How the Recession is Downsizing Local Government

Budget cuts are dramatically reshaping many local governments. This piece from The Atlanta Journal-Constitution looks at how the recession will restructure governments in the Atlanta area.

1 minute read

March 23, 2010, 9:00 AM PDT

By Nate Berg


Thousands of jobs are being cut across the metropolitan area from a multitude of government agencies, and millions of dollars are being cut from local budgets. What's expected to follow is a significantly downsized government.

"'In most past recessions you have that one year of pain and then you can put things back together. This is going to be very different. We are fundamentally resizing government,' Alan Essig, a former state budget analyst who heads the Georgia Budget and Policy Institute, told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. 'If we're not going to increase revenue some sizable amount, all these budget cuts are permanent.'

If you can think of a service provided by local or state government, chances are good that you'll be able to find either a reduction in that service or an increase in what you pay for it, or both. Even at the federal level, with its trillion-dollar deficits, the U.S. Postal Service is proposing a massive cut this spring: a discontinuation of Saturday mail delivery for the first time since daily mail began running in this country."

Sunday, March 21, 2010 in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

Close-up of "Apartment for rent" sign in red text on black background in front of blurred building

Trump Administration Could Effectively End Housing Voucher Program

Federal officials are eyeing major cuts to the Section 8 program that helps millions of low-income households pay rent.

April 21, 2025 - Housing Wire

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

2 hours ago - Diana Ionescu

Ken Jennings stands in front of Snohomish County Community Transit bus.

Ken Jennings Launches Transit Web Series

The Jeopardy champ wants you to ride public transit.

April 20, 2025 - Streetsblog USA

Aerial view of Freeway Park cap park over I-5 interstate freeway in Seattle, Washington at night.

Congress Moves to End Reconnecting Communities and Related Grants

The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee moved to rescind funding for the Neighborhood Equity and Access program, which funds highway removals, freeway caps, transit projects, pedestrian infrastructure, and more.

30 minutes ago - Streetsblog USA

"No Thru Traffic - Open Streets Restaurants" sign in New York City during Covid-19 pandemic.

From Throughway to Public Space: Taking Back the American Street

How the Covid-19 pandemic taught us new ways to reclaim city streets from cars.

1 hour ago - Next City

View of passengers on transit bus at night.

Opinion: Transit Agencies Must View Service Cuts as Last Resort

Reducing service could cripple transit systems by pushing more riders to consider car ownership, making future recovery even less certain.

3 hours ago - Bloomberg CityLab