We talk to Pamela Frederick, CFO of the Battery Park City Authority in New York City. She describes Battery Park City's unique sustainability challenges, the opportunities for investing in the infrastructure of sustainability, the broad skillset required of today's state/local CFO, and some thoughts on further research in the climate and resiliency finance arena. In Ripped From the Headlines, we recap one of Liz’s recent Route Fifty articles about the challenging property/casualty insurance mark...
Nov 20, 2023•42 min•Season 2Ep. 19
We have a family meeting with Alan Greenblatt, reporter from Governing , to recap what the 2023 election results mean for state and local public money. We talk about tax cuts in Texas and Colorado, why voters are more likely to pass sin taxes, and what this election tells us about 2024 and the potential public money landscape.
Nov 14, 2023•29 min•Season 2Ep. 18
We talk to Bobby Bruning from Kaufman Hall about the financial health of non-profit healthcare. He talks about the financial challenges facing some non-profits; why non-profit hospitals are not a "credit stressed" sector; the many ways that non-profit hospitals provide community benefits; and the sector's unique exposure to the 2024 election. In the Ripped from the Headlines, we look at trends in employment in the healthcare sector with a story from Healthcare Dive.
Nov 06, 2023•34 min•Season 2Ep. 17
We visit with James Pruskowski, Chief Investment Officer at 16Rock Asset Management. He explains the remarkable growth in municipal SMAs (Separately Managed Accounts), what advice he has for issuers of municipal bonds to take advantage of the increase in SMA investment, and his view on the trends in the municipal bond market going forward. In Ripped from the Headlines, we talk about three Chicago governments' recent bond issuance with a story from Bloomberg.
Oct 30, 2023•39 min•Season 2Ep. 16
We cover the state of play in interactive entertainment (i.e. video games) with Professor Joost van Dreunen from NYU's Stern School of Business. He tells us how video gaming is different from entertainment and music; what video gaming means for state/local fiscal policy and economic development; how we might regulate the industry; and why we need more video gamers in government. In Ripped from the Headlines, we discuss how the Wayfair ruling has allowed state and local governments to adapt state...
Oct 23, 2023•40 min•Season 2Ep. 15
We talk to Michael Jacobson, Deputy Director of Performance Strategy in the King County (WA) Office of Performance, Strategy, and Budget. He shares insights about all things performance management; why performance management belongs in the budget office; how to make accountability less daunting; and what Spock and the Karate Kid have to do with performance management. In Ripped from the Headlines, we discuss how Henderson, Nevada is using data to confront their biggest challenge: the water short...
Oct 16, 2023•43 min•Season 2Ep. 14
We talk school finance with Tamara Mitchell, Assistant Superintendent for Business & Financial Services for the Joliet, IL School District 86. She talks where public money for schools comes from and where it goes; the good and the bad of being state funded versus property tax funded; how Joliet School District 86 won 70% approval for a referendum on last year’s ballot; and how they were impacted by the influx of federal funding during COVID. In Ripped from the Headlines, we continue the disc...
Oct 02, 2023•42 min•Season 2Ep. 13
On this "emergency family meeting" episode we talk federal government shutdown with the Government Finance Officers Association's federal government guru Emily Brock. She shares what we've learned from past shutdowns, how the forthcoming shutdown will affect state and local finances, and how state and local finance officials can respond, among many other topics.
Sep 28, 2023•26 min•Season 2Ep. 12
We talk to Matthew Gerstenfeld, CEO and Founder of Munichain. He talks about the evolution of the municipal market, why the muni market is slow to adopt new technology, and what AI could offer to the market in the future, among many other topics. In Ripped from the Headlines, we talk about an article from CityLab titled "What it Looks like when AI Designs a City" that brings to life the many ways AI might transform city planning, economic development and finance.
Sep 25, 2023•42 min•Season 2Ep. 11
We talk to Caroline Whistler of Third Sector Capital Partners, who reflects on her decade plus in the Pay for Results space with state and local governments. She explains how that space has evolved, the importance of data in outcomes oriented government, and how civil servants are crucial to ensure public money has the biggest impact possible. In Ripped from the Headlines, we talk about the impact of the child tax credit, as highlighted in a new comprehensive Urban Institute report.
