Latest
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Study: New Jersey and Connecticut are the most financially distressed states
New Jersey has the most financial red flags, followed by Connecticut, California, Hawaii, Illinois, Massachusetts, North Dakota and Pennsylvania. Twenty-three states have zero red flags.
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Study: Chicago and New York City are the most fiscally stressed cities in the nation
While Chicago and New York face extreme pressure on nearly every metric, 42 of the 100 most populous cities trigger one or fewer red flags.
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Study: Nassau County and Miami-Dade are the nation’s most fiscally-stressed counties
Westchester County (NY), Prince George’s County (MD), Jefferson County (AL), Denton County (TX), and Baltimore County (MD) also have significant fiscal red flags.
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Study: Fort Bend (TX) and Gwinnett County (GA) are the most fiscally stressed school districts in the nation
School districts in Chicago, Denver, Frisco, and Omaha also have significant fiscal red flags.
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State and local government finances in America: A comprehensive analysis of debt and liquidity
Based on audited financial reports from more than 20,000 government entities, this study uses eight objective indicators to identify emerging fiscal risks.
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The future of Washington Dulles Airport
Plus: TSA Gold+ airport security breakthrough, where to relocate the FAA's D.C. staff, and more.
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California set to give $14 billion pension boost to high-earning first responders
Plus: Connecticut's pre-K endowment diverts pension dollars, and pension funds are for retirement, not housing policy.
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Texas can expand data centers without raising electricity costs
Texas can improve reliability and protect consumers without sacrificing innovation and growth.
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Fourteen school districts announce plans to shutter 147 schools in 2026
Plus: Three of the nation’s largest public school districts are navigating significant budget crises as we head into the school year.
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Idaho gets housing policy right and sets up future success
Idaho’s 2026 housing package treats affordability as a supply problem caused by excessive regulation.
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More states should embrace open enrollment for public schools
Every state that has implemented strong open enrollment policies has seen improvements for the students using the program.
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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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Data center taxation should be guided by sound policy, not short-term gains
States should craft tax policy that is efficient, neutral in its treatment of different businesses, and built for long-term prosperity.
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Roundup of California’s 2026 technology bills
A go-to guide about the bills California’s technology policy committees considered this year.
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Gordie Howe Bridge opens without U.S. participation
Plus: Georgia's dedicated truck lanes, two ways to ruin a shipyard, and more.
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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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New York City Mayor Mamdani cuts red tape, but needs to hold government accountable
City Hall would simply have to apply the same standard to itself that it recently applied to every small business owner in New York.
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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.
