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This Strong Towns podcast episode features a conversation between Chuck Marone and Shane Kavanaaugh from the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA). They discuss the GFOA’s role as a professional organization for state and local finance officials, highlighting their educational programs and best practices. Kavanaaugh explains how GFOA supports finance officers in areas like budgeting and financial reporting, differentiating their voluntary “soft law” approach from mandatory standards set by groups like GASB. The conversation explores GFOA’s research initiatives, such as “Rethinking Budgeting,” which aims to address systemic issues in public finance like the “tragedy of the commons.” They also examine the evolving role of finance officers as “decision architects” who shape the environment for elected officials to make informed financial choices and the importance of fiscal responsibility and long-term planning.

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https://open.spotify.com/show/601vtPzxdHl82EM42Hsulf?si=05017b5b0ace4edc

This Strong Towns podcast episode features a conversation between Chuck Marone and Rick Cole, a seasoned public servant with experience as a mayor, city manager, and council member. They discuss Cole’s extensive background in local government, highlighting his early involvement in community leadership and his long career focused on municipal finance and urban development. Cole emphasizes the moral dimension of city budgets, viewing them as reflections of community values and priorities. The discussion explores the challenges of structural budget deficits, the need for data-driven decision-making rather than tradition or politics, and the importance of citizen engagement and understanding in effective self-governance. They touch on historical perspectives of essential services like fire departments and advocate for a shift towards a participatory model of local government where residents are partners in shaping their communities’ futures.

https://www.strongtowns.org/

https://thinkandactlocally.com/donate/

https://thinkandactlocally.myshopify.com/

Youtube - @ThinkandActLocally

Facebook - @thinkandactlocally

TikTok - @thinkandactlocally

Instagram - @thinkandactlocally

Truth Social - @thinkandactlocally

Rumble - @ThinkandActLocally

X- @ThinkActLocally

LinkedIn - @think-and-act-locally

https://open.spotify.com/show/601vtPzxdHl82EM42Hsulf?si=05017b5b0ace4edc