Best Liz Frerichs Podcasts (2024)

1
The New Politics of Local Budgeting 57:16

3h ago57:16

57:16

From small municipalities to large urban centers, how do we define "politics" in local government budgeting? How do elected officials and finance professionals build trust and credibility with the public? And what does politics mean as we "reinvent" local budgeting. Join us for a master class on these and other questions in our third and final inte…

1
Leveraging Federal Money, with Kevin Bain 44:33

7h ago44:33

44:33

How has Detroit turned around their finances to receive a major credit upgrade? What challenges still linger, especially when it comes to using federal money and tax credits effectively to invest in the community? Learn the answers to these questions and more in our second installment of interviews from the 2024 GFOA conference, where we spoke with…

1
Investing in the Prairie State, with Illinois Treasurer Michael Frerichs 53:34

5d ago53:34

53:34

Our state treasurer series continues with Illinois Treasurer Michael Frerichs. We discuss responsible financial stewardship; the state of ESG; Illinois' investment strategies; and hear about some unique and fascinating unclaimed property stories! In Ripped from the Headlines, we discuss the effects of out-migration on Illinois' economy and the chal…

1
The Moving Parts of California's Budget, with Jennifer Johnston 52:21

14d ago52:21

52:21

Housing affordability, the boom-and-bust cycle of the tech industry, and fiscal policymaking at the ballot box. How does a credit analyst view California's unique state and local public finance? Join us as we sit down with Jennifer Johnston, Senior Vice President and Director of Municipal Bond Research at Franklin Templeton to hear her perspective.…

1
Rethinking Financial Reporting? 39:18

21d ago39:18

39:18

In our season 3 premiere, we caught up with speakers from the panel on "Rethinking Financial Reporting" at the 2024 GFOA Conference in Orlando. We dive into themes from the panel like technology in finance, the future of financial reporting, and careers in government finance with our guests, David Guo, Regents Distinguished Professor of Public Fina…

1
Financial Leadership in the Golden State, with California Treasurer Fiona Ma 45:16

2M ago45:16

45:16

We wrap up Season 2 with California Treasurer Fiona Ma. We cover California’s deficit; the challenge and opportunity of ESG investing; why housing affordability is California's number one policy challenge; how she advocates for Calfornia's agriculture; why she's a card carrying SAG member; and how Kristi Yamaguchi helped her save San Francisco's Co…

1
Season 2 Retrospective 43:52

3M ago43:52

43:52

As we wrap up season 2, we look back at some of the themes that dominated the season. These key themes include state revenue challenges, the emergence of AI in public finance, cybersecurity, the impact of e-sports on public finance, the economies of "industry" cities, and how municipalities are thinking about building back better.…

1
Paying for the Polls, with Zach Mohr 40:46

3M ago40:46

40:46

We talk to Zach Mohr, Professor at the University of Kansas, about all things elections (not campaign!) finance. He unpacks the many types election administration costs; why states are banning private investment in elections administration; how elections administration competes with other core state/local services; and why, given all these challeng…

1
Leading for Local Resilience, with Genesis Gavino 44:38

3M ago44:38

44:38

We welcome Genesis Gavino, Chief of Staff and Resilience Officer for the City of Dallas, TX. She explains why resilience is an environmental, financial, and equity issue; the challenges of climate adaptation for a "Blue City in a Red State"; why Dallas has prioritized climate adaptation; how the city measures progress and holds itself accountable f…

1
Changes, Constants, and Cycles in California Budgeting, with Gabe Petek 44:09

4M ago44:09

44:09

We converse on California's state budget with Gabe Petek, Legislative Analyst for the State of California. He explains California's dueling state budget deficit figures; why the current revenue shortfall is different than the 2008 recession; how much of California's budget woes are "structural" vs. "cyclical"; how he and Governor Newsom propose to …

