Debt – Olivia Gonzalez

The use of locally-imposed selective taxes to fund public pension liabilities

This is republished content originally hosted on the Mercatus’ Center former blog, Neighborhood Effects. Many eyes are on Kentucky policymakers as they grapple with finding a solution to their $40 billion state-reported unfunded public pension liability. As talks of a potential pension bill surface, various proposals have been made by legislators, but very few have gained traction. OneContinue reading “The use of locally-imposed selective taxes to fund public pension liabilities”

A public sector retirement plan for Millennials

This is republished content originally hosted on the Mercatus’ Center former blog, Neighborhood Effects. According to the Center for Retirement Research, about 52 percent of households are “at risk of not having enough to maintain their living standards in retirement” and that the retirement landscape is making “the outlook for retiring Baby Boomers and Generation Xers farContinue reading “A public sector retirement plan for Millennials”

What’s going on with Alaska’s budget?

This is republished content originally hosted on the Mercatus’ Center former blog, Neighborhood Effects. Alaska is facing another budget deficit this year – one of $3 billion – and many are skeptical that the process of closing this gap will be without hassle. The state faces declining oil prices and thinning reserves, forcing state legislators to rethinkContinue reading “What’s going on with Alaska’s budget?”

Solving the Public Pension Crisis

This is republished content originally hosted on the Mercatus’ Center former blog, Neighborhood Effects. Last week I had the pleasure of attending a public policy conference that brought together many scholars who study public pensions to share what they have learned from their research. The crisis – growing unfunded pension liabilities and resulting fiscal distress for statesContinue reading “Solving the Public Pension Crisis”

Eight years after the financial crisis: lessons from the most fiscally distressed cities

This is republished content originally hosted on the Mercatus’ Center former blog, Neighborhood Effects. You’d think that eight years after the financial crisis, cities would have recovered. Instead, declining tax revenues following the economic downturn paired with growing liabilities have slowed recovery. Some cities exacerbated their situations with poor policy choices. Much could be learnedContinue reading “Eight years after the financial crisis: lessons from the most fiscally distressed cities”