About the author

For more than thirty years I have worked in and around local government.

During that time, I watched municipalities across North America struggle with many of the same problems: rising costs, growing liabilities, deteriorating infrastructure, and recurring financial crises.

What puzzled me was not that these problems existed.

What puzzled me was that they appeared repeatedly in different cities, under different leaders, and in different economic conditions.

Mark Moses

Why?

Most explanations focus on symptoms—debt, pensions, budgets, recessions, or politics.

But symptoms do not explain causes.

Most explanations focus on symptoms—debt, pensions, budgets, recessions, or politics. But symptoms do not explain causes.

Over time, I became convinced that many of the problems facing local governments are rooted in deeper questions about incentives, decision-making, and the principles that guide public policy.

This led me to combine my experience in municipal government with my study of Objectivism, economics, and political philosophy.

My goal is to introduce better ideas into discussions of local government policy.

Using both practical experience and philosophical principles, I seek to diagnose the problems facing municipalities throughout the United States and Canada and to offer positive, pro-freedom alternatives.

Background

Since 2011, I have consulted California municipal governments in the areas of finance and administration while also serving municipalities in finance director roles.

Prior to that, I spent two decades working directly for local government in senior management positions.

My perspective on local government has also been influenced by earlier work in small business consulting and banking, as well as a longstanding interest in applied economics and philosophy.

I hold a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Engineering and Operations Research from the University of California, Berkeley and a Master of Business Administration in Finance from Golden Gate University.

This website is where I share articles, interviews, and commentary on municipal finance, public policy, and the ideas that shape how local governments operate.

Why I wrote the book

My efforts to understand these recurring problems eventually led to the ideas presented in my book.

Get the Book

Drawing on more than three decades of experience in municipal government, along with my study of economics and political philosophy, the book brings together a framework for understanding why municipalities repeatedly face financial challenges and how a more freedom-oriented approach can lead to better outcomes.