A tidal wave of red ink, precipitated by COVID-19 shutdowns, is now drowning towns, cities, and counties across America. Massive cuts in services loom ahead, as do huge tax hikes.  Localities face unprecedented challenges in rebooting their economies. Where I live, in Montgomery County, Maryland, the County Executive recently empaneled about twenty businesspeople and economic-development

If you are going stir-crazy spending your summer indoors, I can help. Here are three events, dear friends, I hope you will consider attending. All local-economy related. All free. All filling up fast! First, I will participate with my dear friend Judy Wicks this Thursday, July 9, at 2 pm EDT in a conversation sponsored

(This blog is part two of a 12-part series on emerging opportunities for local investment that are especially important in the post-COVID era.  It’s drawn from my new book, Put Your Money Where Your Life Is.) Last week I talked about how investing in yourself by paying off your credit cards was the single best

(This blog is the first in a 12-part series on emerging opportunities for local investment that are especially important in the post-COVID era.  It’s drawn from my new book, Put Your Money Where Your Life Is.) One of my favorite Gary Larson cartoons is of a crisis clinic on fire, floating down a river, about

Many of us show our compassion and generosity through acts of adoption. Adopt a tree, adopt a baby giraffe, adopt a schoolchild, etc. For the last two weeks, my partner Audrey and I adopted a lovely four-legged pooch named Annie. Her “person,” a close friend, had to travel to Western Massachusetts to be with her

My recent recommendation to radically overhaul public procurement (one of “A Dozen Asks for Your Governor”) elicited lots of great questions. Today’s blog explains in more detail what needs to be done and why. Let’s begin with the bottom line: In 2017, according to Census data, state and local governments collectively spent about $3.7 trillion.