Governing: State and local government news and analysis
John Nolen’s blueprint for Venice, Fla., is legendary among urban planners. But what's interesting about Venice as a place, as opposed to a plan, is how it’s evolved in real life.
The White House ordered a pause on all federal grants, partly intending to target diversity, equity and inclusion and other "woke" programs. A third of states' budgets comes from federal grants.
Finding ways to support teaching as a career, including training, innovation and community engagement, helped a Chicago-area district increase its retention rate by 23 percent in just three years.
AI caused less damage through misinformation or election administration than predicted in 2024. New laws meant to combat political deepfakes, meanwhile, went largely unenforced.
The president noted the need to fight Los Angeles fires, but the water would go elsewhere in the state primarily to aid farmers. Environmentalists complained the move was unlawful.
Enjoying momentum thanks to Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s nomination as federal health secretary, vaccine skeptics are pushing state-level bills to block mandates and give parents and workers greater latitude to opt out.
It could bring states a lot of revenue. But voters don’t like it, even though few of them would have to pay.
Jeffrey Tumlin oversaw the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency during a period of tumult for public transit and city streets.
Maryland took historic steps to improve its education system. It shouldn't back away from them now, even amid budget shortfalls.
As the Trump administration steps up immigration enforcement, GOP Gov. Greg Abbott has sent a request to congressional leaders to be paid back for his Biden-era efforts.
The city’s police department has put a focus on officer mental health and well-being. That’s a big cultural change because officers often feel they need to hide their struggles.
In an era of diminished credibility for traditional media, government leaders can no longer count on it to educate and inform the public. There are alternatives, and leaders should make greater use of them.
The reason is simple: A boom in apartment construction. Developers are pulling permits at a rate nearly triple that of San Antonio on a per capita basis.
The Trump administration has an opportunity to return authority over energy generation and natural resource development to the states.
The Trump White House has ordered a pause on infrastructure spending approved during the last administration, and is promoting new spending on digital infrastructure to support artificial intelligence.
President Trump’s executive order abolishing remote work for most employees will be good for the local economy and transit systems. Twenty percent of the federal workforce lives in the D.C. area.
Voters approved $10 billion in school construction bonds last November. Facing big maintenance backlogs, districts around the state are worried the money could be quickly depleted by the need to rebuild Los Angeles schools after the fires.
The No. 1 job of urban leaders is to deliver core services. Some of them have forgotten that.
Lone wolf attackers can be harder to detect than those who work in a group. But strategies involving police, the public and mental health professionals can help.
The state faced its worst storm in decades with up to 10 inches shutting down roads. States of emergency were declared across the South due to unusual wintry conditions.
As 2024 came to a close, the White House and Congress approved big giveaways to two subsets of state and local government employees and pensioners. There could be political backlash, and for equity’s sake there might be a case for some corrective tax policies.
Insurance companies were fleeing fire-prone parts of California even before the disaster in Los Angeles. Policymakers are under pressure to find solutions as the risks grow.
Catastrophes like the L.A. wildfires are going to happen again. There’s no easy way to make sure victims can be made whole.
Lawmakers will devote considerable time this year to perennial concerns such as crime and education.
Lawmakers continue to try to get ahead of the curve on AI and many are eager to curb social media use among the young. Climate remains the top environmental concern but "forever chemicals" are more likely to see bipartisan action.
New York's mayor, embroiled in legal trouble, has no chance at winning a second term. Meanwhile, the two parties argue about whether the legislative year can even begin in Minnesota.
Grant programs too often send money to areas that already have resources. Federal agencies should work with state and local leaders to identify the place-specific needs of regional economies and develop custom projects.
Between brazen minor offenses like organized shoplifting and a few heavily publicized acts of random violence, it’s little wonder that people are on edge.
Even the most basic computing tasks require electrical power. The level of computing that drives today’s economy is far from basic.
A 2022 law gave staff the ability to unionize. Their new contract will provide a raise of 3 percent in July and additional workplace protections.
