SB 1512 (Diaz) and CS/HB 7069 (State Affairs) repeal an existing reporting requirement that municipalities report certain budget and economic data to the Office of Economic and Demographic Research and replace it with a new reporting requirement. The bills require municipalities and counties to electronically submit to the Department of Financial Services all necessary information needed to facilitate the department preparing a local government report and interactive website that can be used to compare and rank local governments. Some of the information that may need to be submitted includes government spending per capita, government debt per capita, crime rates, school grades, median income and unemployment. The department will adopt, by rule, the method and format of the required reporting. CS/HB 7069 also requires that the local government report grade cities and counties, using an “A” through “F” grading scale, on factors such as government spending, debt, public safety and education. Given the difference in the scope and breadth of the services provided by cities, ranking and comparing municipalities will generate data that may have no value and, in fact, could cause confusion among residents. (Hughes)