1
The Cost of Administrative Burden, with Don Moynihan 44:45

4M ago44:45

44:45

Professor Don Moynihan from Georgetown University's McCourt School of Public Policy shares his views on "administrative burden." He tells us how he defines administrative burden and why it's important for state and local public money, the opportunities and trade offs involved in reducing administrative burden, and what the pandemic taught us about …

1
The Advent of AI in Auditing, with Casey Kopcho 44:14

4M ago44:14

44:14

We talk to Casey Kopcho, principal auditor in the Oregon Secretary of State's office. He shares his thoughts on the risks, opportunities and outlook for artificial intelligence in state government, with emphasis on AI and election integrity, how we might regulate AI; and why Furbees are the original AI, among many other topics. In Ripped from the H…

1
Banking on Bond Banks, with Michael Gaughan 44:21

5M ago44:21

44:21

We talk to Michael Gaughan, Executive Director of Vermont Bond Bank (and rumored long-time Public Money Pod fan). He tells us why bond banks are well-equipped to meet the unique capital markets challenges of small and rural communities, how the Bank is focused on climate adaptation investments, and how they are leveraging federal dollars from the I…

1
Public Money and Opportunity Zones, with Matt Wachter and Drew Whiting 46:25

5M ago46:25

46:25

We visit with Matt Wachter and Drew Whiting, co-founder and current Executive Director, respectively, of the Erie (PA) Downtown Development Corporation. They share Erie's experience with Opportunity Zones (OZs), including a remarkably fast launch; building community around OZs; the challenge of sustaining progress; what OZs mean for local public fi…

1
Accounting for Public Assets, with Dag Detter 37:39

6M ago37:39

37:39

We talk to Dag Detter, author of The Public Wealth of Cities and advisor to governments around the world. We consider how state/local governments account for long-term assets, why he thinks current accounting rules are not up to the task, and his vision to fix it. He also lays out his argument for public wealth funds in the United States. In Ripped…

1
Financial Leadership from the GFOA, with Laura Allen 34:16

6M ago34:16

34:16

We welcome Laura Allen, budget analyst with the Maryland Department of Budget and Management AND current President of the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA). We discuss GFOA's priorities for the year, with special emphasis on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in public finance; GFOA's research agenda; and why public money is a great care…

1
Optimizing Innovation, with Kansas Treasurer Steven Johnson 42:30

6M ago42:30

42:30

We continue our state treasurer series with Kansas Treasurer Steven Johnson. We discuss his office's role in distributing federal funding; his take on the Kansas "Income Tax Experiment"; the state’s philosophy on ESG investing, why Modern Portfolio Theory is alive and well in the Sunflower State; and adventures in unclaimed property. In Ripped from…

1
Baby Bonds and Banking for Bud, with Washington State Treasurer Mike Pellicciotti 44:21

6M ago44:21

44:21

We continue our state treasurer series with Washington State Treasurer Mike Pellicciotti. We discuss how his office has led the legislative effort on savings at birth (Baby Bonds) and for retirement (auto IRAs), and why savings is a rural economic development tool; his advocacy for the federal SAFE Banking Act for financial services for recreationa…

1
Causes, Costs and Creative Solutions to Homelessness, with Dawn Lang and Riann Balch 42:21

6M ago42:21

42:21

We talk to Dawn Lang (CFO) and Riann Balch (Community Resources Manager) from the City of Chandler, AZ. They walk us through the causes and consequences of their city's rise in homelessness, the success of their Community Navigators program, how homelessness touches both the revenue and the spending side of the Activity Statement, and how they're p…

1
Public Money in the Bayou State, with Louisiana Treasurer John Schroder 38:41

6M ago38:41

38:41

We talk to Louisiana Treasurer John Schroder about Louisiana's finances. He shares his views on ESG investing, how pension investing can drive economic development, and why integrity is everything in public finance. In Ripped from the Headlines, we continue the discussion about Louisiana with a story about how changes in property insurance coverage…

