US Published National Debt
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The Truth
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Each Taxpayer's Share: $707,000
2019 Financial State of the Cities
Read the newest report on the fiscal health of the 75 largest U.S. cities.
Bill's Blog
Bill Bergman serves as TIA's Director of Research. He is responsible for managing TIA's federal project and State Data Lab's data base. Bergman spent 13 years as an economist and policy analyst at the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago.
New: Financial State of the States 2018
Click here to read Truth in Accounting's newest Financial State of the States report.
Financial Transparency Score Report
New TIA analysis issues scores to all 50 states based on how transparent they are with their finances.
State Data Lab
Compare all 50 states and the 75 most populous cities using more than 300 unique data variables.
The fiscal challenge facing US
February 22, 2019
YouTube
“In this webinar, Truth in Accounting's Director of Research Bill Bergman gives background on why the financial report is important in relation to the U.S. Constitution and walks students through the most important sections of the financial report. … the Financial Report of the U.S. Government for 2018 has not yet been released.”
Analysis: Washington, D.C. ranks 3rd among largest U.S. cities with sufficient funds to pay off debts
February 20, 2019
DC Business Daily
The nonprofit group, which promotes financial transparency in government, gave Washington, D.C. a grade of "B" for its fiscal policies. The amount of revenue the city has available to pay its bills is $900 million, which provides a surplus of $3,300 per taxpayer after all bills are paid, according to the analysis.
Report: Twin Cities receive C grades for fiscal health
February 19, 2019
Minnesota Watchdog
“… In order to appear to balance budgets, TIA notes, elected officials 'have not included the true costs of the government in their budget calculations and have pushed costs onto future taxpayers.' … No cities received an 'A' grade. Twelve cities received a 'B;' 24, including the Twin Cities, received a 'C;' 31 a 'D;' and eight failed.”
Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s administration considering selling state buildings and land to pay for pensions
February 22, 2019
MSN.com
“Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s administration issued a plan Thursday to deal with Illinois’ chronically underfunded public pensions that called for injecting more cash from a proposed graduated income tax, spreading payments out over a longer period, adding $2 billion in debt and selling state assets that could include the Illinois Tollway. But the plan, which Deputy Gov. Dan Hynes unveiled at a meeting of the City Club of Chicago, also raised many questions.”
Supreme Court strikes a blow against states that raise revenue by hefty fines, forfeitures
February 22, 2019
USA Today
“The Supreme Court ruled unanimously Wednesday that states cannot impose excessive fees, fines and forfeitures as criminal penalties. The decision, which united the court's conservatives and liberals, makes clear that the Eighth Amendment's prohibition against "excessive fines" applies to states and localities as well as the federal government.”
Global sovereign debt to jump to $50 trillion
February 21, 2019
Reuters
“Another jump in borrowing by governments will take the global mountain of sovereign debt to $50 trillion this year, ratings agency S&P Global forecast on Thursday.”
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