B&G Report

The 1953 membership photo of the National Association of State Budget Officers (NASBO) shows a world in which men dominated the positions of budget officers. This wouldn't have been a surprise to anyone at the time. But the world has changed -- and more than many might guess. Consider the February NASBO webinar that featured an all-female panel including Oregon's Kate Nass, who served as NASBO president from 2020 to 2022; Colorado's Lauren Larson (this year's president) and

Last night, the Iowa Senate quickly passed a bill that effectively limits the State Auditor’s independent oversight by restricting his access to records. The National State Auditors Association (NSAA) President and Connecticut State Auditor John C. Geragosian wrote the following letter in response. It was signed onto by a number of other state auditors. Here is the bulk of his letter: March 8, 2023 To Whom It May Concern: As President of the National State Auditors Associati

by Dr. Ellen Harpel, Founder of Smart Incentives and Randall Bauer, Director, PFM Group Consulting ​ Randall Bauer Ellen Harpel As management guru Peter Drucker said – and as has been repeated by many others over the years – “what gets measured gets managed.” In thinking about the issue of tax incentives offered by cities and states to attract and retain businesses, we think that a variation on Drucker’s maxim is equally true: “That which is managed can be more effectively