1
Visions of a Public Finance Futurist, with Megan Kilgore 43:59

7M ago43:59

43:59

We visit with Megan Kilgore, City Auditor for the City of Columbus, Ohio. She explains the challenges and opportunities of an income tax-driven municipality; the keys to timely financial reporting; transparency and timeliness in the wake of the Financial Data Transparency Act (FDTA); and the future of municipal finance, among many other topics. In …

1
Financial Leadership in the Silver State, with Abbe Yacoben 39:06

7M ago39:06

39:06

We visit with Washoe County, Nevada CFO Abbe Yacoben. She describes the County's unique financial challenges and opportunities; its efforts to address housing affordability; why it's investing in election infrastructure; and how to build a career in financial leadership, among many other topics.. In Ripped from the Headlines, we talk about some ana…

1
"Two Questions Deep" on AI and Public Money, with Morgan Wright 41:51

8M ago41:51

41:51

We talk to Morgan Wright, a renowned expert on government tech, AI, and cybersecurity. He shares his view on tech talent in the public sector, how cities and states should think about tech infrastructure investment, and where he thinks AI can help or hurt governments. In Ripped from the Headlines, we talk about a story giving more details about a g…

1
Observations on OPEB Obligations, with Travis Ahern 43:40

8M ago43:40

43:40

We visit with Travis Ahern, Town Administrator of Holliston, Massachusetts. He explains the challenges and opportunities of other post-employment benefit (OPEB) liabilities, Holliston's approach to funding OPEB, how OPEB and pensions are both alike and unlike, and why "soft liabilities" matter to credit ratings, among many other topics. In Ripped f…

1
Financial Leadership for Sustainability, with Pamela Frederick 42:20

8M ago42:20

42:20

We talk to Pamela Frederick, CFO of the Battery Park City Authority in New York City. She describes Battery Park City's unique sustainability challenges, the opportunities for investing in the infrastructure of sustainability, the broad skillset required of today's state/local CFO, and some thoughts on further research in the climate and resiliency…

1
SPECIAL EPISODE - 2023 Election Recap with Alan Greenblatt 28:31

8M ago28:31

28:31

We have a family meeting with Alan Greenblatt, reporter from Governing, to recap what the 2023 election results mean for state and local public money. We talk about tax cuts in Texas and Colorado, why voters are more likely to pass sin taxes, and what this election tells us about 2024 and the potential public money landscape.…

1
Non-Profit Hospitals' Financial Health, with Bobby Bruning 33:30

9M ago33:30

33:30

We talk to Bobby Bruning from Kaufman Hall about the financial health of non-profit healthcare. He talks about the financial challenges facing some non-profits; why non-profit hospitals are not a "credit stressed" sector; the many ways that non-profit hospitals provide community benefits; and the sector's unique exposure to the 2024 election. In th…

1
Big and SMAll Opportunities in Municipal Bonds, with James Pruskowski 38:57

9M ago38:57

38:57

We visit with James Pruskowski, Chief Investment Officer at 16Rock Asset Management. He explains the remarkable growth in municipal SMAs (Separately Managed Accounts), what advice he has for issuers of municipal bonds to take advantage of the increase in SMA investment, and his view on the trends in the municipal bond market going forward. In Rippe…

1
Candy Crush, Call of Duty and Capital Budgets, with Joost Van Dreunen 39:46

9M ago39:46

39:46

We cover the state of play in interactive entertainment (i.e. video games) with Professor Joost van Dreunen from NYU's Stern School of Business. He tells us how video gaming is different from entertainment and music; what video gaming means for state/local fiscal policy and economic development; how we might regulate the industry; and why we need m…

1
Spock, Mr. Miyagi and Government Performance, with Michael Jacobson 42:32

9M ago42:32

42:32

We talk to Michael Jacobson, Deputy Director of Performance Strategy in the King County (WA) Office of Performance, Strategy, and Budget. He shares insights about all things performance management; why performance management belongs in the budget office; how to make accountability less daunting; and what Spock and the Karate Kid have to do with per…