Sep 18, 2023•46 min•Season 2Ep. 10
We continue our conversations with state treasurers, this time with Delaware Treasurer Colleen Davis. She tells us about her work in expanding the state’s 529 program, how she’s addressing banking deserts, and the highs and lows of being a AAA credit state, among many other topics. In Ripped from the Headlines, we look into some surprising trends in higher education enrollments and investments with an article from the Pittsburgh Post Gazette.
Sep 11, 2023•41 min•Season 2Ep. 9
We talk to Omid Rahmani from Fitch Ratings about the intersection of cybersecurity and public finance. He describes the many types of cyber risks governments face, how to budget for digital infrastructure, why cyber risk is a national security concern, and why Sly Stallone is a cybersecurity expert. We continue to the discussion about the impact of cyber attacks in Ripped from the Headlines with a report from Blackberry's Cyber Security Report.
Aug 28, 2023•43 min•Season 2Ep. 8
Liz talks to Max Behkle, Deputy Executive Director for the Institute for State Policy Leaders, about South Dakota v. Wayfair , the Supreme Court that allowed states to collect sales taxes on remote sales. Max worked for the National Conference of State Legislatures at the time and was instrumental in the case as well as remote sales tax policy across the country. Max also shares what he's currently working on at the Institute for State Policy Leaders. There is no Ripped from the Headlines segmen...
Aug 21, 2023•39 min•Season 2Ep. 7
We visit with Josh Weimer from the Turlock (CA) Irrigation District about the challenges and opportunities of water infrastructure. We focus the discussion on Project Nexus, a plan to cover canals with solar panels. He shares how this is a project with many co-benefits and the potential for other water and irrigation districts across the country and the world. In Ripped from the Headlines, we discuss a Route 50 article about the federal government's investment in the new Arizona-California-Nevad...
Aug 14, 2023•39 min•Season 2Ep. 6
We talk to Jennifer Becker, Director of Financial Services for the City of Burbank, about how the actors and writers strike is affecting finances in Burbank, the highs and lows of being an industry town, Southern California's economic challenges, and how she'd fix California's Proposition 13. In Ripped from the Headlines, we take a deeper dive into the economic impact of the strike.
Aug 07, 2023•38 min•Season 2Ep. 5
We visit with Yale law professor David Schleicher about his new book, In a Bad State: Responding to State and Local Fiscal Crises . We talk about why the tradeoffs when cities address fiscal distress, how the Chapter 9 process could be improved, and why Arkansas is the American Argentina. In Ripped from the Headlines, Liz talks about her reporting on Chester, Pennsylvania's receivership and the political fallout of a municipality declaring bankruptcy.
Jul 31, 2023•43 min•Season 2Ep. 4
We talk to state budgeting expert (and Public Money Pod fan!) Lucy Dadayan from the Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center about all things state revenues. She explains the wide variation in revenue trends across sources and states; the many challenges of inflation; and her best predictions for FY24 and beyond, among many other topics. In the Ripped from the Headlines segment, we take a closer look at how states are managing their debt.
Jul 24, 2023•39 min•Season 2Ep. 3
We talk to Mitchell Smith, Director of Government and External Affairs for the Council of Development Finance Agencies. We cover the history and development of Community Development Finance Institutions; how CDFIs finance everything from tractors to solar panels; how new finance tools are a lot like old finance tools; and exciting pending legislation that would expand opportunities for CDFIs. In Ripped from the Headlines, we talk about new studies showing inequalities in urban heat stress and it...
Jul 17, 2023•44 min•Season 2Ep. 2
We kick off season 2 with Glen Lee, the CFO of Washington D.C. We talk about the federal government’s role in D.C’s finances, the challenge of reviving D.C’s downtown and transit system, and why D.C is similar and different to other cities we’ve heard about. We again revisit the transit discussion in Ripped from the Headlines to learn more about the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WAMATA's) future.
Jul 10, 2023•49 min•Season 2Ep. 1
In our second episode recorded live at the Government Finance Officers Association 2023 annual conference in Portland, OR - and our final episode of Season 1 - we visit with Katie Johnston, Budget Manager for the City of Tacoma, WA and Professor Matthew Stitt, Director and National Lead for Equitable Recovery and Strategic Financial Initiatives at PFM. We discuss why financial sustainability is an equity issue, how Covid changed citizen expectations for community engagement in budgeting, and the...
