Liz Farmer

3 weeks ago | pewtrusts.org | Liz Farmer |Peter Müller

Angela Weiss AFP via Getty Images There’s a saying in the state budget world that there is no such thing as a “normal” budget cycle. Part of the budgeting process requires allowing for unforeseen events. The past five years have underscored that sentiment as state policymakers navigated new spending needs during the COVID-19 pandemic, the revenue surge that followed, and historic levels of federal aid.

Mar 10, 2025 | pewtrusts.org | Liz Farmer

Rapid wage growth helped drive the now-record number of people working in government Article March 10, 2025 By: Liz Farmer Read time: Share Slowdown in Private Sector Jobs a Boon for State and Local Hiring Frederic J. Brown AFP via Getty Images For the past two years, state and local governments have been a major force in the job market, hiring new employees at a pace not seen in decades and helping drive the nation’s overall employment growth as private sector hiring noticeably cooled. But...

Jan 14, 2025 | pewtrusts.org | Liz Farmer |Fatima Yousofi |Mollie Mills

This is part of a series of five articles examining key debates that will unfold in the nation’s statehouses in the year ahead. Transportation funds in many states are running low, and the next few years will be critical to their future sustainability. Policymakers in some statehouses will have to act quickly because their funds face imminent deficits. Other states show longer-term funding gaps that will only grow if they are not addressed. The problems have been percolating for some time.

Sep 21, 2024 | thecouriertimes.com | Justin Theal |Liz Farmer

The Federal Reserve intended for Wednesday’s interest rate cut of 0.5 percentage points to stimulate the broader economy, but this shift in monetary policy also represents a subtle but important change in the operating environment for state budgets. Interest rates affect every aspect of government finance, from revenue to infrastructure projects, and although the effects on state and local budgets will be gradual, the first rate cut in four years sends a message.

Sep 18, 2024 | route-fifty.com | BedLock Safety |Justin Theal |Liz Farmer

The Federal Reserve intended for today’s interest rate cut of 0.5 percentage points to stimulate the broader economy, but this shift in monetary policy also represents a subtle but important change in the operating environment for state budgets. Interest rates affect every aspect of government finance, from revenue to infrastructure projects, and although the effects on state and local budgets will be gradual, the first rate cut in four years sends a message.