City & Town Newsletters

This article provides an understanding of municipal revenue as a key component of local budgeting. It highlights the four primary revenue sources for cities and towns with a focus on the strategic use of these revenue streams.

This article provides guidance to assist local officials understand how the overlay and overlay surplus work in order to help local governments maintain fiscal responsibility and accountability.

This article explores the special education reserve fund, a reserve fund for unanticipated costs related to special education (SPED) and certain other school programs under provisions set forth in the Municipal Modernization Act of 2016.

This article highlights free tools offered by DLS that can help local officials build robust peer analyses in minutes. These resources allow communities to benchmark against comparable municipalities, identify trends, set realistic goals, and communicate complex financial realities to residents and stakeholders with greater clarity.

Using the Financial Management Resource Bureau's Financial Indicator tool to understand and budget the most reliable revenue source available to a community, it's property tax levy.

This article explains how cities and towns can leverage DIF as a part of their economic development strategy to contribute to targeted infrastructure upgrades.

This article provides best practices to ensure a successful fiscal year close.

This article provides pointers, general guidance, and resources for local officials to ensure a smooth, timely, and accurate year-end close process.

This article from the DLS Bureau of Local Payments analyzes historical trends in the Community Preservation Fund distribution.

This article explains how the collection of committed real and personal property taxes affects free cash in a municipality. It explains the starting point of the free cash calculation, impacts on free cash and it provides helpful examples.