Governing: State and local government news and analysis
Billions of federal dollars are coming to states to make broadband for all a reality, but funding alone doesn’t ensure results. Powerful resources are available to help state and local governments succeed.
It isn’t just about constitutional rights and fairness. Underfunded, undervalued public defense is also costly to taxpayers. A few states are showing the way toward meaningful reforms.
Misinformation can thwart the work of public health. Leaders from the field are bringing the mindset they use to detect and contain disease to the rapid, far-reaching spread of an information epidemic.
As funds flow from the Inflation Reduction Act for projects across the country, getting the full benefit of this landmark law will depend on governors seizing the moment.
It is on track to become ubiquitous in public services, but it will introduce unpredicted challenges. Success will require not only an understanding of coding and statistics but also the knowledge that humans apply from their lived experience.
New research describes transportation engineers as part of the public health workforce, and argues they should emphasize strategies that reduce risk for greater proportions of the population.
A patchwork of confusing and sometimes contradictory policies, involving all levels of government as well as health care providers, resulted in a chaotic response. We need to figure out how to upgrade the system for future health emergencies.
An online resource now being built out has the potential to become an important intellectual hub for public-sector investment practitioners. They need to articulate what they most want to find there.
Municipal strikes have been rare for decades, but union activity in California suggest they might be making a comeback. Blame it on inflation and staff shortages.
An advocacy group for nude recreation has been a presence at the annual meeting of state legislators for decades — not to advertise, but to prevent inadvertent disruption of a way of life and a multibillion-dollar industry.
Federal pandemic aid that supported thousands of child-care providers will end soon, leading to downsizings and closures. There are innovative ways for states, local governments and businesses to mitigate the blow to working families and employers.
If you live in rural America, your Internet access can still be hard to come by. States can change the situation.
This week in state and local politics: San Francisco Mayor London Breed is in real trouble while there's handwringing over hand-counting ballots.
Local governments are considering rent control initiatives to protect struggling tenants, but some analysts say restrictions only exacerbate the housing crunch and others have questioned if the true beneficiaries are actually low-income renters.
The city’s Revenue Stabilization Workgroup was tasked with crafting progressive taxes. Here’s what they came up with.
Many sites tied to the national mental health crisis hotline transmitted information on visitors through the Meta Pixel analytics tool despite promises of anonymity to their users.
Data from cities, counties and states reveals the roles they have the toughest time filling (and they’re not just in cybersecurity). Here are some of their innovative approaches to navigating these workforce shortages.
Some states have taken steps to shield their election workers from intimidation and harm, but there’s a lack of urgency at the federal level. A nationwide threat requires a nationwide response.
Boston has a new tax incentive program to help developers convert downtown office space to housing. Conversions remain relatively rare, but more cities are looking at ways to push them forward.
It offers significant cost, efficiency and sustainability benefits, but its widespread use is hampered by a patchwork of state and local regulations. Regulatory consistency could help builders deliver the housing we need.
The work that public health officials do is determined by policy, but engaging with policymakers hasn’t been a strong suit for the field. A new book aims to help them do better.
The governor’s ambitious plan bets heavily on competition, through vouchers and school choice, but there’s no reliable evidence that competition can make a real difference.
The state lets workers own and register their vehicles, but they aren’t allowed to drive them, forcing many farm workers to risk fines and arrest. “It’s a Catch-22 for a lot of folks,” advocates say.
Hasan Ikhrata recently announced his resignation, ending five years of acrimony with local officials around transportation policy. Left unresolved is how the region will fund its highways and transit systems long term.
The local figures who used to move their communities forward are in painfully short supply.
Following labor unrest with writers, actors and hotel workers, a one-day strike by city workers in Los Angeles was aimed at getting stalled negotiations going again. It also reflected a desire for respect.
Having mayors run school districts became a big trend 30 years ago. Now most cities are returning power to independently elected school boards.
A training program operated by the National League of Cities helps small cities apply directly for federal infrastructure funding. Participating cities have won $428 million since last summer.
Private credit has gained a growing share of pension portfolios over the past decade. It’s time to take a second look under the hood.
The state brought together a remarkable coalition and waived red tape to get traffic on I-95 moving again just 12 days after a bridge collapsed. That kind of focus on results, not procedures, can help restore trust in government.
