December 20, 2015 Senate to vote on highway money as deadline looms The Senate is set to take up legislation to keep federal highway money flowing to states, with just three days left before the government plans to start slowing down payments.
December 20, 2015 Detroit city workers, retirees vote in favor of pension cuts in bankruptcy plan Workers and retirees approved pension cuts in Detroit's bankruptcy by a landslide, the city reported Monday, a crucial step to emerging from the largest municipal insolvency in U.S. history.
December 20, 2015 Michigan Legislature approves $195M to shore up Detroit pensions, art collection The Michigan Legislature's $195 million lifeline to help prevent steep cuts in Detroit's pensions and the sale of city-owned art is being hailed as a major step forward in ending the largest public bankruptcy in U.S. history.
December 20, 2015 Detroit files plan to restructure debt, leave bankruptcy Detroit's emergency manager filed a plan Friday to restructure the city's $18 billion debt by making cuts to pensions and creditors while offering a blueprint for emerging from the largest municipal bankruptcy in U.S. history.
December 20, 2015 Bribery trial opens for ex-New Orleans mayor Jury selection began Monday in the trial of former New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin, who faces charges that he accepted bribes and free trips among other things from contractors in exchange for helping them secure millions of dollars in city work. Nagin, a Democrat who was mayor when Hurricane Katrina stuck in 2005, served two terms before leaving office in 2010. He was living in a Dallas suburb when a federal grand jury indicted him a year ago. Nagin had little to say as he entered the federal courthouse with a noticeable limp.
December 20, 2015 Powerful public sector union SEIU helps Wisconsin county lawmaker write wage hike bill Big Labor helped a Milwaukee County lawmaker write legislation for union workers that is projected to cost taxpayers more than $27 million over the next six years.
December 20, 2015 Cut up the credit cards: States have $5T in debts taxpayers will have to pay Coast to coast, states are leaving taxpayers on the hook for massive debt payments over the coming decades as state governments continue to abuse their metaphorical credit cards.
December 20, 2015 Illinois taxpayers paying billions to ‘manage’ debt Illinois taxpayers realize the state is buried in debt.
December 20, 2015 State, local governments face massive, growing budget gaps in 2015 and beyond As the calendar flips to 2015, fiscal pressures will continue to tax the budgets of state and local governments.
December 20, 2015 Judge OKs Detroit's plan to get out of bankruptcy A judge on Friday approved Detroit's plan to get out of bankruptcy, ending the largest public filing in U.S. history and launching the city into a turnaround that will require discipline after years of corruption, budget-busting debt and an exodus of residents.
