All Public Finance The Debt That Doesn’t Call Itself Debt: How Cities Borrow Without a Vote September 10, 2026 Thomas Brennan Ask a city finance director whether the municipality has taken on new debt this year, and the answer might be a careful “not exactly.” A new parking garage got built.…
All Local Government The Fee Nobody Notices: How Stormwater Utility Charges Are Reshaping City Budgets September 6, 2026 Margaret Hale A line item marked “stormwater utility fee” sits on municipal water bills across much of the country, usually somewhere below the sewer charge and above the recycling assessment. Most residents…
All State & Federal Policy The Bond Behind the License: What California’s Dealer Bonding Rule Actually Protects September 2, 2026 Margaret Hale “Licensed and bonded” shows up on dealer websites and on hand-lettered signs at small lots across California, and many buyers read it the way it is meant to be read:…
All Local Government The Government You’ve Never Heard Of: Inside America’s Special Districts September 1, 2026 Kenji Watanabe Somewhere between the county courthouse and the city council chamber sits a layer of government most residents cannot name, have never voted for with any real understanding, and rarely notice…