1
Financial Leadership, Public School Style - with Tamara Mitchell 42:10

10M ago42:10

42:10

We talk school finance with Tamara Mitchell, Assistant Superintendent for Business & Financial Services for the Joliet, IL School District 86. She talks where public money for schools comes from and where it goes; the good and the bad of being state funded versus property tax funded; how Joliet School District 86 won 70% approval for a referendum o…

1
EMERGENCY EPISODE - Surviving the Shutdown - with Emily Brock 26:09

10M ago26:09

26:09

On this "emergency family meeting" episode we talk federal government shutdown with the Government Finance Officers Association's federal government guru Emily Brock. She shares what we've learned from past shutdowns, how the forthcoming shutdown will affect state and local finances, and how state and local finance officials can respond, among many…

1
Antiquated to AI in Muni Finance, with Matthew Gerstenfeld 42:02

10M ago42:02

42:02

We talk to Matthew Gerstenfeld, CEO and Founder of Munichain. He talks about the evolution of the municipal market, why the muni market is slow to adopt new technology, and what AI could offer to the market in the future, among many other topics. In Ripped from the Headlines, we talk about an article from CityLab titled "What it Looks like when AI …

1
Paying for Results 2.0, with Caroline Whistler 46:05

10M ago46:05

46:05

We talk to Caroline Whistler of Third Sector Capital Partners, who reflects on her decade plus in the Pay for Results space with state and local governments. She explains how that space has evolved, the importance of data in outcomes oriented government, and how civil servants are crucial to ensure public money has the biggest impact possible. In R…

1
Investing in People in the First State, with Treasurer Colleen Davis 40:50

11M ago40:50

40:50

We continue our conversations with state treasurers, this time with Delaware Treasurer Colleen Davis. She tells us about her work in expanding the state’s 529 program, how she’s addressing banking deserts, and the highs and lows of being a AAA credit state, among many other topics. In Ripped from the Headlines, we look into some surprising trends i…

1
Smart Investments for Cybersecurity, with Omid Rahmani 43:08

11M ago43:08

43:08

We talk to Omid Rahmani from Fitch Ratings about the intersection of cybersecurity and public finance. He describes the many types of cyber risks governments face, how to budget for digital infrastructure, why cyber risk is a national security concern, and why Sly Stallone is a cybersecurity expert. We continue to the discussion about the impact of…

1
Sales Taxes in the Wake of Wayfair, with Max Behlke 39:09

11M ago39:09

39:09

Liz talks to Max Behkle, Deputy Executive Director for the Institute for State Policy Leaders, about South Dakota v. Wayfair, the Supreme Court that allowed states to collect sales taxes on remote sales. Max worked for the National Conference of State Legislatures at the time and was instrumental in the case as well as remote sales tax policy acros…

1
Win-Win Investments in Water Infrastructure, with Josh Weimer 38:57

12M ago38:57

38:57

We visit with Josh Weimer from the Turlock (CA) Irrigation District about the challenges and opportunities of water infrastructure. We focus the discussion on Project Nexus, a plan to cover canals with solar panels. He shares how this is a project with many co-benefits and the potential for other water and irrigation districts across the country an…

1
Public Money in the Media Capital of the World, with Jennifer Becker 38:11

12M ago38:11

38:11

We talk to Jennifer Becker, Director of Financial Services for the City of Burbank, about how the actors and writers strike is affecting finances in Burbank, the highs and lows of being an industry town, Southern California's economic challenges, and how she'd fix California's Proposition 13. In Ripped from the Headlines, we take a deeper dive into…

1
Building Better Defaults, with David Schleicher 43:10

12M ago43:10

43:10

We visit with Yale law professor David Schleicher about his new book, In a Bad State: Responding to State and Local Fiscal Crises. We talk about why the tradeoffs when cities address fiscal distress, how the Chapter 9 process could be improved, and why Arkansas is the American Argentina. In Ripped from the Headlines, Liz talks about her reporting o…

