Governing: State and local government news and analysis
Minnesota state Rep. Frank Hornstein, a 22-year veteran of the state House, will not run for re-election this year. Colleagues say he’s left an imprint on transportation policy and the culture of the Legislature.
Everyone knows this is a charged moment for election administration. A bipartisan committee has refreshed long-established ethical standards to help officials navigate current minefields.
Cities and counties all over the country exceed the new standard. A lack of detailed measurement data will leave many states flying blind.
A number of red states are moving to weaken child labor laws. Sponsors say they just want kids to be able to work, but critics complain companies are already exploiting vulnerable populations.
Laws in Texas and Florida that prohibit the platforms from removing content run afoul of the First Amendment and will make things worse. The Supreme Court should strike them down.
Revenues are coming in slower, creating some shortfalls. Following recent boom times, even a bit of belt-tightening is going to come as a shock.
All along the Eastern Seaboard, concerns about industrial wind turbines continue to grow. There are better ways to generate clean, reliable, less costly power.
It's been seven years since the New Jersey city has seen a traffic fatality, with injuries down significantly as well. Many of its improvements could be replicated elsewhere.
As recent ousters illustrate, patriarchy's a particular issue for Black women in top administrative positions at colleges and universities. Education leaders and public officials need to take it seriously.
The pandemic has made the shortage worse for both permanent residents and the workforce. Some towns are beginning to find solutions.
Major tech firms have signed an accord to fight the deceptive use of AI in 2024 elections. It’s a welcome signal, if not a promise to solve the problem.
A bill would require each county to offer a treatment option as an alternative to the traditional court process for veterans and active military members. About 8 percent of the state’s corrections system population served in the military.
Under a new ordinance, Internet providers can’t provide better service to wealthier neighborhoods. A 2022 investigation found that households in L.A.’s poorest neighborhoods paid high prices for slow service.
Billions of dollars in tax-sheltered municipal bonds are sold to fund stadiums and arenas that enrich team owners while fueling federal deficits. Local politicians can’t say no, but Congress should.
A group of American cities are working to reverse practices that have held down Black homeownership — and the generational wealth it brings — for nearly a century.
Land subsidence is making major seafront metropolises from New York to Jakarta more vulnerable to rising waters. Local decisionmakers need to account for it.
Future in Context
The co-author of a new book suggests that when technology, data and collective effort converge, government, the tech industry and higher education can tackle major challenges while bringing a new generation into the workforce.
Ten states have yet to expand eligibility under the Affordable Care Act. Doing so would save lives, improve financial well-being, save states money and support regional economies.
They should. Charters schools aren’t magic, and plenty of them are worse than the average public school. But on average, charters are superior.
A total of eight African Americans are serving as the top chamber leaders in state legislatures. Meanwhile, the fallout from an Oregon Supreme Court ruling that barred some state senators from seeking re-election won't be as great as you might think.
Intercity bus ridership is up and should return to pre-pandemic levels by 2026. Other trends, including the closure of Greyhound stations in big cities such as Philadelphia, are less positive.
State and local governments have an opportunity to fill a sizable gap by subsidizing the conversion of market-rate properties into affordable housing. While costly, it's still cheaper than building new.
The 2023 legislation establishing the grant program also includes new equipment for rural sheriffs.
In 47 states, schools have a higher proportion of students from elsewhere than they did 20 years ago.
Special elections offer some clues about the mood of the electorate. Recalls might be an even better predictor.
Professional sports teams are on the move and they’re leaning on state and local officials to help them. Subsidies exceeding $1 billion per deal are on the table.
Given the state’s budget deficit, legislative leaders are calling for reviews of how existing programs are working. But more than 70 percent of the 1,118 agency reports due in the past year have not been submitted yet.
Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis hasn’t just used Georgia’s RICO law to prosecute Donald Trump. Schoolteachers and rappers have also been charged, and the state has used the law to go after protesters. Shouldn’t these tools be reserved for the kinds of prosecutions they were intended for?
Bomb threats, misinformation, AI advancements and ransomware are just some of the challenges election officials will deal with this year.
