At the end of the fiscal year 2022, 53 cities did not have enough money to pay all of their bills.

This year's report highlights the volatility and risk surrounding pension plan assets and corresponding pension liabilities.

Truth in Accounting has released its sixth annual Financial State of the Cities report.

Despite receiving federal assistance from the CARES Act and other COVID-19 related grants, the majority of cities’ finances worsened. Total debt among the 75 largest U.S. cities amounted to $357 billion at the end of the fiscal year 2020, which was $23.5 billion worse than the last fiscal year.

By Teri Sforza, includes “It’s a bit like hiding credit card bills under the mattress and declaring that everything’s fine: Cities, a watchdog group says, don’t include the true costs of government in the budgets they present to the public. Into this financial house of mirrors strides Truth in Accounting, a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization devoted to translating inscrutable financial documents into a language everyone can understand.”

The 2021 Financial State of the Cities (FSOC) surveys the fiscal health of the 75 largest municipalities in the United States. This data is released today by Truth in Accounting (TIA), a think tank that analyzes government financial reporting.

Our fifth annual Financial State of the Cities report. This analysis surveys the fiscal health of the 75 most populated US cities prior to the coronavirus pandemic. 

Our fourth annual report on the financial condition of the nation's 75 largest cities. 

Many Orange County cities are struggling to maintain budgets that keep, or minimally cut services and employees, while trying to keep up with growing law enforcement and fire pension spending.