Jun 12, 2023•47 min•Season 1Ep. 35
We caught up with Ben McAdams, Senior Fellow at the Sorenson Impact Center at the David Eccles School of Business at the University of Utah, at the Government Finance Officers' Association 2023 annual conference in Portland, OR. We discuss how states and localities can evaluate the value and opportunity costs for capital assets, how to retrofit downtowns in the post-Covid, and why real estate assets are like public pensions, among other topics.
Jun 05, 2023•30 min•Season 1Ep. 34
We continue our conversations with state/local CFOs, this time with City of Houston Controller Chris Brown. He explains Houston's remarkable $6 billion pension reform, why other post-employment benefit (OPEB) liabilities are the next big fiscal challenge, what other CFOs can learn from Houston's experience, and why "Structurally-Balanced Budget" is a hot new drinking game, among other topics. In Ripped from the Headlines we discuss the "fiscal cliff" for local transit systems.
May 29, 2023•43 min•Season 1Ep. 33
The White House just released a progress report on its plan for more than a trillion dollars of new infrastructure spending (Spoiler Alert: A lot of work remains!). That report reminded us of one of our favorite episodes - Eric Horvath from the City of South Bend, Indiana. In that episode, Eric described how South Bend reinvented its wastewater/stormwater management infrastructure using lots of data, a bit of money and plenty of innovation. We thought it appropriate to share that episode once ag...
May 22, 2023•43 min•Season 1Ep. 32
We examine the ever-evolving relationship between state/local procurement and finance. Mariel Reed of Pavilion joins us to explore the interface of state/local procurement, technology and public finance. She explains how procurement can be a strategic resource and change agent, when procurement can make money, and what state/local government and tech companies can learn from each other, among many other topics. In Ripped from the Headlines we discuss how New York State - and other states and loc...
May 15, 2023•40 min•Season 1Ep. 31
We take a deep dive on all things Medicaid, starting with its outsized impact on state budgets. Richard Auxier from the Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center walks us through the state-federal Medicaid funding partnership, why "redetermination" matters, the Medicaid policy trade-offs states will face in the near future, and why FMAP rates should be part of everyone's dinner conversation, among many other topics. In Ripped from the Headlines we look at how Medicaid redetermination might affect childr...
May 08, 2023•46 min•Season 1Ep. 30
We continue our conversations with state treasurers, this time with Nevada's Zach Conine. He explains fiscal policy for financial booms and busts, the promise of baby bonds, how the Treasurer can build bridges within state government, why anti-ESG legislation complicates his fiduciary duty, and why COBOL programming is still sexy. In Ripped from the Headlines we discuss Indiana's emerging anti-ESG legislation.
May 01, 2023•40 min•Season 1Ep. 29
We mull over the past, present and future of blockchain technology in public finance. Steve Winterstein from Alphaledger breaks down what it is, what it means for public finance professionals and taxpayers, why state and local governments are slow to adopt new technology, and why "complete provenance" and "genesis record" are coming to a municipal bond transaction near you. In Ripped from the Headlines we contemplate states' and localities' efforts to tax, or not tax, blockchain hosts. Link to t...
Apr 24, 2023•40 min•Season 1Ep. 28
We look back on our first 25 episodes and focus on lessons learned and surprising moments. Key themes include: the expanding definition of infrastructure, the expanding role of big data in state/local finance, the ongoing effects of economic uncertainty, and the human side of financial leadership.
Apr 17, 2023•59 min•Season 1Ep. 27
We continue our conversations with state Treasurers, this time with Michigan Treasurer Rachael Eubanks. She explains how appointed treasurers are different, how her office is helping to "Fix the Damn Roads," forecasting revenues in an uncertain economy, and why spiffing up your vacation cottage is good tax policy, among lots of other topics. In Ripped from the Headlines we discuss South Carolina's $3.5 billion cash mishap.
Apr 10, 2023•38 min•Season 1Ep. 26
We reflect on the "plus ça change" of state and local tax incentives. Professor Nathan Jensen of the University of Texas-Austin (and Justin's fellow Wisconsinite/Green Bay Packers shareholder) explains why tax incentives are "bad policy but good politics," with focus on why elected officials can't seem to get enough of them, why less is more for incentive transparency, and how the federal government may have accidentally set off the next generation of incentive wars, among many other topics. In ...
Apr 03, 2023•45 min•Season 1Ep. 25
