The latest Debtwire Municipals Muni Lowdown podcast features Managing Editor Paul Greaves discussing state funding of disasters with Peter Muller, Senior Officer at The Pew Charitable Trusts and Journalist Kunal Kamal.
Peter was one of the lead authors for the recently published issue brief by Pew entitled "What Waning Federal Disaster Aid Would Mean for State Budgets."
The podcast begins with Peter discussing the impetus for this issue brief.
The discussion shifts to the following topics:
- The exclusion of the US territories from this analysis.
- Highlighting how federal disaster aid can rival or exceed some states’ reserves in major disaster years and the ability of states to withstand repeated disasters.
- The headwinds faced by states due to FEMA denials rising sharply in 2025 and slower rollout of disaster aid.
- Discussing whether there is an appropriate risk-sharing model between the federal, state and local governments.
- Whether states create/maintain a standalone disaster reserve.
- Examining whether certain states are more or less prepared to face a scenario of significantly reduced federal support?
