new government 2.0 world. App contests, open data sets, and even government Twitter accounts are cited as evidence in our move toward a more transparent union. But we are often left to question the tangible effect of such activities outside of a few new bike maps. That’s [...]
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 [...]
At the start of this month, the Portland Development Commission announced its involvement in four initiatives designed to support and foster entrepreneurship in Portland. CivSource spoke with Patrick Quinton, Business & Industry Division Manager, at the commission about what the investments mean for economic growth in the area. According to Quinton, Portland developed a new [...]
The National League of Cities (NLC) and the U.S. Conference of Mayors (USCM) voiced their support for a bill introduced in the House of Representatives today, claiming the legislation would lead to a million jobs in both the public and private sector. The bill would provide $75 billion, over two years, in direct funding to [...]
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 [...]
The Senate passed a piece of legislation yesterday meant to spur job creation, receiving an extra vote of confidence from the National League of cities, providing this latest bill was a stepping stone towards more help for America’s cities and towns.
A coalition of governors led by Washington Governor Chris Gregoire gathered yesterday at the National Press Club to lobby for Boeing and the thousands of jobs that would be created if the Air Force awards the KC-45 refueling tanker contract to the company. The twice-disputed contract is worth over $35 billion to the winning manufacturer, [...]
The National Governors Association (NGA) met this weekend in Washington, D.C. to discuss the changing landscape of state economies. In the challenging fiscal climate of the “post-recession” era, leaders warned that changes to Medicaid and declining revenue streams would further delay economic recovery in the states.
