Public Money Pod

In this episode we discuss public procurement system current and how AI affects these essential public services with Solomon Kingston. Solomon is the Interim Chief Cooperative Procurement Officer of NASPO, a non-profit dedicated to helping state governments improve their public procurement practices nationwide.

In the ninth episode of the Public Money Pod, we talk to the Inspector General for the City of Chicago, Deborah Witzburg about keeping public agencies accountable to the tax payers. Previously, she served as the City’s Deputy Inspector General for Public Safety, overseeing independent, objective evaluations and reviews of Chicago’s police and police accountability agencies, and also served as OIG’s chief investigator for the Public Safety section, leading efforts to screen and review closed police disciplinary cases, as well as OIG’s Associate General Counsel for Public Safety

Ricky Hernandez is the Chief Financial Officer for the Tucson Unified School District and In this episode we look at ESSER funding as well as ESAs or "Empowerment Scholarship Accounts". We examine the implications of the school vouchers, which came about after the pandemic, on city budgets.

In our latest episode we discuss property taxes with Professor Christopher Berry from Harris School of Public Policy at the University of Chicago. The differences between the levy and rate systems and how data analytics can be used to improve accuracy in property valuations.

This week Jordan Haedtler discusses FIAR plans as an insurance tool against events caused by the climate crisis. We examine how FAIR plans are used in different states over the years and how new legislation may affect them. Recommendations from the report "Insurers of Last Resort: Why Today's FAIR Plans Need a Redesign to Address the Home Insurance Crisis." show how FAIR plans can be better regulated to keep up with the changing scope of how they may be used.

In episode 5 of PMP we interview Tom Kozlik, Head of Public Policy and Municipal Strategy at Hilltop Securities where we discuss the results of the Public Finance Leaders' Survey and the consequences of AI on Muni Bonds - from yields to infrastructure.

In episode 4 our guest is Andrew Kim who is a Director at PTMA Financial. We discuss financing state and local debt through bond issuance, delve deeper in to negotiated and competitive sales, and underappreciated and overemphasized credit risks by rating agencies. We also discuss financial challenges local governments would face in the coming decade.

In episode 3 of Public Money Pod, we interview Mark McAvoy, city administrator of Liberty Lake, Washington. A young city but old problems persist. In the interview we discuss how Liberty Lake is using the "Readiness Assessment" tool to approach its budgeting and planning as it approaches its first major infrastructure replacement cycle. The episode also explores the using surveys to get feedback from constituents in the quality of services provided by Liberty Lake.

In our second episode of season 4, we're in DC for the at the GFOA conference. We discuss topics in cyber risk in state and local governments and effects on the muni bond market. We are here with our guest David Erdman, who is managing director of Baker Tilly Municipal Advisors, LLC and been on the public finance industry for more than three decades. David is an active advocate and leader for municipalities in the municipal bond market and was a past member of the GFOA's Committee on Governmental Debt Management,

In our season 4 premier, we're in DC for the at the GFOA conference. In this episode we discuss challenges and opportunities around performance budgeting, cost allocation, getting buy-in for some of the challenging issues. Joined by panelists Laura Larsen who became Baltimore’s Budget Director in September 2022 leading a fifteen-member team responsible for developing and implementing Baltimore’s $3.3 billion operating budget and currently serving on the Budget Committee for the Government Finance Officers Association. Michael Mastrobuoni, the current Budget Director for the City of Somerville, Massachusetts responsible or managing the city's annual operating budget and works. Karen Rhodes-Whitley director of budget & research, City of Plano, Texas leading the City of Plano's $1.2 billion operating and capital budget and serves as chair of GFOA's Committee on Retirement and Benefits Administration. And  Richard Greene, principal of Barrett and Greene, Inc. who was also the moderator of the panel.