By Brian Johnson, Director of Investment Services Well, the wait is finally over. After months of speculation, the Federal Reserve Open Market Committee (FOMC) officially took action at their meeting on September 18, cutting the benchmark fed funds rate by 50-basis points (0.50%) to a target rate of 4.75-5.00%. There was some speculation we could […]

By Jodie Zesbaugh, Senior Municipal Advisor and Nick Anhut, Senior Municipal Advisor Evaluating Taxable & Tax-Exempt Borrowing Options Perhaps it is no secret to our readers, but the federal government provides state and local governments the privilege of issuing tax-exempt debt to finance the projects that deliver generational benefits to their communities.  As an added […]

By Brian Johnson, Director of Investment Services If you’re a fan of roller coasters, you’ve likely enjoyed the past few months as the market seemingly can’t decide how many times the Federal Reserve’s (Fed) Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) might reduce its target range for the federal funds rate in 2024, if at all. The […]

By Todd Hagen, Senior Municipal Advisor and Jon Cameron, Senior Municipal Advisor | Managing  Director How to Plan for Funding Lead Service Line Replacement The federal bipartisan Infrastructure law (also known as the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act or IIJA) invests $15 billion to identify and replace lead service lines. Some states, including Minnesota, have […]

By Kyle Sawyer, Senior Fiscal Consultant and Beth Downes, Municipal Advisor Best Practices for New Municipal Finance Staff & Leaders Congratulations, you’re the new kid on the block!  Welcome to your new role in local government. Now what? Whether you’ve moved from a different entity, received an internal promotion, or transitioned into a brand-new role, […]

By Harry Allen, Associate Municipal Advisor Wisconsin TID Creation & Levy Limit Referendum Requirements for 2024 Based on legislative changes introduced in Wisconsin Act 12 (see our December 2023 Act 12 “What Wisconsin Communities Need to Know” article),  counties and municipalities will see reduced levy limit benefits for Tax Increment Districts created on or after […]

By Shelby McQuay, Senior Municipal Advisor | Managing Director What’s the Latest from the Legislature? As Minnesota school districts wrap up the 2023-2024 year, we recognize that many officials are trying to capture as much information on the legislative updates that the Minnesota Department of Education and various professional groups are offering.  Fortunately, Ehlers has […]

By Brian Reilly, CFA President, Ehlers Investments It may sound anticlimactic, but there are regularly important moments in financial markets where everyone expects nothing to happen.  Such was the case for the announcement made by Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell at the conclusion of last Wednesday’s policy meeting of the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC).  […]

By Dan Tienter, Municipal Advisor and Brian Roemer, Senior Municipal Advisor Understanding the Annual Comprehensive Financial Report To paraphrase Warren Buffet…To understand the status of any going concern – from a nationwide confectionery business to a small public utility – you must understand the imperfect language of accounting. And, while Mr. Buffet may be more […]

By Dan Tienter, Municipal Advisor Best Practices for Using Artificial Intelligence Systems In recent years, Artificial Intelligence (AI) emerged as a potentially transformative force in our personal and professional lives, perhaps forever changing how we live, work, and interact with technology. Yet, as with any powerful tool, AI comes with its own set of advantages […]