Cover Story
Addicted to Fines
BY Mike Maciag
Small towns in much of the country are dangerously dependent on punitive fines and fees.
FEATURES
Finance
Course Correction
Once-popular public golf courses have become a strain on many cities’ budgets. Are municipal greens still up to par?
BY Liz Farmer
Finance
Leaning on the Land
More and more communities are considering reviving an old tax idea that’s been tried in only a few places.
BY J. Brian Charles
OBSERVER
Finance
Alaska's Public Universities May Declare 'Academic Bankruptcy'
Lawmakers failed to override the Republican governor's decision to cut 40 percent of the university system's state funding.
BY Daniel C. Vock
Public Safety & Justice
Expunged
Half of all the criminal records in Pennsylvania are about to be sealed.
BY Daniel C. Vock
Infrastructure & Environment
Dockless in Dallas
At one point, there were 18,000 rental bikes in Dallas. Now, they’re all gone.
BY Daniel C. Vock
Infrastructure & Environment
Lights Out
Texas is the latest state to ban all red-light cameras.
BY Daniel C. Vock
Assessments
The Mayoral Balancing Act
Tension between downtowns and neighborhoods isn’t going to go away.
BY Alan Ehrenhalt
Washington Watch
Reality TV Politics
Soundbites and slogans might work in Washington, but closer to home voters expect results.
BY Donald F. Kettl
Urban Notebook
Appalachian Hope
Coal isn’t going to bounce back in West Virginia. But tourism and recreation can replace it.
BY Scott Beyer
Politics & Elections
Mayors Are Harassed and Threatened, But Just How Often?
A new study reveals the downsides of running a city.
BY Mike Maciag
THE BUSINESS OF GOVERNMENT
Smart Management
Testing Period
Pilot programs don’t always fly right.
BY Katherine Barrett & Richard Greene
On Leadership
Governing in a Cynical Age
Public servants should work to restore people’s faith in government.
BY Mark Funkhouser
Public Money
High on Pot Taxes
Is there a revenue jackpot for states that legalize marijuana?
BY Anne Kim
Transportation & Infrastructure
The Two-Wheel Safety Illusion
More women are cycling, and more are dying. It reflects an urban failure.
BY Nicole Gelinas
Education
Shamed in the Lunch Line
Cold PB&Js for students who can’t pay? Some states are saying no.
BY Mattie Quinn
Infrastructure & Environment
Parks for All
"Park equity" gets a new focus as cities tackle inequality in all facets of public life.
BY Graham Vyse
LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
Governing: State and local government news and analysis
Goodbye, Governing
A letter from the editor.
BY Zach Patton
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