Research by Author & Topic

Publications by Adam Carasso on State and Local Finance

The behavior of state and local receipts around the end of a business cycle is historically mixed, but the last three recessions exhibit a common trend: receipts trail expenditures during the recession, and even a year or two afterwards.

In Florida, the foundering economy, mounting program costs, and a philosophy of limited government threaten the vitality of state social services. Different levels of government in Florida have begun maximizing federal dollars in earnest to make an end-run around flat state revenues. The state and the larger counties have sometimes been at odds over federal revenue maximization, however. Under a grant from the Florida Philanthropic Network, we examine Florida's efforts to maximize federal dollars in 11 federal social service programs over the past decade at the state level. These programs include Medicaid, SCHIP, Title IV-E Foster Care, TANF, SSI, and Food Stamps. Where possible, comparisons are made with Georgia, South Carolina, and Texas.