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.
The right kind of public-private partnerships could liberate billions of dollars for other infrastructure and to address critical urban needs. But it’s important to protect public values.
The Census Bureau was late generating the numbers, but legislators have seized the opportunity to produce maps in record time with minimal input.
A New Mexico legislative committee is believed to be the first to try the management approach in a lawmaking context. It’s an effort that bears watching, and some lessons are being learned.
Whether they are paving roads damaged by Hurricane Ida or building a next-generation railroad tunnel under the Hudson River, unions, like the Operating Engineers Local 825, expect to be part of the action.
It’s tempting for a mayor or a governor to swing for the fences, promising to solve every intractable societal problem. But leaders who go for what's realistically achievable are more likely to succeed.
A blockbuster video stars a LEGO re-creation of the city of Arlington, Texas. A city official’s hobby is helping citizens understand how it makes budget decisions.
Several of the state’s Democratic Congress members are working to advance policies such as child care, Medicaid expansion, nutrition assistance, electric vehicle charging and more as a part of the proposed $3.5T budget reconciliation.
Local candidate debates and town halls have devolved into substance-free, celebrity-focused dog-and-pony shows, at a time when we need serious examination of issues. Can’t we do better?
New Jersey announced that residents who lost their cars in the floods caused by Tropical Storm Ida can get free and discounted Uber and Lyft rides for the next two weeks. In some cases, insurance may cover costs as well.
New state laws empower citizens to take the law into their own hands when it comes to abortion and elections. They're only the latest manifestation of rage against government itself.
The legislation that bankrolls medical screenings and treatment did not account for inflation-fueled increases, which means the program could run out of cash unless Congress modifies the funding formula.
The storm affected 42 percent of Louisiana’s registered voters and the Oct. 9 ballot is full of primaries. The situation has forced officials to consider delaying elections by at least one month.
New traffic rules could set age requirements, speed limits and require the popular e-scooters to be parked in designated locations. Introduced in July, the scooters have generated hundreds of complaints.
Following a year-long investigation into food delivery platforms, the city has filed first-of-its-kind lawsuits accusing the platforms of tactics that violate municipal law.
As state courts prepare to weigh in on accusations of gerrymandering, lawmakers across the country are hard at work trying to change those courts’ ideological balance.
States have set aside millions of federal dollars for mental health and substance use disorder services, but the money must be spent by the end of 2026. Then, states will have to find other ways to fund the programs.
Visitors to the National 9/11 Memorial in lower Manhattan, where the World Trade Center towers once stood, reflect on the events that took place two decades ago and what it means to them today.
At least two of the candidates have promised income tax cuts, but both plans would offer benefits to more than just low-wage earners and would have to get past a Democrat-controlled Legislature.
The governor wants Congress to expand Medicaid coverage to those eligible at no cost to the state government. The workaround could be passed through the Medicaid Saves Lives Act or as part of the annual federal budget.
With the city’s transit system badly flooded by the hurricane’s rains, calls have grown to increase capital spending now to upgrade subways and buses. But fees from the road tolling program are many months away.
Natural disasters such as fires, floods and storms are more intense and are developing more rapidly. The “new normal” that climate change has brought to emergency managers is unpredictability.
New research from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis found that the stay-at-home and other emergency orders enacted by officials in response to the coronavirus pandemic likely saved thousands of lives in the region.
The Pierce County, Wash., auditor confirmed that five dead people voted in the 2020 presidential election, and three people are being tried for the “tribute votes.” The confirmation only shows that voter fraud prevention efforts worked.
The goal of having nonpartisan elections is not to remove all politics from governing but to remove a conflict point that keeps a school board from doing its job.
Hurricane Ida has done immense damage to Louisiana’s power infrastructure, leaving millions without power. Some lawmakers hope the damage will help convince some GOP members to support the proposed infrastructure package.
Transportation and housing advocates are becoming fed up with the review process, which can easily delay or kill a project. They say it puts too much power in the hands of a few privileged citizens.
Federal pandemic relief funds offer state and local governments the chance to invest in public health programming and infrastructure to make communities safer, particularly those that have been the most harmed.
The state’s Health Department has changed the way it reports COVID-related death data to the CDC which gives an appearance of a pandemic in decline, despite the continued spread of the delta variant.
A patchwork system of vaccination records has left many hospitals in the area without accurate information. Despite it not impacting a person’s treatment, it could deter efforts to encourage unvaccinated patients to get the shot.
Selma was a crucible of the civil rights movement. That brings visitors, but residents and businesses have fled the Alabama town.
