‘Is the United States headed for a catastrophic budget failure?’ at May 5 Institute for Retired Professionals

Leonard Burman, professor of practice in public administration and economics at Syracuse University’s Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, will speak at the Thursday, May 5, program of University College’s Institute for Retired Professionals (IRP).

IRP, which takes place from 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. at First Baptist Church of Syracuse, 5833 E. Seneca Turnpike, Jamesville, is free and open to the public.

Burman’s presentation will look at the forces that could lead to a catastrophic budget failure, how a debt disaster would play out and what could be done to avoid this fate. U.S. debt held by the public is nearly $10 trillion and current policy would add at least $9 trillion over the next decade, an unsustainable rate of projected growth in U.S. debt.

Burman, who received a Ph.D. from the University of Minnesota, was a deputy assistant secretary in the U.S. Treasury Department, and a senior analyst in the U.S. Congressional Budget Office. Burman is a member of the Fiscal Analysis Division Panel of Experts at the International Monetary Fund and has been a senior fellow and institute fellow at the Urban Institute.

IRP, established by University College, provides opportunities for retired people to stay intellectually active, to expand interests and make new acquaintances. Presentations are made by SU faculty and specialists within the community.

For more information on this program, call University College at 315- 443-4846, or visit http://www.uc.syr.edu/IRP.