Governing: State and local government news and analysis
In The Three Ages of Water, Peter Gleick traces the history of a resource humans can’t do without. While there’s enough water to go around, he says, state and local leaders from both sides of the aisle need to act now on what we know.
Allowing greater building height hasn’t proved consistently successful for cities, and it's a fantasy that Washington's city center could ever resemble Paris’ stately boulevards. But perhaps it’s time to try some experimentation.
States have information that counties need to better target their resources and services to reduce overdose risk and save lives. Improving data sharing is a good use of opioid settlement funds.
Kim Reynolds was relatively unknown when she served as lieutenant governor and even after becoming governor. She's since emerged as a powerhouse.
The costs of treating cancer are soaring, just at a time when some states are moving to save money by cutting Medicaid enrollment. It’s sure to worsen health-care inequality.
The city's transit agency is implementing a fare-capping system to prevent daily riders from paying more than weekly passholders. It's a trend that's slowly catching on.
Coastal preservation expert Simone Maloz weighs in on the 50-year plan to reverse decades of damage to the Mississippi Delta.
First appearing in leading newspapers more than a half-century ago, the leaked documents became the 47-volume Pentagon Papers. The handling of secret documents attract headlines and larger-than-life figures then and now.
The rollout of facial recognition technology in cities and states nationwide — as well as some overturned bans — could offer lessons on how to regulate other technologies that haven’t yet reached broad adoption.
Law enforcement officials agree that 911 response merits a more nuanced approach. But powerful police unions are against proposals that might reduce their control over 911 operations, and the budget and staff that go with them.
Americans turned to parks for physical and mental relief during the pandemic. New research by the Trust for Public Land explores connections between urban parks and health.
A trip to the birthplace of the blues is also a visit to a region soaked in the history of bigotry and the struggle for civil rights. It’s a past that we need to acknowledge and that today’s students need to learn about.
By comparing the operating efficiency of 149 of the largest U.S. cities, experts at WalletHub, the personal finance firm, have come up with a score for which ones are managed best.
Nationally, nearly 900 unique titles had been targeted for bans during the first half of the 2022-2023 school year. Most bans target stories by and about people of color and LGBTQ+ individuals, but some include books on history and art.
As the quick work on a Philadelphia highway collapse shows, there are people in government who know how to get things done. But too often, we let “citizen voice” make the process harder and too expensive.
Taking downtown residential is an attractive idea. But it’s not the ultimate solution to central city decline.
We’re already seeing the potential for what tools like ChatGPT can do to improve public services. It’s time for governments at all levels to invest in training their people in the technology.
Despite steady gains, the LGBTQ+ community is severely underrepresented in elected office.
Inadequate housing stock is causing problems across the country. Local zoning is part of the problem. State-level reforms in two western states may point to the answer.
Most American households don’t save enough for retirement, so some states are pushing private employers to make it easier through state-sponsored payroll withholding plans. Getting the structure and strategy right is crucial.
Our resident humanities scholar reflects on a nation fundamentally divided, again.
Chief privacy officer roles exist in 21 states and counting. As the job evolves, we look at where those IT leaders sit, how they collaborate with their peers and where the field is going.
This year, at least 10 states have implemented or expanded programs for vouchers and other state private education subsidies. There are currently voucher and similar programs in 32 states and the District of Columbia.
Workplace and financial realities will require city leaders, property owners and lenders to take action to break the cycle and reimagine downtowns.
There used to be a time when voters had to choose from a much smaller pool of candidates. Meanwhile the Voting Rights Act lives and ways to encourage poll workers.
A portion of Interstate 95 collapsed in Philadelphia after a gasoline tanker caught fire. Officials have promised a rapid response that “cuts through the red tape.”
Researchers from Columbia University visited five states to see how they were using money from the American Rescue Plan to build their public health workforces. They found that politics might matter even more than dollars.
The numbers are still at historical lows. Civic engagement is the most important factor in building trust in our institutions, and our communities need to find better ways to encourage active participation in civic life.
As Waymo and Cruise seek to expand autonomous taxi services in San Francisco, some public agencies worry about the impacts on transit operations and emergency response.
Community colleges are ideally situated to produce police officers who better understand the delicate balance between acting as guardians and as warriors.
