Governing: State and local government news and analysis
Chases have cost the lives of thousands (half of them innocent bystanders), but sometimes they’re the only way to apprehend violent criminals. Police agencies need nuanced policies to guide their officers.
Providing guaranteed cash with no spending restrictions is massively expensive, and the public doesn’t support the idea. Policymakers should focus on reforms that maximize labor-force participation and make work more worthwhile.
Ron DeSantis started his presidential run as a Republican rock star. As he returns to Florida, it’s not clear what he’ll do next.
It’s been a topic for decades. Some blame cars. Some blame uninviting public spaces. Maybe there are some small things communities could do that would help.
More and more, policymakers are recognizing the need to help students learn to navigate a chaotic media environment. There are three main elements to effectively implementing these mandates in classrooms.
Nearly four years after the start of the pandemic, downtowns are still short of office workers and foot traffic. That's contributing to significant budget problems in some cities.
The state’s first-in-the-nation approach to decriminalization has left deaths and overdoses surging. Criminalization needn’t be equated with incarceration. The spectrum of penalties can include fines, community service and treatment.
Future in Context
A discussion about the near future and the legislative issues to keep an eye on this year. Technology, budget and transportation top the list.
Merging cities with their suburbs is sometimes seen as inspired urbanism. But it doesn’t always benefit everyone.
The scare headlines about maternal mortality going up and being especially deadly for Black women are based on changes in data collection, not deaths. The real numbers show that the U.S. is not an outlier.
The nation is undergoing a massive shift in terms of building its advanced manufacturing capacity. Here's how metros need to position themselves to take advantage.
Most states set repayment periods for criminal fines, fees and restitution far longer than they do for consumer and civil debt — in some cases for decades. The consequences are severe.
Better pay for legislators is on the table in several states. It’s a sticky subject, even when their work is compensated below the minimum wage.
A record number of women were elected to statehouses last year. But in the Southeast, where some legislatures are more than 80 percent male, representation is lagging as lawmakers pass bills that most impact women.
To compete for winning investment performance in capital markets, the plans need to build stronger internal bench depth. Compensation is part of the picture, but they also need to beef up their training camps.
Artificial intelligence platforms have flaws with serious class, gender and race implications. Public officials need to pay more attention to those biases and do what they can to prevent harm.
Last year, New York state lawmakers considered a package of mandates with a goal of 800,000 more units. After that deal fell apart, this year's model will be less ambitious.
In a time of disinvestment and other budget pressures, these programs are too often the first to be cut. But they are where students learn to have difficult conversations in an atmosphere of free inquiry and expression.
The GOP has usurped Democrats among working class voters, increasingly including those who aren't white. Also: Several states will have new maps due to redistricting court fights, while Joe Arpaio decides to run for another office at 91.
Is crime out of control? The homicide rate went down 12 percent last year. Still, there’s more than one kind of crime, more than one data set and more than one way to spin things.
In a large majority of states, low- and middle-income residents pay an effective tax rate that's higher than top earners, a think tank finds.
Gov. Jeff Landry wants to end Louisiana’s jungle primary as early as next week. The change is opposed by some other top Republicans.
The laws target low-income and minority renters for eviction, violate their civil rights and fail to reduce crime.
State lawmakers will be rushing to address crime, AI, housing and a host of other issues – including growing budget gaps – ahead of elections this year.
Income-targeted programs deliver quality education to marginalized student groups. But all parents need to be able to choose how their children are taught, and more states are going universal.
Massachusetts voters approved an additional tax on incomes of more than a million dollars. At least a billion extra dollars will support transportation and education projects this year.
The Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education finds little to no learning loss after the switch to a four-day week.
From “ghost networks” to denial of doctor-prescribed care, insurance companies put too many obstacles in the way of people who need help. State policymakers need to take action, and voters will support them.
No longer isolated by a freeway, San Francisco’s Ferry Building doesn’t have the worldwide fame of the Eiffel Tower or Big Ben. But a new book argues that it has shaped both its own city and the built environment in many others.
The people least prepared to teach are education majors. K-12 schools should be freed to hire based on subject-matter expertise.
