Governing: State and local government news and analysis
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.
States face a tricky year, with their own revenues stalling and federal aid running low.
U.S. prisons are dangerous for corrections staff and incarcerated people alike and recidivism rates are high. Can a Scandinavian-inspired culture shift help?
It’s just too hard to start a new business. These offices can do a lot to eliminate governmental red tape and remove other barriers to our engines of job creation and economic growth.
PowerSchool, which has 16,000 customers, is used by more than 50 million students. Hackers gained access to information about them and their parents, receiving ransom to prevent leaks of the stolen data.
The nation's largest health insurance program is likely to be cut in Congress this year to pay for other priorities. That could have profound ramifications for state budgets and the health-care system.
Voters in several states, including deeply red ones, chose to make significant boosts. While the federal minimum remains stuck at $7.25, 10 states now have a wage of $15 or higher and more are headed in that direction.
As a legislator, governor, president and ex-president, he confronted the prejudices that were so much a part of where and when he grew up. His life and deeds hold many lessons for today’s public officials.
Artificial intelligence systems require consistent monitoring and staffing to put in place and to keep them working well. The need for people and more machines to make sure new tools don’t mess up is leading to increased costs for hospitals.
A state Supreme Court justice won a narrow victory in November. Her challenger argues tens of thousands of votes should be thrown out.
Forty million Americans live in food deserts. Can government-owned grocery stores fix this?
Five years after the murder of George Floyd and just ahead of the Trump administration, Minneapolis agreed to enter into a consent decree with the Department of Justice. DOJ cited five others as models for success.
The Yes In My Backyard movement is barely a decade old. But it has set the terms of the debate over state and local housing policy.
The state’s 988 service has a $7 million shortfall and the nation’s fifth highest rate of abandoned calls. The suicide rate in Texas has risen dramatically during this century.
Democrats outperformed Kamala Harris’ showing in three legislative districts but fell short of President Biden’s showing back in 2020.
As Georgia governor, he was a pioneer in efforts to attract foreign investment and promote exports, setting the stage for how U.S. states would help shape the global economy.
