Now is not the best time to be a government bookkeeper. It seems that every level of  public administration–federal, state, and local–is confronting the worst budget environment in recent memory. As deficits balloon and public debt levels skyrocket, the instinct to slash and burn what many feel is a bloated, unwieldy public sector becomes all the more appealing.

In this type of climate, it’s often easy to forget that well-designed, strategic public spending– and private philanthropy for that matter–can often SAVE LOTS OF MONEY down…

Many of you have heard me talk about “permanent supportive housing” in previous posts.  Washington state’s Housing Trust Fund is the essential tool for the creation and preservation of permanent supportive housing. In order to keep up with the community need, an additional $100 million in funding should be added to the Housing Trust Fund. More than 70 percent of people served by the Fund make less than $17,540 per year, making it a vital resource in the fight to end homelessness.

Funding the…