Sustainable Communities

• New Wisconsin Law Strips Secretary of State of Some Powers
• BY: McClatchy News   |   Wisconsin   |   March 14, 2013
• Gov. Scott Walker signed a bill to strip the secretary of state of his power to briefly delay legislation from taking effect. The proposal renewed in part the 2011 fight over Walker's labor legislation, in which the secretary of state had a significant role in a court fight over the law.

• New Jersey Appeals Sports Betting Decision
• Source: Newark Star-Ledger   |   New Jersey   |   March 14, 2013
• New Jersey officials appealed a federal judge’s decision to block legal sports betting in the state, a move that was expected in a high-stakes case that could end up before the nation’s highest court.

• Report: High-Skill Worker Funds Target Wrong Parts of Country
• BY: J.B. Wogan   |   March 14, 2013
• Money raised through visa applications to pay for high-skill worker training doesn't actually match geographic demand, according to a new report.
• 4 Comments

• Suburban Blight & the Affordable Housing Conundrum
• BY: Liz Farmer   |   March 13, 2013
• As urban revival pushes more lower-income earners to the suburbs, many are struggling to provide services and redefine their identity.
• 1 Comments

• Wisconsin Governor Signs Iron Mining Law
• BY: McClatchy News   |   Wisconsin   |   March 12, 2013
• Gov. Scott Walker has signed into law the controversial bill that relaxes permitting requirements for iron mining in the state. Lawsuits are expected to be filed against the state over the changes.

• Governors Prioritize Employing People with Disabilities
• BY: Stateline   |   Nation   |   March 11, 2013
• The nation’s governors have turned their attention to helping more people with disabilities find jobs by building partnerships with companies that are willing to help accommodate them.
• 1 Comments

• The Tools We Need to Help Poor Neighborhoods
• BY: Mark Funkhouser   |   March 11, 2013
• The Community Reinvestment Act doesn't always get at underlying economic issues. It's time to redesign it.
• 1 Comments

• 7 Rules for Colorado's New Marijuana Industry
• BY: Dylan Scott   |   March 11, 2013
• Pot vending machines? Perhaps, under new recommendations from a governor-appointed task force on regulating legalized marijuana.
• 11 Comments

• State Governments Continue Slashing Payrolls
• BY: Mike Maciag   |   March 8, 2013
• State governments cut 53,000 jobs over the past five months, with education employees being hardest hit.
• 2 Comments

• Wisconsin Passes Mining Bill, Groups Vow Lawsuits
• BY: McClatchy News   |   Wisconsin   |   March 8, 2013
• A newly passed bill in Wisconsin relaxes environmental and permitting regulations to pave the way for a new mining in the state. Several groups have vowed to fight new mining in court.

• Study: DREAM Acts Would be Economic Boon for States
• BY: J.B. Wogan   |   Nation   |   March 7, 2013
• When state lawmakers consider granting in-state tuition to undocumented immigrants, they tend to focus on strict university-related spending and tuition revenues. A new study finds that government and society would see a net economic benefit.
• 6 Comments

• California, on Brink of Recovery, Braces for Setback in Federal Aid
• Source: New York Times   |   California   |   March 6, 2013
• As the $85 billion in spending cuts slowly roll out nationwide, California officials are girding themselves for a blow not only to the state’s large military industry but also to its nascent economic recovery.

• California Governor Seeks to Spread State's Green Practices
• BY: McClatchy News   |   California   |   March 4, 2013
• California is a leader on the environment, but it needs other states -- and nations -- on board to keep down economic costs.

• Advancing the Debate: Why Legalize Sports Betting?
• BY: J.B. Wogan   |   March 4, 2013
• New Jersey passed a law to legalize sports betting at casinos and race tracks, which is already allowed in four states. But the feds and major sports leagues have been working to block it.
• 3 Comments

• Sports Betting Suffers Another Setback in New Jersey
• Source: AP/Newark Star-Ledger   |   New Jersey   |   March 1, 2013
• A federal judge upheld a 1992 law prohibiting sports wagering in 46 of 50 U.S. states, including New Jersey.