State and Local Politics and Policy
It’s especially hard to get low-income Americans living in multifamily buildings across the digital divide. But states and nonprofits are finding ways to do it.
Republicans and Democrats weren’t the only ones on the ballot this Tuesday. Issues of policing, housing and clean energy were put before voters too.
Only 53 percent of Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department’s 16,070 employees have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, compared with 74 percent of LAPD employees.
In an early vote of no-confidence in the Biden presidency, Republicans made inroads among suburban and Hispanic voters, while expanding their already long reach into rural precincts.
The cities of Boston, Cincinnati and Cleveland all elected new mayors of color who are still in their 30s. Progressives didn’t win everywhere, however, with more moderate Black Democrats prevailing in Buffalo and New York City.
Businessman Glenn Youngkin is the first Republican elected governor of Virginia in a dozen years. In New Jersey, Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy appears to be barely holding on.
The state’s largest city has seen its unhoused population surge since the start of the pandemic. Voters can choose from three options to fix the problem by either building one large shelter or a series of smaller ones.
The state’s gubernatorial race is a toss-up, with McAuliffe and Youngkin each representing a different set of political anxieties. The outcome of Tuesday’s vote could foreshadow future elections.
A top cabinet member in the Parson administration and a Kansas City superintendent recently announced their sudden resignations without reason, possibly harming the public’s trust in local government.
The two candidates have pushed different approaches to reforming Boston’s transportation system. But many changes need the support of the state Legislature. Will Bostonians ride for free, more frequently or somehow both?
Statewide legislation has led to a big rise in food donation and composting. But the trickiest part of the equation—separating food from its packaging—continues to cause headaches.
Texas Republicans have largely welcomed the blockchain technology industry with open arms. But skeptics are concerned about cryptocurrency mining’s impact on the environment and energy grid.
New Jersey hasn’t re-elected a Democratic governor since 1977 but Phil Murphy believes that he will break the dry spell. If Murphy retakes his position, it would be a strong sign that the state has moved decisively to the left.
The state has submitted a lawsuit in federal court against President Biden, federal agencies and NASA’s administrator in hopes of blocking the federal vaccine requirements that will take effect on Dec. 8.
In Erie, Tyler Titus could become the first openly transgender person to lead a county and in Northampton Steve Lynch’s campaign aims to protect constitutional freedoms. Both counties voted for Obama, then Trump, then Biden.
A recent survey finds that the pandemic has increased food insecurity, making it a challenge for 31 percent of U.S. households to put food on the table. It also changed the ways in which people buy and store food.
The Virginia governor's race has turned into a referendum on Biden and schools, issues Republicans believe will work well for them during the midterms.
The state's Treasury is on a mission to return $4 billion in unclaimed property to its rightful owners. For safekeeping, the valuables sit inside the largest working vault in the United States.
Justin Bibb hopes to be mayor of a city that has been in decline for decades. But despite his youth and confidence, and hundreds of millions in federal aid, the city still faces an uncertain future.
Billions of federal dollars for broadband came with the stipulation that they benefit underserved populations. New projects that link last-mile access with affordability are paving the way for universal Internet service.
Racial impact statements can provide state legislators with a way to evaluate the impact of proposed legislation on sentencing and incarceration. Nine states have adopted them, and more should follow.
A bill has been filed in the state’s General Assembly that would allow agencies and businesses to require employees to be vaccinated against COVID-19, but it would bar the employers from requiring proof of vaccination.
Gov. Newsom required state workers to get vaccinated against COVID-19 or undergo weekly testing, but many state agencies continue to have low vaccination rates and are not administering weekly testing.
“We need to protect the people who live here before we let more people come in.”
The cybersecurity professor who confirmed the vulnerability in the state’s computer system that left thousands of social security numbers at risk is requesting that the governor apologize to those who found the flaw.
The billions in recovery funds flowing from Washington should be used to build local economies from the bottom up with a focus on justice and equity, rather than counting on trickle-down strategies that have failed.
The electric car company received a warm welcome from the Lone Star State when it moved its headquarters from California just a few months ago. But some state regulations could hinder the company’s success.
One day after the city’s vaccine mandate went into effect, police officers and firefighters are unable to report to work for not being vaccinated. Some have filed for an exemption while others are facing separation.
The project uses bacteria to remove more than 99 percent of ammonia from sewer water, which is part of a larger effort to ensure clean water quality and allow for potential recycling, which will increase drought resilience.
When it comes to pro sports, public officials are constantly dealing with issues from social equity to neighborhood development to taxpayer subsidies. Nothing illustrates these issues better than Atlanta’s long relationship with the Braves.
State and local governments should devote a substantial share of the billions in opioid settlement funds to get victims of the epidemic housed in settings where they can get the help they need to recover.
