Governing: State and local government news and analysis
Iowa leads the nation in the percentage of its electricity it generates from wind and solar, showing that the transition doesn’t have to be expensive or scary or even constrained by politics.
State officials face challenges from shrinking revenue and major changes from Washington in shared programs such as education and Medicaid.
New York City’s Department of Transportation awarded a third of its contracts to minority- and women-owned businesses last year, a priority of Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez.
They face more challenges than urban schools. But there are strategies they can use to prepare and cope.
Every few decades, we have an opportunity to change what our cities can be. This is one of those moments.
They’ve generated over $100 billion in investments in thousands of struggling communities. We have the opportunity to extend and expand the program — and to make it permanent.
Some communities are investing in new infrastructure and designs not only to protect residents but improve quality of life.
There's a reason states with big-city capitals produce different policies than those headquartered in out of the way places.
Our first print magazine of 2025 concentrates on this moment of change and challenges for cities.
Local foundations have gone beyond funding charities to changing economic activity and strategies in several major cities.
As governor, Carter completely reorganized the state government and helped bring Black officials into positions of power. All that came after a run for the office rooted in race-baiting.
All but two states completed a review, but only 22 states reached or surpassed the recommended minimum levels of security in their systems.
Republicans gained a tie in the Minnesota House in November, ending the Democrats' trifecta and halting their heavily progressive agenda.
This is a nation in need of de-escalation training. Bad behavior has been normalized to the point that some people are celebrating assassins.
Being selective about the audiences they reach has some political benefits, but doesn't help inspire trust in government more broadly.
Over the past few months, gun laws in Illinois, New York and Minnesota have all been tossed out. Federal courts are more protective of Second Amendment Rights in the wake of a 2022 Supreme Court decision.
Over the past decade, Richmond, Va., has managed to cut its poverty rate by 36 percent. Many things broke right for the city, but a pair of mayors stuck with a longterm plan to make it happen.
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.
