2/22/2014 State and Local Fiscal Sustainability

State and Local Fiscal Sustainability

Policymakers, practitioners, researchers, and municipal bond investors have become increasingly concerned about the fiscal sustainability of state and local governments in the United
States for a number of reasons. Rising costs associated with health care, retiree pensions, and other long-term obligations create large demands on revenue, potentially straining state and
local budgets. Reductions in intergovernmental aid represent another threat.

Failure to achieve state and local fiscal sustainability could have several consequences. It could shift burden to future generations of taxpayers. State and local governments may have to
severely cut back public services or dramatically raise taxes to balance their budgets. Given these challenges, New England Public Policy Center has focused research on measuring long-
term fiscal gaps and better understanding their causes and on potential solutions for promoting sustainability going forward.

Walking a Tightrope: Are U.S. State and Local Governments on a Fiscally Sustainable Path?
by Bo Zhao and David Coyne
Research Department Working Paper 13-18

Assessing the Affordability of State Debt

by Jennifer Weiner
NEPPC Research Report 13-2

A Guide to State Debt Affordability Studies: Common Elements and Best Practices
by Jennifer Weiner
NEPPC Policy Brief 13-3

The Quest for Cost-Efficient Local Government in New England: What Role for Regional Consolidation?
by Yolanda Kodrzycki
NEPPC Research Report 13-1

Saving Costs through Regional Consolidation: Public Safety Answering Points in Massachusetts
by Yolanda Kodrzycki and Angela Cools
NEPPC Policy Brief 13-1

When the Tide Goes Out: Unemployment Insurance Trust Funds and the Great Recession, Lessons for and from New England
by Jennifer Weiner
Research Report 12-1

The Fiscal Impact of Potential Local Option Taxes in Massachusetts

by Bo Zhao
NEPPC Working Paper 10-2

The Fiscal Capacity of New England

by Matthew Nagowski
NEPPC Policy Brief 07-4

Measuring Fiscal Disparities Across the U.S. States: A Representative Revenue System/Representative Expenditure System Approach, Fiscal Year 2002
by Yesim Yilmaz, Sonya Hoo, Matthew Nagowski, Kim Rueben, and Robert Tannenwald
NEPPC Working Paper 06-2

The Center has also published a number of papers exploring local aid distribution reform.

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