<p><em>The full transcript for this conversation and many others can be found at </em><a target="_blank" href="http://www.statecraft.pub"><strong><em>www.statecraft.pub</em></strong></a><em>.</em></p><p><em>Today we’re joined by </em><a target="_blank" href="https://law.yale.edu/david-n-schleicher"><strong><em>David Schleicher</em></strong></a><em>. David is Professor of Property and Urban Law at Yale Law School, and an expert in local government law, land use, finance, and urban development.</em></p><p><em>I found David’s book, </em><a target="_blank" href="https://www.amazon.com/Bad-State-Responding-Budget-Crises/dp/0197629156/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2GA34ZE79K4TF&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.4Bx0YWC50Cu2karAJcRIFg.MvSDG-IElVuGCd_XMckWEiAwVzdo7VcilPhWWRGfrR0&dib_tag=se&keywords=In+a+Bad+State%2C+Responding+to+State+and+Local+Budget+Crises&qid=1762773011&sprefix=%2Caps%2C321&sr=8-1"><strong><em>In a Bad State: Responding to State and Local Budget Crises</em></strong></a><em>, a fascinating and readable primer on municipal debt: what it is, how it grows, and how cities can face up to it.</em></p><p><em>Municipal pension funding may not sound like the most fascinating topic. I hope this conversation illustrates two things. First, how our pension systems work matters to all of us — whether or not we are enrolled in a municipal pension. Second, these questions go to the heart of how our cities are run, why they fail, and how they can be improved.</em></p><p><em>We discuss:</em></p><p><em>* Why are so many municipal pension funds in debt?</em></p><p><em>* Why New York City went bankrupt and Chicago didn’t</em></p><p><em>* Moral hazard in municipal credit</em></p><p><em>* The practice of "universal log rolls"</em></p><p><em>* How the federal government should respond to local bankruptcies</em></p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.statecraft.pub?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1">www.statecraft.pub</a>