What Is Really Happening To City Budgets During COVID-19?

by Angelica Wedell on April 8, 2021

-The Polco Minute with Angelica Wedell-

Welcome to the latest news in local government and community engagement.

In this episode, we explore what is really happening to city budgets during COVID-19. Then, we travel to Niles, Illinois to see how they improve their quality of life through better transportation. Last, we share how your boss can cure your burn out.

The Overshadowed Plight of City Budgets

-By Liz Farmer, RouteFifty-

While the coronavirus-driven economic downturn hasn’t been as disruptive to most state budgets as initially feared, for many local governments it’s dealt a brutal financial hit. Congress has now responded with historic levels of direct aid to thousands of cities and counties. But some experts are cautioning that the windfall shouldn’t be spent just on today’s problems. That’s because local governments are likely to still be feeling the effects of the downturn for years to come, even after the Covid-19 outbreak has subsided. And in some cases these future pressures will compound budget problems that predated the pandemic. Read more.

How Niles Improves Quality of Life Through Ease of Transportation

-By Julia Steege-Reimann, Polco-

The Village of Niles, Illinois knows that making it easy for people to get around can drastically improve quality of life for residents and protect the environment at the same time. Read more.

What if Your Job is Causing Your Burn Out?

-By Olga Khazan, The Atlantic-

Anyone can feel burned out, even people who might have spent the pandemic relaxing on a COVID-free island with a magically replenishing money supply. The mental pressure of living through a mass-casualty event would be enough to fry the most Zen of brains. There’s also been burnout creep recently—people might talk about “midlife-crisis burnout” or being “burned out on Pilates.” But at its core, burnout is a work problem. Though wellness influencers might suggest various life hacks to help push through pandemic torpor, actual burnout experts say that tips and tricks are not the best way to treat the condition. Instead, they say, burnout is a problem created by the workplace, and changes to the workplace are the best way to fix it. Read more.