Public Money Pod

We're joined this week by Vijay Kapoor, Chief of Staff to the Receiver for the City of Chester, Pennsylvania. He talked to us about his background working with municipalities facing fiscal distress, and how his staff is taking a comprehensive approach to receivership in Chester, especially with their efforts to monetize the Chester Water Authority while still keeping it in the hands of the public. In Ripped from the Headlines, we delve into a piece from our very own Liz Farmer (Long Story Short), where we discuss the pros and cons of privatizing a water utility, including the role of Fair Market Value (FMV) legislation.

This week, we talk to Findlay, Ohio Mayor Christina Muryn, who has established herself as a "continuous improvement mayor" through the time, effort, and capital she has dedicated to improving operations. We wanted to get some insight into what has been successful for her city, and why a mid-sized city such as Findlay is a great place to implement and make adjustments to a continuous improvement strategy. In Ripped from the Headlines, we discuss a recently signed Capital Infrastructure Plan in Los Angeles which will overhaul how city departments plan and deliver infrastructure projects as the city prepares to host both the World Cup and the Olympics.

In the past month, the southeastern United States has been hit by two highly destructive storms: Hurricane Helene and Hurricane Milton. This week, we sat down with a true expert in emergency management, Steve Hagerty, Founder and President of Hagerty Consulting, to tell us about the role of public finance in disaster preparedness and emergency management in the aftermath of disasters. With significant experience in disaster response stretching back to the immediate aftermath of 9/11, Steve tells us about the many different programs and funds that state and local governments can (and should) utilize to prepare for and respond to disasters, and how these programs - along with strong emergency management and effective relationship-building - all lead to greater community resiliency in the wake of these events. In Ripped from the Headlines, we take a closer look at zoning, building codes, and policy strategy in Florida which, despite high climate risks, still experiences some of the fastest population growth in the United States.

Few localities in the United States must consider glacial outburst flooding when strategizing about natural hazard mitigation, and fewer still have no roads into or out of their city. But such distinct features are a part of the everyday public finance landscape for our first-ever guest from the Last Frontier, Dr. Angie Flick, Director of Finance for the City and Borough of Juneau, Alaska. She joins us this week to discuss the unique characteristics of public finance in Juneau, natural disaster response coordination among federal agencies and private citizens alike, cruise ship tourism, and more. In Ripped from the Headlines, we discuss the steps Juneau has taken toward flood prevention on the heels of record flooding, and the challenging positions local governments are often placed in when it comes to mitigating natural disasters and financing climate adaptation.

This week, we talk to Abhi Nemani, Senior Vice President of Product Strategy at Euna Solutions. He tells us about the role technology can play in helping local governments better connect their priorities to the budgeting process, addressing human capital challenges in the public sector, and how the private sector can help scale innovation in local government. In Ripped from the Headlines, we turn to Sarasota County, Fla. as a case study for how local governments can leverage tax incentives, rebates, and grant programs to bolster their climate change mitigation efforts and meet their long-term climate goals.

This week, we're joined by Casey Lozar, Vice President at the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis and Director of the Center for Indian Country Development. He tells us about the policy work he has done to ensure that Tribal Nations are not overlooked in public finance, and how the Survey of Native Nations addresses some of the challenges inherent in meaningful data collection. In Ripped from the Headlines, we discuss the impact of recent federal funding to address energy needs among Tribal Nations.

We've heard before about rethinking the 40-hour work week, but what effects could a redesigned work week have on productivity, morale, and public safety? Join us this week in our conversation with Scott Vargo, City Manager of Golden, Colorado, as he tells us about how his city piloted a compressed work week for its police department and the outcomes they observed. In Ripped from the Headlines, we look at how the Manatee County (Florida) Sheriff's Office addressed a sharp staffing shortage by auditing their departmental employee evaluation and engagement practices.

This week we're joined by Joel Black, chair of the Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB). He talks to us about the GASB and the important work it does for state and local governments. We also discuss recent research at the GASB, areas for improvement in financial reporting, and what we can expect from the GASB in the future. In Ripped from the Headlines, we examine why a high percentage of large government IT projects aren't successfully implemented, and the landscape of "intangible assets" in modern government.

Local government may not be synonymous with "blockchain technology," but our guest this week, Eric Mason, CFO of Quincy, Mass., shows us just how useful Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT) can be for local municipal finance. He shares with us the benefits he has seen in his city from this technology, and why this proactive government innovation has fostered greater efficiency and equity, allowing people to invest in their own community. In Ripped from the Headlines, we look at some more examples of how state and local governments have used blockchain technology to build trust and create more positive experiences for their constituents.

