Governing: State and local government news and analysis
Data-driven decisions, support from the state and a dedicated, collaborative team are helping Hennepin County get a handle on an intractable problem.
States and city governments are rethinking job requirements, replacing four-year degrees with proven skill applications to bring in new applicants.
Vulnerable homeowners need financial help when flood, fire or dangerous winds strike. But whose job is it to provide the money?
The annual Medicare-plus advertising blitz now under way should remind us that smarter post-employment benefit designs for state and local employees are long overdue.
Pandemic-era federal money is gone, yet problems remain.
A new report, using new, more granular data sets, compares the recovery of 26 downtowns. Those with a mix of land uses, jobs and residents are faring the best, it says.
People in struggling communities can benefit from the work-from-home phenomenon. But they need some mentoring to do it. Some innovative startups are getting them there.
Despite some early missteps, the public management practice is here to stay. More cities are working on collaborative efforts with one another, national organizations and researchers to shape their future policies.
A poll found that 63 percent of Americans agree that the two main political parties do "such a poor job" of representing the public that a third party is needed. Meanwhile, a Republican's home state advantage and demanding input into redistricting.
Work that began as a civic hack — a part-time passion project for a group of Google engineers — is bringing corrections operations into the 21st century, helping tens of thousands move out of the system.
There is a lot governments could do to give more people ways to serve their communities, benefiting themselves while addressing civic challenges. Public service is an antidote for disunity.
State and local government PIOs and social media teams are navigating the drastic changes at what was once Twitter, grappling with unexpected features and shifts in user verification, as they weigh the pros and cons of remaining on the evolving platform.
Pre-emption of local authority has been a major concern over the past decade. Now, states are not only blocking specific laws but stopping cities and counties from addressing entire areas of policy.
Just hiring more recruiters won’t address the issue. By partnering with community organizations that connect with young people daily, some higher education institutions have an opportunity to overcome demographic trends.
The Federal Railroad Administration has awarded $1.4 billion for railroad improvements, a huge expansion of a key funding program under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. Funded projects will help make passenger and freight service more efficient.
North Carolina, where cities large and small are creating open-container “social districts,” is about to find out.
Veronica O. Davis, a transportation director in Houston, recently published Inclusive Transportation: A Manifesto for Repairing Divided Communities. The book describes experiences and lessons from her career as a planner, engineer and advocate.
The Biden administration’s decision to grant work authorization to Venezuelans has sparked state action.
Water providers say rebates for residential areas are costly and many people refuse to remove their lawns. The rules aim to save enough water for more than a million households a year.
For the past 30 years, state attorneys general have successfully sued major businesses across the country. Now cities and counties want to get in on the action.
The National League of Cities is helping mayors tackle the ways that challenges they face are connected to each other, and to public health.
While Congress has temporarily averted a government closure, the next 45 days provide uncertainty and opportunity to prepare for future fiscal turmoil.
The pandemic offered Americans a rare glimpse of a world where vaccines could be distributed efficiently and access was relatively simple. Now we’re back to our old, too often clunky system.
Following Ken Paxton's acquittal on corruption charges, the attorney general is seeking revenge against House members who voted to impeach him. He'll likely claim some victories but not change the overall balance of power within that body.
Future in Context
Human-centered design can go a long way toward fixing some of society’s biggest problems, including missteps in trying to make things better by applying technology alone.
When a wildfire or storm strikes, the elderly die at twice or three times the rate of other age groups. There’s much that could be done to make them less vulnerable.
Gwinnett County, Ga., has proposed a transit plan with big investments in microtransit and a new rapid bus service. Leaders hope it will appeal to voters, who have defeated at least four transit referendums in the last five decades.
Under increased scrutiny and even attack, election workers are leaving their jobs in record numbers. For those who stay, resources are being offered to help preserve their mental wellness.
A hefty nationwide increase in premiums for public employers to provide their workers and retirees with health coverage will outstrip most governments’ revenue growth. It’s time to address and attack root causes.
Are we really as divided as we’re being told we are? A new paper from the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace takes up that question. Its answer may surprise you.
