Industrial Revenue Bonds (IRBs) Category: ALL Sub-category: Government and Non-Governmental Reports Author: Good Jobs First This article discusses the basics of industrial revenue bonds, which are often used by public authorities to provide financing for private businesses. |
Living Debt Free: Restoring Arizona’s Commitment to its Constitutional Debt Limit Category: AZ Sub-category: Government and Non-Governmental Reports Publication Date: 01/05/2010 Author: Benjamin Barr, Goldwater Institute From the executive summary: The State of Arizona is facing an unprecedented amount of debt-some $37 billion. The heap of debt is leading to calls for reform to keep Arizona solvent. Although various reforms, limits, and oversight may have merit, there is a simpler alternative: follow the state constitution’s debt limit. To protect taxpayers, the framers included a stringent debt limit of $350,000 in the Arizona Constitution. But to the state’s detriment, politicians have evaded the limit with creative debt-hiding schemes. Debt is often labeled a lease or given another name. Complicated financial agreements are also used to hide debt. And judges have failed to enforce the “debt limit” clause. Instead of protecting Arizona taxpayers from financial straits and upholding the constitution’s plain language, judges have interpreted the word “debt” in an absurdly narrow fashion when it comes to government. Politicians and judges need to return to the simple genius of the state constitution to ensure that taxpayers have the protection the constitution promises. View the Goldwater Institute’s press release on the report. |
Public Authorities and Private Firms as Providers of Public Goods Category: ALL Sub-category: Government and Non-Governmental Reports Publication Date: 09/01/1994 Author: Clayton P. Gillette (Reason Foundation) This report from the Reason Foundation suggests two primary policy implications: “First, public authorities should be made more accountable, perhaps by removing the immunities they currently enjoy. Second, and more fundamentally, the decision to have public authorities provide major infrastructure should be reconsidered, since private firms can often perform these same public functions, while not suffering from the institutional disadvantages of public authorities.” |
The Ideal Deal: How Local Governments Can Get More for Their Economic Development Dollar (March 2007) Category: ALL Sub-category: Government and Non-Governmental Reports Author: Rachel Weber (University of Illinois at Chicago) and David Santacroce (University of Michigan Law School) (Good Jobs First) This report contends that if economic development agencies intend to continue offering incentives, they should do so in a smarter manner. Topics discussed include valuation of public costs and benefits, performance standards, disclosure and oversight, and contract enforcement. |
Transportation Funding & Financing: Municipal/Public Bond Issues Category: ALL Sub-category: Government and Non-Governmental Reports Author: AASHTO Center for Excellence in Project Finance This website provides information about transportation findings. Topics include toll-backed revenue bonds; fare box revenue bonds; and general obligation bonds. |
Public Authorities Blog
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- Links roundup June 29, 2019
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