COVID-19 threatens the future of local government

COVID-19 has placed enormous fiscal pressure on governments around the world as they engage in a massive effort to address the health and economic challenges of their population. Much of the media coverage of the response to the pandemic has focused on national governments, which have taken unprecedented steps to support people and businesses through tax relief, subsidies, job retention schemes, and more. We should not lose sight, however, of how vital local authorities are during this pandemic.