News
Fifty million Americans are living in poverty or near it. A new grant program will help nonprofits address inequities and promote upward mobility.
Gov. Gavin Newsom and state legislators this year made budget cuts and deferred spending as a way to address the $31.5 billion spending gap. But, as tax revenues were delayed by winter storms, the gap has grown to $68 billion.
The state’s new maps added more majority-Black districts but added them to areas that already had Black representation and whitewashed or combined other districts, leading to maps that offer little chance of partisan competition.
In what seems to be a coordinated effort between the governor, attorney general and secretary of state, six lawsuits challenging voter-approved property tax cuts and increases to teachers’ pensions have been blocked.
Irene Mulvey, president of the American Association of University Professors, regarding the University of Nebraska’s proposal to spend $450 million on a renovation of its football stadium in Lincoln, while also looking to cut millions of dollars from the university’s academic system. The renovation to Memorial Stadium was given preliminary approval this fall, while the four-campus University of Nebraska system faces a $58 million budget shortfall that threatens to cut staff and academic programs. (Associated Press — Dec. 8, 2023)
Decades ago, highway projects destroyed neighborhoods, uprooting families and businesses. Today’s leaders must seek to rebuild public trust through thoughtful, equitable transportation and land-use decisions.
Localities have always been creatures of state government. But their freedom to act independently is up against ever more stringent limits.
The nation grew at a 5.2 percent annual rate in the third quarter of this year, but several factors indicate that a number of states are not seeing the same trends. The preliminary unemployment rate rose in 38 states.
The county council unanimously approved a 10-year contract between Cuyahoga Green Energy, the county-run utility, and Compass Energy Platform to develop district microgrids, which will serve as small-scale local electricity systems.
The congestion pricing fee would be for drivers entering Manhattan south of 60th street, but a New Jersey lawsuit threatens to delay its implementation. The fee is forecast to earn $1 billion for the MTA’s capital budget.
Carlos Eduardo Espina, a law student at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, who received an active shooter alert after having just finished one of his last final exams of the semester. More than 630 mass shootings have occurred across the U.S. this year and one in six Americans say that they have personally witnessed a shooting. For Espina, being involved in a mass shooting was just a matter of when, not if, it would occur. Wednesday’s shooting at UNLV killed three people and left another critically injured. (NPR — Dec. 7, 2023)
The Michigan GOP is not the only state party with a treasury running dry. Meanwhile, in New Jersey, the fix is in for the governor's race. Plus, a reflection of Sandra Day O'Connor, legislator.
Ingredients include increased numbers of residents, cultural amenities and tourism. The key is not depending too heavily on office workers.
Even in a work-from-home era, deregulation — fewer restrictions on commercial property development — would lead to more business creation and more jobs with higher wages.
The nation’s largest county currently imports 60 percent of its water supply. The water plan that the Board of Supervisors adopted on Tuesday outlines how it will shift to sourcing 162 billion gallons locally instead.
Nearly 100 percent of students use their phones for an average of 42 minutes during the school day, with social media being the top reason. A study found that adolescent smartphone use during weekdays resulted in worsened mental health.
The city’s Housing Authority received the federal grant to help voucher holders relocate to areas of high opportunity. The DHA estimates that more than 3,500 families are living in non-high-opportunity areas.
A proposed law would require successful bidders for county construction work valued at $1 million or more to meet the standards of a New York State Apprenticeship program in an effort to retain trade students.
Former Vice President Al Gore, speaking at the Bloomberg Green at COP28 event, regarding concerns about the use of social media among children and how dangerous social media sites that are “dominated by algorithms” can be for users. (The Hill — Dec. 5, 2023)
On-the-job training can serve as one way for states and localities to meet ongoing public- and private-sector labor shortages.
High-profile departures of senior-level executives reflect not only an aging workforce and a more politicized operating environment but also salaries and benefits that need to be competitive with the private sector’s.
Despite job gains moving at their slowest pace since 2011 and extreme stress in commercial real estate, Colorado managed to stave off a recession this year. Many are wondering whether it can keep an economic downturn at bay again next year.
A U.S. district judge has scolded the Texas Health and Human Services Commission for ignoring complaints of maltreatment and horrible living conditions for foster children with intellectual disabilities.
A New Orleans power utility wants customers to pay for the $750 million to $1 billion price tag, which could raise bills an additional $11.86 per month. But the city has pushed back saying there must be an affordable option for ratepayers.
A new survey found that only about 5 percent of Texans currently drive an electric vehicle and, of those who don’t currently own or lease an EV, about 60 percent said they probably wouldn’t consider one in the future either.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, regarding its decision to stop its experimental feeding program for starving manatees as the seagrass, upon which manatees depend, has started to recover in key winter foraging areas on the state’s east coast and fewer manatees appear to be in poor physical condition headed into the winter season. More than 400,000 pounds of lettuce was fed to the manatees near Cocoa, Fl., last year as part of the two-year program. (Associated Press — Dec. 5, 2023)
