Governing: State and local government news and analysis
It took a long time for the state’s unique system of governance to fall into the hyperpartisanship that so many states have experienced. Can Nebraska find a way back?
Many bills die during the end-of-session rush. Some people like it that way.
A few states have proposed or passed laws defining "male" and "female," and more such legislation may be coming. Critics say the definitions amount to erasure of those who choose gender identities different than the one they were given at birth.
Digital solutions can modernize construction, increase safety and improve return on investments. But the traditional ways of purchasing and contracting are unsuited to the rapid pace of technological change.
Sober reflections for presidential aspirants.
Libraries once struggled to keep up with demand. Now branches are removing computers as they move toward a future built on providing a wide array of technology to patrons.
Imagine political technologists develop a machine called Clogger, a political campaign in a black box. Clogger relentlessly pursues just one objective: to maximize the chances that its candidate prevails in an election.
An analysis of zoning laws in Connecticut finds people in single-family areas are likelier to be white and have higher incomes than those in areas that allow more housing. The findings add to a growing recognition of how zoning is linked with segregation and exclusion.
Some point to pretrial release from jail to explain increases in homicides and other violent crimes. But as a new study shows, the data doesn't support that argument.
The users of the river need to treat its needs as equal to their own. That means looking out for its environmental health.
Public support for the LGBTQ+ community has grown steadily for decades. But some state legislators are pushing back against changing attitudes.
The Texas attorney general has been impeached for accepting bribes, but his case speaks to the broader importance of AG offices across the country.
A new book by Yale law professor David Schleicher explores the benefits and drawbacks of various responses to state and local debt crises. It’s a trilemma that leaders will face again and again, Schleicher says.
While electric vehicles are becoming much more commonplace, transit agencies have had mixed experiences with electric buses. Many are still exploring how best to reduce fleet emissions.
A 90-year-old train station will anchor a $10 billion investment in urban development that could result in as much as 18 million square feet of new commercial and residential space over the next several decades.
A shortage of accountants and auditors has left dozens of municipalities without credit ratings, and new financial reporting requirements are likely to make things worse. There are ways to tackle this skill set supply chain problem.
GOP state lawmakers are exerting pressure on local election officials in left-leaning areas.
Thirty-nine state governments are now “trifectas.” It’s not the kind of government the Constitution's framers wanted.
Houses of worship are experiencing a great emptying, becoming disconnected from their communities as congregations shrink. Jane Jacobs had some ideas that could help churches and their cities thrive.
Perhaps best remembered for the dam and institute named for him, the 31st president was known as a great humanitarian but had a low view of the role of government in improving people's lives.
Does your local government need a stance on generative AI? Boston encourages staff’s “responsible experimentation,” Seattle’s interim policy outlines cautions, and King County considers what responsible generative AI use might be.
Policymakers and scholars have recently made a push to prioritize the hours when cities are supposedly asleep. Smart technology can help municipalities govern the night.
A new report sheds light on mistakes, data gaps and dysfunctional organizational cultures that contributed to America suffering more loss of life than any other country in the world.
The state's new transportation bill, backed by Democratic-Farmer-Labor leaders who control the state Legislature and governor's office, will require agencies to pursue projects that reduce carbon emissions.
It takes hours to drive into the center in many developing nations' cities. Can the problem be solved? Not easily.
A recent poll found that Biden's approval rating among Black adults has dropped to 58 percent. Meanwhile election tool ERIC is under serious attack and the annals of non-cooperation.
Minnesota’s Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party won full control of the state Legislature and governor’s office, and is using the opportunity to make big investments in transportation.
A state can try to compel its cities to build more, but the results are at best modest. As Gov. Jared Polis learned, even getting zoning reforms enacted can be an insurmountable challenge.
The business community is rallying around civic education. It’s partly a matter of civic duty and partly a matter of survival — and maybe economic prosperity.
An Indiana law establishing a middle school civic education requirement is the latest step in a multisector partnership that aims to help students get a better idea of what democracy is all about.