1
State Revenues Today and Tomorrow, with Lucy Dadayan 39:16

1y ago39:16

39:16

We talk to state budgeting expert (and Public Money Pod fan!) Lucy Dadayan from the Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center about all things state revenues. She explains the wide variation in revenue trends across sources and states; the many challenges of inflation; and her best predictions for FY24 and beyond, among many other topics. In the Ripped fro…

1
Tractors, TRA and Timeless Finance Tools, with Mitchell Smith 44:21

1y ago44:21

44:21

We talk to Mitchell Smith, Director of Government and External Affairs for the Council of Development Finance Agencies. We cover the history and development of Community Development Finance Institutions; how CDFIs finance everything from tractors to solar panels; how new finance tools are a lot like old finance tools; and exciting pending legislati…

1
Taxation without Representation, with Glen Lee 49:04

1y ago49:04

49:04

We kick off season 2 with Glen Lee, the CFO of Washington D.C. We talk about the federal government’s role in D.C’s finances, the challenge of reviving D.C’s downtown and transit system, and why D.C is similar and different to other cities we’ve heard about. We again revisit the transit discussion in Ripped from the Headlines to learn more about th…

1
Budgeting for Equity and Opportunity, with Katie Johnston and Matthew Stitt 46:43

1y ago46:43

46:43

In our second episode recorded live at the Government Finance Officers Association 2023 annual conference in Portland, OR - and our final episode of Season 1 - we visit with Katie Johnston, Budget Manager for the City of Tacoma, WA and Professor Matthew Stitt, Director and National Lead for Equitable Recovery and Strategic Financial Initiatives at …

1
Unlocking State and Local Assets, with Ben McAdams 30:20

1y ago30:20

30:20

We caught up with Ben McAdams, Senior Fellow at the Sorenson Impact Center at the David Eccles School of Business at the University of Utah, at the Government Finance Officers' Association 2023 annual conference in Portland, OR. We discuss how states and localities can evaluate the value and opportunity costs for capital assets, how to retrofit dow…

1
Going to the Moon, with Chris Brown 42:37

1y ago42:37

42:37

We continue our conversations with state/local CFOs, this time with City of Houston Controller Chris Brown. He explains Houston's remarkable $6 billion pension reform, why other post-employment benefit (OPEB) liabilities are the next big fiscal challenge, what other CFOs can learn from Houston's experience, and why "Structurally-Balanced Budget" is…

1
Episode Revisit - Old Pipes, New Data and the Future of Infrastructure Finance, with Eric Horvath 43:00

1y ago43:00

43:00

The White House just released a progress report on its plan for more than a trillion dollars of new infrastructure spending (Spoiler Alert: A lot of work remains!). That report reminded us of one of our favorite episodes - Eric Horvath from the City of South Bend, Indiana. In that episode, Eric described how South Bend reinvented its wastewater/sto…

1
Point Procurement at the Goal, with Mariel Reed 39:34

1y ago39:34

39:34

We examine the ever-evolving relationship between state/local procurement and finance. Mariel Reed of Pavilion joins us to explore the interface of state/local procurement, technology and public finance. She explains how procurement can be a strategic resource and change agent, when procurement can make money, and what state/local government and te…

1
Medicaid and the State of State Budgets, with Richard Auxier 46:25

1y ago46:25

46:25

We take a deep dive on all things Medicaid, starting with its outsized impact on state budgets. Richard Auxier from the Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center walks us through the state-federal Medicaid funding partnership, why "redetermination" matters, the Medicaid policy trade-offs states will face in the near future, and why FMAP rates should be par…

1
Focus on Good Stuff, with Nevada Treasurer Zach Conine 40:06

1y ago40:06

40:06

We continue our conversations with state treasurers, this time with Nevada's Zach Conine. He explains fiscal policy for financial booms and busts, the promise of baby bonds, how the Treasurer can build bridges within state government, why anti-ESG legislation complicates his fiduciary duty, and why COBOL programming is still sexy. In Ripped from th…

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Liz Frerichs Podcasts

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