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Where Have All the Black Men Gone?

There's a gender imbalance in many African-American neighborhoods. Mass incarceration is largely to blame.

New Wave of Teacher Strikes Puts Pressure on Strained School Districts

Unlike states, localities are more constrained in their ability to raise revenues. It's creating big budget deficits for some school districts.

How Lawmakers Can Raise Their Own Pay in a Less Controversial Way

There are lessons to be learned from New York and Pennsylvania.

National Emergency Jeopardizes $6 Billion in Funding for States

The president's plan to build a border wall could cost the most for California, Hawaii and Maryland -- three of the 16 states suing to block the declaration.

Distressed Cities Find Hope in Federal 'Opportunity Zones'

A new program may be a boon to struggling cities -- if it targets the right ones.

• Amazon HQ2 Was an 'Unfortunate Distraction' From 'Needy' Opportunity Zones

The Slow Housing Market Can Hurt Government Revenues, But Doesn't Have To

How much home sales impacts a place depends a lot on its property tax policies.

Supreme Court Will Wade Into Clean Water Dispute

A case over a Hawaii wastewater treatment plant could redefine the scope of the federal law that regulates pollution in lakes, rivers, streams and oceans.

Pass. Repeal. Repeat: The GOP Cycle of Defying Voters on Medicaid Expansion

In almost every state where ballot measures to expand Medicaid have passed, Republicans have tried to change the voter-approved laws.

The Growing Need for Opposition Research -- on Yourself -- in Today's Political World

After the blackface scandals involving Virginia politicians, expect more candidates to dig up dirt on themselves while keeping in mind the changing culture of America and the power of the internet.

COMMENTARY

Why ‘Density’ Is a Bad Word

It’s often used to describe how people live in urban spaces. But it shouldn't be.

COMMENTARY

Data and the Human Side of Criminal Justice

As a project in Long Beach demonstrates, treating people as individuals rather than as statistics can yield big benefits.

COMMENTARY

Want to Attract Talented Workers? Find a Better Way to Tell Your City's Story.

If your community really has a lot to offer, you need to think beyond the press release.

NEWS IN NUMBERS

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States with "trigger" laws that would immediately ban abortion in the event that the U.S. Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade. Arkansas is the latest to pass one. The others are Louisiana, Mississippi, North Dakota and South Dakota.

MORE DIGITS

Anti-Drug Smuggling Policies Are Increasingly Isolating Prisoners

Jails and prisons around the country are replacing in-person visits with video calls, enacting strict mail policies and other regulations that limit inmates' communication with family, friends and lawyers.

MOST READ

  1. 1

    The Growing Need for Opposition Research -- on Yourself -- in Today's Political World
  2. 2

    With Amazon Out of New York, Some Lawmakers Seek Multistate Ban on Corporate Tax Breaks
  3. 3

    Distressed Cities Find Hope in Federal 'Opportunity Zones'
  4. 4

    Where Have All the Black Men Gone?
  5. 5

    National Emergency Jeopardizes $6 Billion in Funding for States
  6. 6

    The Biggest Issues for States to Watch in 2018
  7. 7

    NYC Admits Defrauding FEMA Out of Millions After Superstorm Sandy

With Amazon Out of New York, Some Lawmakers Seek Multistate Ban on Corporate Tax Breaks

Lawmakers in at least a half-dozen states are considering forming a compact in which they would agree to end efforts to lure companies with tax incentives.

WHO SAID THAT?

“Many foster youths don’t want [foster parents] to be paid at all. The minute you introduce money into the occasion, kids feel like a cash cow.”

MORE QUOTES
People waiting in a line.

Think Federal Workers Have It Bad? It's Worse for State and Local Employees.

The government shutdown exposed the financial insecurity and stress of many public servants.

• States With Substantial Numbers of Lower-Wage Federal Workers

Affordable Housing Crisis Reaches a Tipping Point in Charlotte, N.C.

After experiencing explosive growth in recent years, the city is tripling its spending to address the shortage of lower-income units.

California’s New Air Pollution Solution

In an unprecedented move that will cut costs for low-income households and cut emissions for everyone, the state is paying for some homes to install energy-efficient appliances.

To Build Support for the Green New Deal, Activists Turn to States

Some states have already adopted their own version of a plan to address climate change while creating jobs. Others are being urged to.

How Housing Policies Keep White Neighborhoods So White (and Black Neighborhoods So Black)

Decades of local zoning regulations and land-use policies have kept racial segregation firmly rooted in place.

• Segregated in the Heartland: An Investigative Series

'Choose Purpose': Cities Launch Ad Campaigns to Attract More Job Applicants

Are they working?

How Nurses Prove the Power of Unions

In an anti-union era, nurses may have found a model for effectively organizing labor.

Despite Scandals, Virginia Politicians Refuse to Resign. Now What?

If history is any indication, the current controversies will likely change how Ralph Northam governs. He's already made racial reconciliation a new priority.

• Scandals Threaten Democrats' High Election Hopes for November

Planning for Detention: How 2 States Help Immigrant Children Stay Out of Foster Care

The parents of at least a quarter of a million kids are at risk of deportation. In case that happens, lawmakers are adding protections -- with bipartisan support -- for the children left behind.

• Mayors: Immigration Reform Would Take a Day If We Were in Charge