Route Fifty: Virtual Town Hall, “Budgets and Shortfalls”

Volcker Alliance senior vice president and director of state and local initiatives, William Glasgall, was a featured speaker at Route Fifty’s virtual Town Hall, “Budgets and Shortfalls,” which took place on May 25, 2021 from 1:00 to 4:30 p.m. EDT. 

Town Hall sessions covered the outlook for state and local budgets, explored how budget officers are making difficult decisions, and examined innovative public budgeting practices. Even as state and local government are still reeling from the financial effects of the Great Recession, they face hard choices in the wake of a global pandemic as they look to the upcoming fiscal year. Speakers discussed how governments are grappling with pandemic-induced financial hardships and budget shortfalls as their fiscal years come to a close. 

Mr. Glasgall spoke at 3:30 p.m. EDT alongside Hughey Newsome, chief financial officer for Wayne County, Michigan, in the session, “Line Item Debate: To Cut or Not?” Moderated by Route Fifty senior editor Bill Lucia, the session covered the precarious financial position of state and local governments that has led some governments to cut programs as a precaution, while others have not. Mr. Glasgall and Mr. Newsome engaged in a debate on their approaches to budgeting in crisis.

Additional sessions included “State Budget Outlook,” featuring Shelby Kerns, executive director of the National Association of State Budget Officers; “Local Budget Outlook,” with Mike Pagano, dean of the College of Urban Planning and Public Affairs at the University of Illinois at Chicago; and “Equity in Budgeting,” featuring Dr. Anjali Chainani, senior advisor of city budgeting for equity and recovery at Results for America, and several local budget experts. 

The event streamed to a live audience of over 200 government and non-governmental leaders and was open to the public.