Amid revenue shortfalls caused by COVID-19, governors and lawmakers are calling for federal bailouts for state and local governments. There are better ways for states and localities to cope with the short-term consequences of the crisis and set their states up for long-run growth and fiscal sustainability. States and localities have responded in diverse ways to recent budget shortfalls, and there are also big differences in the conditions with which jurisdictions entered the crisis. Some had fiscally responsible budgets and rainy day funds, while others were already deep in the red. Hear from federal and state policy experts on reforms states and local governments can adopt to emerge from the crisis stronger.

>>> Learn more: State Bailouts 

Heritage convened the National Coronavirus Recovery Commission to make recommendations for state and local governments, the Trump administration, Congress, and the private sector. Learn more at CoronavirusCommission.com.

Find additional public policy solutions here.

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