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The Center for Municipal Finance (CMF) enables students and faculty to engage the major financial issues of the day facing state and local governments in the United States and around the globe. Some of the topical and enduring issues of municipal finance include financing infrastructure, the use of municipal bonds, privatization, pension liabilities and the efficacy of reform, tax base adequacy, and more.
“We need to rethink the practices and techniques of contemporary municipal finance to provide government services more efficiently and to manage pressing problems related to the public sector,” said Harris Professor Christopher Berry, who directs the CMF.
Prepare for careers in local and state governments, and private-sector financial and consulting firms.
Gain in-depth expertise in the process, politics and economics of public revenue and expenditure decisions. Learn the practices and techniques of modern financial administration, and the operation of the municipal securities market.
Learn more about the Certificate in Municipal Finance
September 6th, 2022 CMF releases Part II of Cook County Scavenger Sale Study
March 31st, 2021 Today the University of Chicago Harris School of Public Policy and the Center for Municipal Finance released a groundbreaking report that examines the Cook County Scavenger Sale, the last step in the process for properties whose owners have consistently failed to pay their property tax bills.
June 17th, 2020 CMF Launches research page on Property Tax Fairness. View a summary of the research here, or access the Center's full Property Tax Portal at www.propertytaxproject.uchicago.edu.
May 30th, 2020 CMF RA, Eric Langowski presented at SatRday Chicago 2020 virtual conference on transparency, equity in property taxes and an R package for property tax analysis.Learn More
April 17th, 2020 Paula Worthington addresses COVID-19 Fiscal Pressures in Illinois:Illinois State Tax Revenues - April 17th Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund - April 6th State Retirement Systems - April 6th
March 24th, 2020 Crain’s Chicago Business, "This pre-existing condition makes Illinois finances especially vulnerable to COVID". Read More
March 21st, 2020 The municipal bond market is experiencing a massive crunch as investors react to the coronavirus pandemic; featuring Michael Belsky. Read More
March 20th, 2020 Crain's Chicago Business: "There is no doubt this (virus) is going to have a significant economic impact on Illinois." Read more
March 10th, 2020 In the Detroit News, Chris Berry addresses Detroit's property tax methodology continuing to harm its poorest residents. Read More
February 28th, 2020 The Bond Buyer tribute: Municipal market mourns loss of Jim Spiotto Read More
See the latest CMF press coverage.