Special Briefing: How Cities and Counties are Coping with COVID-19's Fiscal Shock

Penn IUR and the Volcker Alliance will host an online briefing to discuss the strategies that US cities and counties are employing as they begin fiscal year 2021 amid the fiscal shock resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. Estimated budgetary shortfalls of as much as $1 trillion—at least a third of that among municipalities—have already led to more than 1 million state and local layoffs or furloughs. Our expert panel will examine the steps that public officials are deploying for the recession and eventual recovery as well as their need for further federal aid.

Moderated by William Glasgall, Senior Vice President and Director of State and Local Initiatives, Volcker Alliance, and Penn IUR Co-Director Susan Wachter, this briefing will be the twelfth in a series of 60-minute online conversations featuring experts from the Volcker Alliance’s national research network and Penn IUR, along with other leading academics, economists, and fiscal policy leaders from around the U.S.

This special briefing will feature presentations by Elizabeth Kellar, Senior Fellow, Center for State and Local Government Excellence and Director of Public Policy, International City/County Management Association; Chuck Reed, Former Mayor, San Jose, California and Special Counsel, Hopkins & Carley; and Natalie Cohen, President and Founder, National Municipal Research.