Washington, DC - Careful budgeting,...

Washington, DC - Careful budgeting, a generally favorable economic climate and a growing array of productivity improvements are helping improve the fiscal health of most numerous U.S. cities and towns, according to the National League of Cities' (NLC's) 1996 review of City Fiscal Conditions. The observe found a trend of steady yet slow growth since 1993 in general supply balances and a prevalence of optimism in the fiscal prospect for cities. Most of the 381 cities responding to the take a view of are maintaining service levels, and more than one-quarter said they are increasing services, especially in the area of public safety.

through the whole extent of the past two years, however, more than one-quarter of the respondent said their expenditures outpaced returns and even more are projecting shortfalls this year.

An overall assessment of constant-dollar changes in local fiscal estimates revealed that both revenues and expenditures have grown at an annual rate of