Governing: State and local government news and analysis
Charlie Kirk's murder is part of a thread that runs through American politics today, as well as much of the nation's history.
States introduced far more bills and passed many more into law than Congress has, acting in key areas such as tech, finance and health.
Adoption of the technology remains fragmented across states and localities. Getting the most out of it requires proactive steps.
In a heavily Republican area of Missouri, residents credit him for changing the country’s direction.
President Donald Trump's declaration of a crime emergency for Washington, D.C., ends Wednesday. But a city Council member warns that the occupation will not end.
Florida showed the way decades ago by adopting a single statewide standard, saving lives and billions of dollars and showing that hazard resistance is achievable and affordable.
It’s one of the most robust paid leave laws in the country and has required the state government to build out a sprawling administrative apparatus.
Despite federal pullbacks, the transition to clean energy is coming. Here's a road map for state and local leaders.
Turnover rates in election offices are at an all-time high. Training for these jobs has new importance.
When it comes to generating a revival, trying to copy what has succeeded somewhere else usually doesn’t work.
Having so many senior politicians is off-putting to many voters, particularly the young. There is a solution.
Federal funding and streamlined community college curriculum could make it easier to get on track for steady, well-paid employment.
Mobilizing troops in L.A. against the governor’s wishes and deploying troops to D.C. to respond to crime tests new ground for how the Guard is used.
After Katrina, most of the city's schools became charters. Although the change brought results, the importance of accountability measures should not be forgotten.
States are spending a lot of their federal TANF money on things that don’t help families that need it the most, and work reporting requirements keep too many families from accessing benefits.
While other states struggle to fund major transportation projects, Texas’ 10-year transportation spending plan has surpassed $100 billion for the third year in a row.
Two years ago, lawmakers in the Big Sky State passed one of the most comprehensive state-level housing reform packages in the country. This year, they doubled down on their success.
Abbott, the Republican governor of Texas, has presided over major changes in areas including education, taxes, immigration and economic growth. He discusses his legacy even as he gears up for a fourth term.
No matter where they end up, import taxes aren’t likely to drive inflation enough to have much effect on state or local tax revenues. Public financiers have more to think about amid federal aid cutbacks, AI's impact on employment and rate-cutting by the Fed.
The president’s deployment of the military to our cities undermines a critical constitutional safeguard for democracy. Just look at what’s happened in some other countries.
Even during a time of inflation, there are ways to relieve financial pressures on families.
Cities and counties are asking Congress to include more direct funding for local projects in the next transportation bill. States are fighting to protect existing formulas.
Seeing an absence of strong national leadership on education reform, the Fordham Institute’s Michael J. Petrilli investigated the difference between red and blue state approaches.
Seattle looks likely to reject a mayor yet again, while San Francisco voters are poised to recall a local supervisor.
Colorado will no longer allow donors of sperm or eggs to remain anonymous. Georgia recently guaranteed adoptees the right to see their original birth certificates.
California is considering a slew of bills that would penalize smaller companies and squash intervention. Congress should step in.
The judgments we make about them can be difficult to shake, even when their reality has changed a lot.
There are plenty of strategies that have proven effective at dramatically reducing crime. Sending soldiers into the streets of our cities isn’t one of them.
Akron, Ohio, reopened a major downtown park after a $17 million renovation last year, part of a strategy to promote downtown growth by investing in public spaces.
By tying payments for services to results, a successful program in Anchorage demonstrates the impact of a data-driven focus on accountability.
