THE POLITICS OF RESTRUCTURING

Please join us for a frank and open discussion on how governments need to change given the flat economic outlook and the unsustainable costs of pensions, healthcare and outdated government organizations (the U.S. has 90,000 local governments). 

Hear from veterans of political campaigns, Florida politics, and government finance and operations, about the necessity of a communications strategy to navigate through the political storms of restructuring in the Great Recession.

These veterans will discuss these topics and also whether strategies such as Privatizations (or P3) are major answers, and if elected officials need a communication strategy similar to an election campaign to build support for solutions.

The depth and duration of the current recession is, by far, deeper and longer than any of the 11 recessions since World War II. The duration of the deep job loss is the longest since the Great Depression, as recently reported on 60 Minutes, and it continues without meaningful recovery, while at the same time the stimulus is ending. The unprecedented decline in property values still remains in Florida as well as much of the Southeast – as it does elsewhere in the nation - and may decline further according to recent reports - with no end in sight. Most recently, the “debt ceiling deal” will further reduce resources to state and local governments.

Both these factors - jobs/wages and property values - directly drive state and local government tax revenues more than any other factors.  If major revenues are either not growing or growing modestly and if expenses also continue to grow – then fundamental changes must occur. This means both the types of revenues that finance our communities, and how we spend those revenues, have to change too.  At the same time it is essential to recognize, and build support for, the necessity of paying for the vital services our governments do provide.

The panel members are nationally recognized experts in:

• turnaround strategies and financial restructuring;
• revenues options and spending structures;
• strategies beyond the budget – a longer view of a community – physical, economic, social, jobs;
• involving business and community leaders in restoring the economic health of the community
• the importance of engaging all stakeholders to build support for difficult decisions

Panel discussion and debate include: restructuring government organizations and revenues; restructuring debt (including pensions and employee health care); the role of capital markets and private lenders; public-private-partnerships (P3); transferring risk; attracting and retaining an educated population; and how to engage all the stakeholders in the difficult decisions ahead: employees, labor, the media and most importantly the public - after all it's their government and it's their money.