Financial State of the Cities 2024

FEBRUARY 15, 2024

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

Financial State of the Cities 2023

FEBRUARY 7, 2023

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

Financial State of the Cities 2022

JANUARY 25, 2022

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

PRESS RELEASE: Majority of U.S. cities finances worsened during beginning of COVID-19 pandemic

JANUARY 24, 2022

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.

Kansas City and St. Louis receive D’s in fiscal health

FEBRUARY 9, 2021 | SHOW-ME INSTITUTE (MISSOURI) | by Corianna Baier

By Corianna Baker, includes “… All the cities on this list, including Kansas City and St. Louis, have balanced budget requirements, meant to ‘prevent elected officials from shifting the burden of paying for current-year services to future-year taxpayers.”

Who wins best fiscal health: Kansas City or Tampa Bay?

FEBRUARY 8, 2021 | TAMPA, FL PATCH | by Truth in Accounting

From Feb. 5, includes “… We do not know who will win the big game, but we do know which home city is in the best financial position. In the case of financial health we have a clear winner: Tampa. …”

Majority of U.S. cities ill-prepared for COVID-19 pandemic

JANUARY 26, 2021

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.

Financial State of the Cities 2021

JANUARY 26, 2021

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. 

Coronavirus, contracts and the Constitution

AUGUST 18, 2020 | WALL STREET JOURNAL | by David Rivkin, J. Michael Luttig

Plaintiff lawyers want insurance companies to absorb the cost to business of the Covid-19 pandemic—and they’ve had some early successes

Say that again

JUNE 30, 2020 | MISSOURI BUSINESS ALERT

Monday marks the start of a new order in Kansas City requiring people to wear masks in public spaces. Mayor Quinton Lucas said the health order, which comes after several days of record new COVID-19 cases in the area, will help businesses.

Worse than Great Recession? Pandemic may force Kansas City to change expensive ways

JUNE 29, 2020 | KCUR 89.3 FM (NPR) | by Lisa Rodriguez, Kevin Hardy

No city will escape the economic pain of the coronavirus, but Kansas City may be in worse shape than most.

2020 Financial State of the Cities

JANUARY 28, 2020

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

Kansas City has to ‘figure out something’ to fund ballooning pensions in tight budget

APRIL 29, 2019 | THE KANSAS CITY STAR | by Allison Kite

Kansas City’s next mayor will inherit a municipal budget stretched to cover a lengthening list of urgent needs.

Accounting and auditing forum

AUGUST 13, 2018 | FEDERAL RESERVE BANK OF KANSAS CITY

Annual forum this November 6, intro includes “The annual event is an opportunity for accounting professionals and banking supervisors to interact and discuss current accounting and auditing issues related to banking. …The target audience for this event includes financial officers, accountants and internal auditors associated with state member banks, bank holding companies and savings and loan holding companies. Additionally, the Forum is appropriate for external auditors, outsourced internal auditors and consultants providing accounting services to financial institutions.”

Missouri’s two biggest cities are poorly managed

JULY 16, 2018 | MISSOURINET | by Jason Taylor

Missouri’s two biggest cities aren’t especially well run according to a survey by personal finance website Wallethub.

The financial state of Missouri cities

JANUARY 30, 2018 | PUBLIC. | by The Show Me Institute

It won't be a surprise to readers of this blog that Kansas City and St. Louis are in bad financial shape.

Examining the recent shift in state and local pension plans to alternative investments

SEPTEMBER 28, 2017 | FEDERAL RESERVE BANK OF KANSAS CITY | by Huixin Bi, Trenton Herriford

Against the backdrop of pervasive underfunding, many state and local pension plans have increasingly turned to alternative investments such as private equity, hedge funds, and real estate in recent years.