This Strong Towns podcast episode features a conversation between Chuck Marone and Shane Kavanaaugh from the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA). They discuss the GFOA’s role as a professional organization for state and local finance officials, highlighting their educational programs and best practices. Kavanaaugh explains how GFOA supports finance officers in areas like budgeting and financial reporting, differentiating their voluntary “soft law” approach from mandatory standards set by groups like GASB. The conversation explores GFOA’s research initiatives, such as “Rethinking Budgeting,” which aims to address systemic issues in public finance like the “tragedy of the commons.” They also examine the evolving role of finance officers as “decision architects” who shape the environment for elected officials to make informed financial choices and the importance of fiscal responsibility and long-term planning.

https://www.strongtowns.org/