Municipal Governance | Penn IUR

Dec 16 11:00 am Special Briefing on the Outlook for 2026: How States & Cities Will Adapt to Wrenching Change Speakers: William Glasgall Susan Wachter Matt Fabian Eric Kim Allison Schrager Torsten Slok State & Local Finance

Nov 20 2025 Past Event Special Briefing: AI in Government—More Efficiency but Fewer Workers? Speakers: William Glasgall Susan Wachter Jon Hartley Megan Kilgore Howard Neukrug Leigh Palmer Thomas Sanchez State & Local Finance

News September 5, 2025 SEPTA Cuts Threaten Commutes and Local Economy Penn IUR Faculty Fellow Leslie Richards discusses the threats SEPTA cuts pose for vulnerable residents. Urban Development

Sep 11 2025 Past Event Special Briefing on the Muni Debt Boom: Record Borrowing Amid Budget Strains Speakers: William Glasgall Susan Wachter Matt Fabian Fitzroy Lee Vikram Rai Sheila Weinberg Mark Zandi State & Local Finance

Faculty Fellow Leslie Richards

Professor of Practice, City & Regional Planning, Weitzman School of Design Founder and Director, Transportation Initiative at Penn

Leslie S. Richards is a Penn IUR Faculty Fellow and the former CEO and General Manager of SEPTA. Urban Development

Special Briefing on State Budgets: The Big Squeeze Speakers: Susan Wachter William Glasgall State & Local Finance

May 08 2025 Past Event Special Briefing on State Budgets: The Big Squeeze Speakers: William Glasgall Susan Wachter Emily S. Brock Shelby Kerns Vikram Rai Jonathan Womer Teryn Zmuda State & Local Finance

Article March 26, 2025 Navigating Uncertainty in Federal Transportation Policy With significant policy reversals, staffing cuts, and the suspension of previously awarded federal funds, cities are being forced to reconsider how they plan, finance, and operate public transportation. State & Local Finance

Article February 26, 2025 Navigating Economic Uncertainty: Insights from Special Briefing From government downsizing and budget cuts to trade tariffs and mounting national debt, the economic landscape is fraught with uncertainty. Penn IUR and the Volcker Alliance hosted a Special Briefing on February 20, 2025 with leading economists, policymakers, and financial experts for a timely discussion. State & Local Finance

News February 19, 2025 The University of Pennsylvania’s Institute for Urban Research Announces New Partnership with the Travelers Institute The University of Pennsylvania’s Institute for Urban Research (Penn IUR) is proud to announce a new partnership with the Travelers Institute, the public policy division of Travelers, to help support Penn IUR’s Special Briefing on the Fiscal Outlook of State and Local Governments webinar and podcast series. William Glasgall Susan Wachter Joan Woodward State & Local Finance

Faculty Fellow Sanya Carley

Presidential Distinguished Professor of Energy Policy & City Planning, Weitzman School of Design Mark Alan Hughes Faculty Director, The Kleinman Center for Energy Policy

Climate Change & Resilience

Fellow in Urban Leadership Matteo Busterna

Anchor Institutions

Sep 19 2024 Past Event Special Briefing: Year Ahead for America’s States and Municipalities Speakers: Mark Zandi Vikram Rai Jane Ridley Matthew Stitt State & Local Finance

Affiliated PhD Student Adwaita Banerjee

Climate Change & Resilience Urban Development + 1

Podcasts June 27, 2024 Special Briefing: State Tax Breaks On this episode of Special Briefing, experts discuss the latest Volcker Alliance issue paper, Benefit or Burden: Evaluating $1 Trillion in State Tax Expenditures. Susan Wachter William Glasgall Matt Fabian Jonathan Ball Arlene Martinez Tim Bartik State & Local Finance

Jun 27 2024 Past Event Special Briefing: State Tax Breaks State & Local Finance

Publication June 26, 2024 Reflections on Doom Loop or Boom Loop Work from Home and the Challenges Facing America’s Big Cities Richard Voith David Stanek Susan Wachter State & Local Finance

Article April 18, 2024 Mr. Terrell Goes to Washington: Penn IUR Undergraduate Fellow Visits DC Timethius Terrell (C’24), shares his experience traveling to Washington, D.C. for a daylong trip to meet policymakers and urban policy experts as part of the Penn IUR Fellows in Urban Leadership program. Anchor Institutions

Apr 05 2024 Past Event Innovating for Urban Resilience: 19th Annual Urban Leadership Forum Climate Change & Resilience Urban Development

Mar 28 2024 Past Event Special Briefing: America's Hot Growth States State & Local Finance

Don’t miss the latest from Penn IUR. Subscribe to Urban Link.

Providing expert commentary on urban topics and highlighting Penn IUR's research in the context of pressing urban issues.

Urban Link Celebrating 20 Years of Urban Research | Dennis Culhane

Mayor Anne Hidalgo speaking in Paris

Urban Link SDSN Global Commission for Urban SDG Finance Marks Year of Progress

Andrew Melnik, Lauren Sorkin, Jaime Pumarejo at Urban Leadership Award Ceremony

Urban Link Celebrating 2024 Nussdorf Urban Leadership Prize Winners for Resilience