Rutgers SPAA Hosts 2024 Public Finance and Budgeting Northeastern Workshop
On Friday, May 17, 2024, the School of Public Affairs and Administration (SPAA), in conjunction with the New Jersey State Policy Lab (NJSPL), hosted a workshop with scholars from Rutgers-Newark, Rutgers-Camden, Rutgers-New Brunswick, Rowan University, SUNY Albany, Baruch College, New York University, University of Delaware, Syracuse University, and the University of Connecticut.
The purpose of the event was to bring together scholars to discuss important public finance and budgeting issues that impact the Northeast of the United States. Sixteen working papers were presented covering a variety of topics. These included fiscal recovery from COVID-19, addressing local fiscal pressures, financing local government infrastructure, managing pension plans, equity in public budgeting, and education finance and policies, among others. The workshop was organized by Dr. Pengju Zhang, associate professor, and Dr. Charles Menifield, university professor, from Rutgers SPAA, and funded by the New Jersey State Policy Lab (NJSPL).
The program began with a welcome from the dean of SPAA, Dr. Kaifeng Yang, and Elizabeth Cooner, the executive director of NJSPL. Bill Glasgall, senior vice president and director for state and local initiatives for the Volcker Alliance, delivered the keynote speech, discussing critical budgeting issues in New Jersey and other U.S. states.
Among the presenters were SPAA faculty who also served as panel chairs:
Charles Menifield, University Professor
- Program Coordinator
- Chair: Panel One
- Presenter, Panel Three: "School Loan Forgiveness"
Marilyn Rubin, Distinguished Research Fellow
- Chair: Panel Two
- Presenter, Panel Three: "Equity in Congressional Budget Justifications"
Pengju Zhang, Associate Professor and Director of International Programs
- Program Coordinator
- Presenter, Panel Two: "The Bankruptcy of Special Districts: What, When, and Why?"
- Chair: Panel Three