Public Finance & Economic Power

This project embraces the fusion of public finance to the structures of othering or belonging. We know a lot about systems of public finance—the way tools and strategies can be and are used to promote economic development. These tools, strategies, and the vision of economic development too often proceed in the economic tradition of colorblindness, thereby neglecting potential to build inclusive and equity. 

The Just Public Finance program fills the gap between these accounting strategies and the way these tools and strategies are part of the abstract and complex financial system. This connection is critical to understanding the effects of these tools and strategies.

The project also works to build awareness of the technical details of public finance and its role in the larger financial system. Fluency in the tools of public finance and a fairer vision of public finance is often confined to local government, community developers, anchor institutions, and policy groups. These technical details are often removed from agenda of local community groups and advocates. Even more confined is the audience steeped in technical details of the financial system. This is often even less understood, even by local governments, local advocates, and activists. 

NEWS

What Puerto Rico Needs: Our collective concern and alternative solutions (Wendy Ake)
Thinking Ahead with Wendy Ake and Tom Sgouros
Detroit's Water Crisis: The Flood of Inequality
Detroit Water Equity and Sustainability
Structural Racism in Flint, Michigan
Adkins v. Morgan Stanley Update

Additional resources

• Technical Challenges in Public Finance, Webinar, Government Alliance for Racial Equity