We're joined this week by Victoria Yarbrough, who serves as Assistant City Manager for Sierra Vista, AZ. She talks to us about how her city has leveraged tax credits from the Inflation Reduction Act to invest in economic development, including capitalizing on Sierra Vista's unique "high desert" climate to nurture a thriving sports tourism industry. In Ripped from the Headlines, we discuss a piece that explains why equity evaluation is key to new municipal clean energy programs.

In the latest installment of our state treasurer series, we speak with Utah Treasurer Marlo Oaks. He talks to us about why he made the jump from investment banker to the state treasurer's office, financial education programs for Utah students, and of course, some fascinating unclaimed property stories! In Ripped from the Headlines, we break down a story about the Climate Revolution Action Network in New Jersey protesting ties between the state's public pension fund and the fossil fuel industry.

By the 2050s, one in five U.S. counties will face compound material exposure to two or more acute climate hazards such as drought, extreme heat, wildfires, and flooding. This week, we're joined by Steve Bullock, who leads the Research and Methodology Team at S&P Global Sustainable1. He helps us break down the data and analytics being used to provide better transparency and help investors integrate climate risk into their decision-making, along with ensuring state and local governments are prepared to handle climate hazards. In Ripped from the Headlines, we discuss new rules at FEMA, including how the agency now defines a floodplain, and how this impacts the decision of where to rebuild after a flood.

We weren't able to fit everything from our conversation with Jon Mondillo (abrdn) into one episode, but we still wanted to share the rest of it! Enjoy this bonus episode, where Jon talks to us about affordable housing, charter schools, and trends in hospital systems and Continuing Care Retirement Communities.

This week, we talk to Jon Mondillo, Head of North American Fixed Income at abrdn. He tells us about taking advantage of strong demand in the marketplace, relative value and perceptions of the interest rate cycle, and the implications that the extension (or lack of extension) of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act will have on municipalities and municipal issuers. In Ripped from the Headlines, we dig deeper into the multitude of scenarios that municipal bond issuers are preparing for based on the outcome of the election and its implications on the TCJA.

State and local governments are struggling to hire public finance professionals. Is this due to a shortage of qualified individuals, or something else? We talk with Heidi Voorhees, co-founder of GovHR USA and GovTempsUSA about recruiting strategies and how government agencies can incentivize professionals - from recent college grads to those working in the private sector - to work in public finance. In Ripped from the Headlines, we discuss what college graduates look for in potential employers, and how employers can make themselves competitive for applicants.

From small municipalities to large urban centers, how do we define "politics" in local government budgeting? How do elected officials and finance professionals build trust and credibility with the public? And what does politics mean as we "reinvent" local budgeting. Join us for a master class on these and other questions in our third and final interview from the 2024 GFOA conference, where we sat down with Rick Cole, Chief Deputy Comptroller for the City of Los Angeles; Mike Bailey, Director of Internal Audit for Northshore School District in Washington; Amelia Powers Gardner, Commissioner of Utah County, UT; Daniel Ramos, OMB Director for Harris County, TX; and Andrew Scott, Deputy COO of Portland Metro.

How has Detroit turned around their finances to receive a major credit upgrade? What challenges still linger, especially when it comes to using federal money and tax credits effectively to invest in the community? Learn the answers to these questions and more in our second installment of interviews from the 2024 GFOA conference, where we spoke with Kevin Bain, Director of Strategy for the City of Detroit.

Our state treasurer series continues with Illinois Treasurer Michael Frerichs. We discuss responsible financial stewardship; the state of ESG; Illinois' investment strategies; and hear about some unique and fascinating unclaimed property stories! In Ripped from the Headlines, we discuss the effects of out-migration on Illinois' economy and the challenges of creating policy to reverse this trend.

Housing affordability, the boom-and-bust cycle of the tech industry, and fiscal policymaking at the ballot box. How does a credit analyst view California's unique state and local public finance? Join us as we sit down with Jennifer Johnston, Senior Vice President and Director of Municipal Bond Research at Franklin Templeton to hear her perspective. In Ripped from the Headlines, we discuss the latest budget deal reached in California to address its deficit, and what $16 billion in budget cuts means for the state.

In our season 3 premiere, we caught up with speakers from the panel on "Rethinking Financial Reporting" at the 2024 GFOA Conference in Orlando. We dive into themes from the panel like technology in finance, the future of financial reporting, and careers in government finance with our guests, David Guo, Regents Distinguished Professor of Public Finance at the Hugo Wall School of Public Affairs at Wichita State University; Jennifer Becker, Financial Services Director for the City of Burbank, California; and Sharon Edmundson, Director of Municipal Finance Programs for the NC League of Municipalities in Raleigh, North Carolina.