As unemployment grows, the federal debt reaches toward the limit and next year’s election season comes into closer view, the dilemma of creating jobs and uplifting the economy versus what it will cost to do so looms large. Americans want more jobs and less debt. But that may be impossible. As this Reuter’s story points [...]

Americans seem to like simple arguments with simple solutions. Case in point: Recent polls indicate increasing concern over and opposition to the nation’s growing debt, despite the fact that there has been very good reasons for the added government spending. The economy has plummeted, therefore unemployment and other social service needs have skyrocketed while at [...]

School districts across the country received welcome news recently that desperately-needed cash flow will arrive a few crucial weeks sooner than expected. The news came just as officials are busy with eleventh-hour hiring and planning for the upcoming school year, and will save jobs and programs that might otherwise have been cut. The Department of [...]

Though state officials have faced difficult choices as they struggle to finalize 2010 budgets across the country, it’s clear the task would have been even more grim without a crucial infusion of federal money. According to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, as dire as the states’ fiscal condition is – with dramatic revenue [...]

While the bulk of stimulus funding earmarked for state recovery efforts comes with conditions, a small amount comes with the freedom for officials to do with what they please. According to a recent report published by the Council of State Governments, states are spending $8.8 billion in discretionary funding in the State Fiscal Stabilization funds [...]