Mariana Trujillo
Managing Director, Government Finance, Reason Foundation
Mariana Trujillo is managing director of government finance at Reason Foundation.
She holds a B.A. in economics from George Mason University. Before joining Reason Foundation, she interned at JP Morgan, The Mercatus Center, and The Cato Institute.
Trujillo’s research focuses on the fiscal health of federal, state, and local governments, particularly the impact of pension liabilities on fiscal condition and the effect of retirement benefits on public-employee recruitment and retention. Her work has appeared in outlets such as Reason magazine, the San Diego Tribune, Hartford Courant, Los Angeles Daily News, CQ Researcher, and more. She has also testified on these issues before the Oklahoma House of Representatives and the Connecticut General Assembly.
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Texas property tax relief won’t last unless local governments rein in spending
Recent exemptions may lower tax bills temporarily, but durable relief requires limits on local spending, borrowing, and costs.
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Lawmakers set to give more lavish pension benefits to California’s highest-paid workers
California Assembly Bill 1383 is a taxpayer-funded handout to highly compensated, long-tenured public employees.
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Ranking the states most and least dependent on the federal government
In some states, federal funds make up a modest share of government revenue, while in others they represent 40% of state and local budgets.
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Connecticut’s pre-K endowment diverts pension dollars
In diverting surplus money away from reducing Connecticut’s pension debt, the funding mechanism for the pre-K endowment may create future financial challenges.
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Data show California does not have a public safety staffing crisis. Public pension reforms should not be rolled back.
Lawmakers should not impose billions of dollars in new pension costs on local governments and taxpayers based on claims of a workforce crisis that the data do not support.
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Cities’ pension dollars are not for building affordable housing
Pension assets should be directed to their most productive and profitable uses, not political interests.
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Webinar: Public pension systems investing in crypto
A recent Reason Foundation webinar explored how public pension systems should evaluate the risks, rewards and transparency of cryptocurrency investments.
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Webinar: Managing the $5 trillion of state and local government debt
A recent Reason Foundation webinar examined how state and local governments can best manage long-term obligations.
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Mayor Mamdani’s balanced budget miracle is built on a pension gimmick
The mayor's plan will reduce immediate pension debt payments and lead to higher future payments.
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No, New York doesn’t have a public employee recruitment and retention crisis
The state's 2012 pension reform saved its taxpayers $80 billion. Supporters of a rollback point to a recruitment problem—but the data show there isn't one.
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How to help working moms in the public sector? Flexible retirement benefits
Portability and flexibility of retirement benefits are especially crucial for the retirement security of working mothers.
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Model legislation for audit requirements for opioid settlement fund recipients
Reason Foundation’s new model legislation extends the single audit framework to opioid settlement fund recipients at the state level.
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States should prioritize private service providers for the opioid settlement funds
By outsourcing service delivery, these funds can stimulate the growth of for-profit and nonprofit organizations that can outlive the settlement.
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How every state’s public pension system ranks
Tennessee, Virginia, and Washington lead the nation with fully funded systems, while Illinois, Kentucky, and New Jersey remain at the bottom with the deepest shortfalls.
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How the proposed billionaire tax would backfire and hurt California
While taxing billionaires may feel cathartic to some, it’s neither a smart nor a sustainable solution to California’s debt and deficits.
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Public pension reform does not increase inequality
Well-designed pension reform is essential to safeguarding public services, protecting taxpayers, and ensuring sustainable retirement security.
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San Diego’s government needs more competition, not more taxes
San Diego’s rising pension costs and mounting long-term debt are creating significant budget pressures that have city officials turning to tax and fee increases.
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State and local governments are drowning in debt
To address this mountain of debt and restore fiscal stability, state and local governments must sustainably align spending with revenues.