MuniLand

Marquette Associates has a very interesting chart of the week showing how state and local government budget cuts are a drag on GDP.

Good Links

Al Jazeera: Interactive: U.S., Yemen lead the world in guns

U.S. Census: Statistics about Americans with disabilities

S&P: Video: Reform efforts could shape U.S. pension funded ratios

Huffington Post: Five truths about public employee pensions

Bloomberg: New York is set to overtake California, which has reigned as biggest borrower for two decades

Oakland Tribune: California attempts to square up its special funds accounting

Reuters: Miami weighs “financial urgency” to cut staff costs

Times Tribune: Scranton council to work weekend with mayor, if necessary, over recovery plan

@Twitter Talk

Grassley questions whether universities should be able to issue tax-exempt bonds bit.ly/Ogfyf8

— Bond Girl (@munilass) July 27, 2012

IIFS Blog Post: “Enterprise Zones: Illinois and Other States” bit.ly/MoomeA — The Civic Federation (@CivicFederation) July 26, 2012

Federal Grand Jury forms to investigate #Harrisburg finances including former mayor Stephen Reed.whptv.com/news/local/sto… — Chris Papst (@chrispapst) July 26, 2012

It took Montreal 3 decades to pay off the bonds from its #Olympics cost overrun in 1976. Was it worth it? bit.ly/PxOneu — The Atlantic Cities (@AtlanticCities) July 27, 2012