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'Investors Are Hesitant': Rural America Might Miss Out on 'Opportunity Zones'

Tax breaks likely aren't enough to lure investors to low-income communities in rural areas. There are ways they can become more attractive.

• States, Cities Add Sweeteners to Attract 'Opportunity Zone' Investors Motel in the mountains with a few cars.

States, Cities Add Sweeteners to Attract 'Opportunity Zone' Investors

With 8,700 low-income communities competing for private investment, some places are topping on the incentives to make themselves stand out.

After Years of Explosive Growth, Migration to the West and the South Slows

New places are emerging as destinations for people on the move.

Why the Death Penalty Has Lost Support From Both Parties

A generation ago, most Democrats and Republicans backed capital punishment. But in New Hampshire, lawmakers on both sides of the aisle just voted to abolish it, reflecting a nationwide trend.

People in red fill the rotunda of the texas capitol

The Key to Predicting the Next Teacher Strike

A new study confirms that the less teachers are paid, the more likely they are to protest. Only a few of the lowest-paid districts have yet to see a strike.

• Despite Teachers' Strike Success, Their Schools Are Still Funded Less Than a Decade Ago

Sanctuary City Mayors Respond to Trump's Threat 'With Open Arms'

The president wants to release detained immigrants in cities where local leaders oppose his immigration policies.

Baltimore Mayor Catherine Pugh

Forget Congress: Many State Lawmakers Are Running for Mayor This Year

Why are they breaking norms and eyeing city hall instead of Capitol Hill?

When Rural Hospitals Close, More Than Health Care Is Lost

At least 95 have closed their doors since 2010, and roughly a quarter of the ones left are at risk of shuttering.

Connecticut State Capitol

Federal Tax Reform May Be Saving Money for States, Even High-Tax Ones

The part of the 2017 law that high-tax states are battling in court is likely helping them lower their debt -- at least in the short-term.

Drugs? Pets? Couples? Unlike Most Homeless Shelters, This One Will Take You No Matter What

Las Vegas is taking a new, more tolerant approach to helping the homeless.

COMMENTARY

What Do Constituents Want? Cities Go Online to Find Out.

Local governments are using internet surveys to better gauge residents’ needs.

COMMENTARY

In Infrastructure, Embrace the Unforeseen

We often use it in ways not intended. Most of the time, that’s a good thing.

NEWS IN NUMBERS

$50,000

Amount the former first lady of Oregon has agreed to pay to settle an ethics case against her. Cynthia Hayes worked as a paid consultant and an unpaid policy adviser to John Kitzhaber, who resigned in 2015 over the scandal.

MORE DIGITS
COMMENTARY

A Performance Innovation That Actually Works

The “theory of constraints” can help governments address the core of practically any problem.

MOST READ

  1. 1

    Sanctuary City Mayors Respond to Trump's Threat 'With Open Arms'
  2. 2

    Why the Death Penalty Has Lost Support From Both Parties
  3. 3

    States, Cities Add Sweeteners to Attract 'Opportunity Zone' Investors
  4. 4

    The Biggest Issues for States to Watch in 2019
  5. 5

    In Poverty Fight, Philadelphia Mayor Takes a New Tactic
  6. 6

    The 10 Jobs Disappearing the Fastest
  7. 7

    Federal Tax Reform May Be Saving Money for States, Even High-Tax Ones
Traffic in New York City COMMENTARY

Bringing Market Forces to the Transportation Equation

Protecting providers from competition is the enemy of efficiency and integrated mobility. It's an issue that New York City's congestion pricing will address.

WHO SAID THAT?

“The passing of this bill is sure to allow hellbenders to breathe easier in the near future and give them a better chance of survival.”

MORE QUOTES
Bride and groom standing on a gavel.

Marital Rape Isn't Necessarily a Crime in 12 States

Minnesota and Ohio are weighing whether to repeal loopholes that make it legal to rape your spouse.

Liberal Hollywood and Conservative Politics Clash in America's New Filmmaking Hub

Elite actors are threatening to boycott Georgia over a heartbeat abortion bill, endangering the state's a-list status among major TV and movie productions.

Chicago's Lori Lightfoot Among a Wave of Lesbian Mayors

From Kansas City, Mo., to Tampa, Fla., a record number of large cities could elect an openly gay woman as mayor this year.

• Chicago’s New Mayor Promises Change Despite ‘Massive’ Challenges

Arizona Becomes the First to Recognize Out-of-State Job Licenses

Gov. Doug Ducey signed a bill that makes it easier for people to move there by letting them automatically transfer their occupational licenses from other states.

The 10 Jobs Disappearing the Fastest

Most of them are being killed off by automation, but they are still common in certain parts of the country. See where.

Cities and Pension Funds Are Suing Big Banks (Again)

Baltimore hopes to spearhead two class action lawsuits that accuse banks of rate fixing.

With Number of Missing Native American Women Unknown, States Seek Answers

States are starting to address the jurisdictional issues that leave so many of these cases unsolved.

Why Billions in Disaster Recovery Remain Unspent for 2017 Hurricanes

A new GAO report signals bad news for places that will try to rebuild after the Midwest flooding.

Can Smart Cities Get Smarter?

The smart city model has been around for years. It's got a lot of learning to do.