Governing: State and local government news and analysis
Vincent Fort served in the Georgia Senate for nearly three decades as a forceful, effective voice for “the least of these.” As he copes with cancer, it's important to acknowledge a vanishing breed of leader.
Panhandle businessman Alex Fairly, the father of an incoming state representative, was already a major GOP donor. Now he's funding a new group to support more conservative politicians.
Two years ago, the city crafted heralded policies on requiring electrification of buildings and cars. This week, it softened restrictions significantly.
When Democrat Jay Inslee took office in 2013, the state’s two-year budget was $38.4 billion. Now, as he prepares to leave, he’s released a $78.8 billion spending plan.
More than anything it’s the simple result of Americans growing older, a fact of life we haven’t come to grips with politically.
Immigration is no longer the primary lens through which Latinos see the world. They are rapidly becoming more defined as economically populist voters, exasperated with the political failure to address their economic concerns.
A bill would shut down public schools that are among the 5 percent worst performers, matching charter school standards. Critics say basing closures on percentages means schools would be lost every year.
Trump promises to seek stiffer sentences, including the death penalty. But there’s still appetite in Congress for policies designed to reduce incarceration.
The taming of inflation was the main financial story. Bond and capital markets were cooperative, even if voters upset about property taxes were not. Governors, mayors, finance directors and pension pros may soon look back wistfully at 2024’s business-as-usual atmosphere.
Many new laws passed by California contain requirements for progress reports. This year, agencies have sent in such reports only 16 percent of the time.
Iowa has helped prompt other states to adopt flat income tax rates. To bring down property taxes, the state has to address local government spending.
Texas state Rep. Armando Martinez has been arguing for years that a law school would help the Rio Grande Valley economy and reduce brain drain. Local colleges are finally working on a plan.
The Court's decision overturning the Chevron doctrine could affect everything from fishing rules to transgender rights under Trump. It could also hamper red states.
State and local governments will be forced to return pandemic relief funds if they aren’t properly obligated by the end of December.
In a pivotal year, governments enacted AI laws, strengthened defenses, bridged the broadband gap, and prioritized accessible, user-friendly digital services. As 2025 nears, most jurisdictions still lack fully mature AI frameworks.
A measure that provided some hurricane relief was a vehicle for taking power away from executive offices that will be controlled by Democrats next year. The GOP’s legislative supermajority overrode a veto from Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper.
Prosecutors allege that Mike Madigan, the former Democratic speaker, and associates directed companies to provide campaign contributions and no-show jobs to allies. The defense will begin its presentation at trial next week.
School vouchers, border enforcement and energy infrastructure are on the GOP agenda in Texas. A fight for speaker of the House could determine its prospects.
Incoming GOP Gov. Mike Kehoe campaigned on a pledge to eliminate personal income taxes. Several bills would cut the income tax to 4 percent while imposing sales taxes on services.
If legislators approve the request, the Texas Health and Human Services Commission would also get $100 million from Washington to address huge Medicaid and food stamp application delays.
Tom Homan, who will lead Trump’s deportation effort, said that sanctuary policies can shield dangerous criminals. Harboring or concealing undocumented immigrants, he said, is a federal crime.
St. Louis voters rejected a $60 million proposal for a new soccer stadium, but the city got one anyway. Here’s how it did that with minimal public funding.
The model, which has been gaining popularity throughout the U.S., presents an opportunity for direct state investment in affordable housing without relying on uncertain federal funds.
Eight states and the U.S. Justice Department have sued over the practice. The company whose software is used by many landlords says it helps renters as well.
Beset by funding issues and questionable program duplication from predominantly white institutions, too many historically black colleges and universities are struggling. We must ensure that these valuable institutions thrive.
Bird flu is affecting more and more dairy cattle. There’s no sign yet of human-to-human spread, but new dimensions of the outbreak continue to emerge.
A 1998 ban on dual-language courses was repealed in 2016, but they still have not fully bounced back or hired enough teachers. Texas enrolls 40 percent of its English learners in such programs compared to 10 percent in California.
As a new administration takes power in Washington, the work of state and local public officials who champion free and fair elections will become even more critical.
Eleven states belong to the 20-year-old Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, which created the nation’s first regional cap-and-invest system for reducing carbon emissions. With the change in administration, RGGI may set more aggressive emissions reductions goals.
Los Angeles County voters have approved changes that include an expansion of the county Board of Supervisors and creation of a separate executive leader. Reform advocates had pushed for such changes for decades and an atmosphere of scandal helped them succeed.
