Budgets

The RTA and its service boards are eyeing funding sources to avoid damaging service cuts and fare hikes as they exhaust federal COVID-19 pandemic relief.

"The MTA's structural gaps remain huge and demand immediate action and a multi-party, multi-year plan" says Citizens Budget Commission President Andrew Rein.

"An increase in social distancing and remote work has resulted in growing vacant office space since late 2020. Office rents have also trended down and remained depressed into 2022," according to the Popular Annual Financial Report.

With federal funding accounting for the largest portion of its revenue, Utah is mulling safeguards in the event of a future decrease.

The update noted the growth in the fiscal 2023 budget since its adoption last July was due to the approval of federal grants.

New York City will also release the first quarter update to the fiscal 2023 financial plan this month.

Seven years after dropping Chicago to speculative grade citing pension funding, Moody's returned the city to investment grade, citing pension funding.

Larry Kosmont, chairman and CEO of Kosmont Companies, discussed the interplay between state and local governments as electeds work to solve the state's housing crisis with Keeley Webster, a senior reporter for The Bond Buyer. (18 minutes)

New GO borrowing authority, a WIFIA loan for lead water service line replacement, and short-term airport financing are before Chicago City Council.

The municipal market was a tale of two halves in fiscal 2022, the report says.

The proposed county budget, buoyed by rising tax revenues, a healthy fund balance and pandemic relief, stays the course on supplemental pension funding.

Mayor Lori Lightfoot's proposed budget would forgo an inflation-formula-based property tax hike and make supplemental contributions to the city's pension funds.

The Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board's intends to spend $45.5 million over the course of FY2023.

Missouri and Iowa closed out fiscal 2022 with balances that paved the way for tax cuts.

Houston has built up a $344.8 million general fund balance and reduced its unfunded pension liability to about $1.5 billion ahead of a possible economic slump.

Brad Lander says using municipal bonds could be one way to help move recent immigrants into mainstream society and provide a long-term economic boost to the city.

But governor and an analyst caution about appropriating "excess revenues" before an audit.

Detroit revised its general fund estimates upward for the current fiscal year at its latest estimating conference Monday.

The state board that oversees the city's finances heard a positive assessment of the Big Apple's fiscal picture, tempered with a wary gaze into the future.

The short-term funding bill would avoid a government shutdown ahead of midterm elections.