U.S. States, Cities Have A Lot At Stake in This Presidential Election

How will states and cities fare under the next president? Looking at a list of federal fiscal and economic policy choices, Neil Peirce compares Bush's supply-side economics--with its emphasis on permanent tax cuts and individual wealth--with Kerry's support for investments in the public interest, such as health care and energy conservation. He suggests that in a second term for Bush, federal aid programs will likely be cut back--leaving state and local governments forced to increase taxes to make up for the shortfalls, while Kerry's view of the federal role provides better support for state and local governments fulfilling their education, job training, transportation and infrastructure obligations.

Thanks to Deborah Myerson