Governing

Philadelphia: From engineering to public policy to the internet, human ingenuity and invention are constantly changing lives. Yet new knowledge—and innovative ways to live and work that are the result of technological change—also presents new dilemmas. On Wednesday, July 19, join contributors to The Pew Charitable Trusts’ latest issue of Trend magazine to discuss how modern... Read More

Taxes and federal funds together account for 81 percent of revenue for the 50 states. Taxes are the largest revenue source in 46 states, while federal funds are greatest in three. But neither is the primary contributor to government coffers in one state: Alaska. This infographic displays a breakdown of each state's revenue, by major categories. Read More

Discussions about criminal justice policy typically involve lawmakers, judges, corrections officials, prosecutors, defense attorneys, members of law enforcement, advocates, and criminologists, and their opinions are undoubtedly valuable as states deliberate about what works best. But what about the people whose families and communities are affected by these decisions? What do they have to say... Read More

Findings from a national survey of small and midsize businesses suggest that many employers need to reach a point of stability—in terms of finances and number of workers—before offering retirement benefits. Read More

Taxes make up about half of state government revenue, with the bulk coming from levies on personal income and general sales of goods and services. Broad-based personal income taxes are the greatest source of tax dollars in 28 of the 41 states that impose them, with the highest share—69.6 percent—in Oregon. General sales taxes are the largest source in 17 of the 45... Read More

Discussions about criminal justice policy typically involve lawmakers, judges, corrections officials, prosecutors, defense attorneys, members of law enforcement, advocates, and criminologists, and their opinions are undoubtedly valuable as states deliberate about what works best. But what about the people whose families and communities are affected by these decisions? What do they have to say... Read More

Findings from a national survey of small and midsize businesses suggest that many employers need to reach a point of stability—in terms of finances and number of workers—before offering retirement benefits. Read More

Yearly swings in tax revenue can confound policymakers’ best efforts to balance state budgets. These fluctuations vary greatly across the 50 states. Over the past two decades, Alaska has faced by far the greatest volatility in total tax revenue, while South Dakota has experienced the least, not counting revenue swings caused by tax policy changes. Read More

Pew’s Fiscal 50: State Trends and Analysis presents 50-state data on key fiscal, economic, and demographic indicators and analyzes their impact on states’ long-term fiscal health. Drill down into state finances in five core areas. Read More

Governor John Bel Edwards (D) signed a broadly bipartisan package of 10 bills June 15 that aims to reduce crime and incarceration by steering less serious offenders away from prison, strengthening alternatives to imprisonment, and clearing away barriers to success during re-entry. With these changes in sentencing and corrections laws, Louisiana is likely to shed its title of the most incarcerated... Read More

Philadelphia: From engineering to public policy to the internet, human ingenuity and invention are constantly changing lives. Yet new knowledge—and innovative ways to live and work that are the result of technological change—also presents new dilemmas. On Wednesday, July 19, join contributors to The Pew Charitable Trusts’ latest issue of Trend magazine to discuss how modern... Read More

To minimize the need for uncomfortable choices between raising taxes or cutting spending, 48 states have created budget stabilization funds—rainy day funds—that take advantage of boom times by directing surplus revenue into savings that can offset future shortfalls. However, many of these funds lack rules to effectively smooth the ups and downs in revenue. Designing a robust fund, and... Read More

While 27 states conduct debt affordability studies, only nine produce studies with all the necessary elements to give policymakers a clear understanding of their state’s debt levels, according to a report released today by The Pew Charitable Trusts. Read More

President Trump has recently named an acting comptroller of the currency, the head of the federal agency regulating large banks. As the American Banker noted, some big questions await the agency. While much is at stake for our country’s banks, a lot is on the line for individuals and their families as well. One important opportunity that the next Office of the Comptroller of the Currency... Read More

We are living in what some have declared a “post-truth” era, in which facts are considered negotiable, irrelevant, or simply another name for opinion. That makes it an interesting time to lead an institution that is built on the power of facts. Read More

Taxes and federal funds together account for 81 percent of revenue for the 50 states. Taxes are the largest revenue source in 46 states, while federal funds are greatest in three. But neither is the primary contributor to government coffers in one state: Alaska. This infographic displays a breakdown of each state's revenue, by major categories. Read More

Taxes make up about half of state government revenue, with the bulk coming from levies on personal income and general sales of goods and services. Broad-based personal income taxes are the greatest source of tax dollars in 28 of the 41 states that impose them, with the highest share—69.6 percent—in Oregon. General sales taxes are the largest source in 17 of the 45... Read More

Fiscal 50: State Trends and Analysis, an interactive resource from The Pew Charitable Trusts, allows you to sort and analyze data on key fiscal, economic, and demographic trends in the 50 states and understand their impact on states’ fiscal health. Read More

Electronic poll books (also e-poll books, or EPBs) are digitized voter registries, used in lieu of paper voter lists at polling places to check in voters on Election Day or during early voting. E-poll books can also perform a variety of additional functions that paper rolls cannot, such as ballot production, same-day registration, and verification of ballot totals after polls close. Jurisdictions... Read More

In this animated video, learn about the Results First Initiative, which, since 2011, has partnered with states and counties across the country to help them incorporate the use of evidence in their budgeting and policymaking processes—helping to improve outcomes and make the most of limited resources. Read More