Subscribe Past Issues Download

Cover Story

How Trump Became Counties' Best Friend and Biggest Ally

BY Alan Greenblatt

The administration is focusing on a level of government that past presidents have often neglected.

FEATURES

Urban

Should a Private Tech Giant Be Designing Cities?

Google’s sister company wants to build the city of the future on Toronto’s waterfront, raising concerns over privacy and the role of government. BY
Education

Many Students Are in Crisis. So Is America's School Counseling System.

Counselors say budget cuts have left them unable to respond to students’ mental health needs. BY
Urban

Will Up-Zoning Make Housing More Affordable?

Making neighborhoods denser is an idea with growing appeal. The question is whether it works. BY
Finance

How State Procurement Offices Are Learning to Buy Better

Cautiously and slowly, governments are taking more risks and modernizing the way they purchase goods and services. BY

OBSERVER

Public Safety & Justice

The Parking Enforcement Method Ruled Unconstitutional

Cities are chucking the chalk. BY
Politics & Elections

From 42 Agencies to 15: How Arkansas Overhauled State Government Without Laying Anyone Off

Gov. Asa Hutchinson spearheaded the streamlining. BY
Health & Human Services

Welfare's Once-Popular Cap on Kids Loses Favor in States

The policy was intended to discourage government dependence. It didn’t seem to work. BY
Politics & Elections

Oops! Secretary of State's Clerical Error Sets Back Iowa Ballot Measures

Supporters of the initiatives will have to wait at least two years before they go before voters. BY
Assessments

The Fables of Gentrification

A lot of what we think we know about it turns out to be wrong. BY
Washington Watch

America's Demographic Destiny Can't Be Ignored

The birth rate is at an all-time low. That’s going to have a major impact on public services. BY
Urban Notebook

In Defense of Foreign Investment in U.S. Housing

Absentee property owners from abroad take much of the blame for rising housing prices in America. But they’re really a net win for cities. BY
Education

White Communities, Black Students: Counties With the Biggest School Race Gap

White enrollment in private schools creates stark disparities in many districts. BY

THE BUSINESS OF GOVERNMENT

Smart Management

Why's It So Hard to Ax Bad Government Programs?

Performance data hasn’t worked out the way it was intended. BY
On Leadership

The GovLove Generation: How Millennials Are Redefining Public Service

They're beginning to reshape local government in a big way. BY
Public Money

Anti-Fluoride Activism Is Bad, and Not Just for Public Health

Cities must resist this vocal minority using pseudoscience. Their budgets are at stake. BY
Transportation & Infrastructure

Homeownership’s Hidden Debt

First-time buyers aren’t just acquiring property. They’re taking on a jurisdiction’s financial liabilities. BY
Health & Human Services

One State's Big Leap to Reduce Medicare and Medicaid's Out-of-Pocket Costs

Washington state is going further than any other to cover aging Americans' medical bills. BY
Infrastructure & Environment

Cities Confront the 'Forever Chemicals' Contaminating Drinking Water

As the EPA and Congress debate PFAS regulations, local governments are taking action to protect people from toxic chemicals used in the production of practically everything. BY
Infrastructure & Environment

America’s Oldest -- and Probably Wettest -- State Park

Photos and musings from our photographer. BY

CONTACT US

GOVERNING offices are located at:
1100 Connecticut Ave. N.W., Suite 1300
Washington, D.C. 20036

Phone: (202) 862-8802
Fax: (202) 386-7270
Contact us for general questions.

 

REPRINTS

Reprints of all articles (500 words minimum) are available. Please direct inquiries for reprints and licensing to Wright's Media (877) 652-5295 or sales@wrightsmedia.com