How High are State and Local Tax Collections in Your State?
The latest state tax map prepared by the Tax Foundation shows state and local tax collections per capita in each of the 50 states and the District of Columbia. The
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An overview of federal, state and local expenditures
The United States is a federal country with a decentralized, multi-level public sector. As such, while the federal government has an important role in delivering public services and solving national
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A feud over local taxes turns into a referendum on government itself
For more than a year, the residents of Amelia, just outside Cincinnati, Ohio, have been consumed by a fiery debate over a proposal to impose a new local tax of
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2017 State & Local Government Finance Tables Released by Census Bureau
The Census of Governments identifies the scope and nature of the nation’s state and local government sector; provides authoritative benchmark figures of public finance and public employment. The Census of
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When can (or should) a state government remove a locally elected official?
According to the U.S. Constitution, neither the President nor Congress have the power to remove a state governor or state official. At the state level, however, legislation often permits a
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Burlington Moves Toward Letting Non-Citizen Residents Vote in Local Elections
Voters in Burlington, Vermont could soon determine whether refugees and permanent residents who aren’t citizens will be allowed to cast their own ballots in local city elections. Councilmember Adam Roof
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Intergovernmental relations in the United States: one federal government, 50 states, and 90,075 local governments
The Census of Governments occurs every 5 years, covering all active state and local government units in the U.S. The 2017 Census of Governments, similar to those taken since 1957,
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Alice Rivlin Made State and Local Governments Better, Too
Alice Rivlin, who passed away earlier this month, was best known as a federal policy trailblazer — inaugural director of the Congressional Budget Office, first female director of the Office
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Are women politically represented at the local level in the United States?
Jamie Boex and Sonja Walti While the number of women elected to the U.S. Congress and state assemblies is on the rise, there continues to be a clear gender gap
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Localism can only flourish with effective federal and state governments
Cities are the right frame for tackling many of our most important problems, from concentrated poverty to housing affordability, from economic opportunity to more sustainable living. But enamored as we
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Why midsized metro areas deserve our attention
Over the past few years, new research and major political and business events have combined to make Americans more attentive to how place shapes economic and social outcomes. Back in
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Which States Have Most Fragmented Local Governments?
Government fragmentation has long been torn between two competing interests. On one hand, many officials argue consolidation boosts efficiency and makes coordination easier. Citizens, though, remain attached to their local
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