Governing: State and local government news and analysis
The public’s relationship with the Census was strained by the unique circumstances surrounding the 2020 count. Robert Santos, the first Latino to direct the Census Bureau, wants to repair this.
The fierce rhetoric flying between state capitols is a reflection of “the big sort,” as we increasingly seek out those with whom we share values. The common ground essential to governing is getting harder and harder to find.
This large and largely unpopulated western state with a rich history is pioneering a new future by setting aside several million acres of public and private land to serve as natural habitat for returning bison and other displaced animals.
Roads and water infrastructure top the list of local priorities, but broadband expansion and clean energy projects are proving popular as cities face increased demand for these newer technologies.
The root cause of the problem is a longstanding overall lack of respect for teachers and their craft, which is reflected by decades of low pay, hyperscrutiny and poor working conditions.
The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority is scrambling to address acute safety and operational challenges while anticipating a long-term funding crisis. What happens in Boston could have lessons for other big-city transit systems.
The share of female governorships could exceed 20 percent this year, more women are registering and more incumbents are losing. There's also a revolution in the courts as states use unconstitutional maps.
Data-informed solutions that prevent rather than punish can break cycles of violence and help neighborhoods heal, and voters support them. They just need to be scaled up.
On-demand public transit is becoming increasingly popular across the United States, particularly in small cities, suburbs and rural areas. But critics say it’s a bad deal because it’s costly and inefficient.
The most significant climate legislation ever enacted by Congress has become law, without the word “climate” in its title. Here’s how it can benefit state and local energy and climate programs.
The midterms are not looking like a total bloodbath for Democrats, like they were a few weeks ago. The GOP still looks like it will do quite nicely, however.
State and federal officials were quick to respond to rising gas prices earlier in the year. But some of households’ biggest costs, like housing, are still rising.
With government workers’ pay raises lagging the private sector’s, state and local officials will need to navigate through different measures of inflation to fairly calibrate wage and pension increases.
Baltimore’s free ferry system gets commuters and others where they need to go.
Manufactured homes, which are less expensive and faster to construct because they’re built on an assembly line, could help resolve the nation’s housing crisis. America is short 3.8 million housing units by some estimates.
As climate change brings longer periods of hot weather, the associated heat-related health risks also increase. While being in air conditioning is the simplest way to prevent heat illness and death, access to cool air isn't equitable.
After several years of pushing, the Phoenix Fire Department has officially launched its unmanned aircraft, or drone, systems program, laying the policy and best practices groundwork for other city departments to follow suit.
Lawmakers are seeking to downplay the role that slavery played in the development of the United States, but history tells a different story.
The economy keeps adding them by the hundreds of thousands. But those big numbers don’t tell the whole story.
A play written by New Mexico state Sen. Bill O’Neill experiments with a partisan taboo in hopes of bolstering collaboration, as the nation’s political climate has become increasingly divided over the last decade.
Though roughly two dozen cities have appointed food policy directors at the local level, an estimated 53.6 million people still live outside an easy walk or drive to a full-service supermarket.
Removing highways is a tricky business, a costly and time-consuming physical feat, but advocates say even a small commitment to addressing the harms of legacy highway infrastructure is a positive sign.
Tens of millions of Americans now work remotely on a full-time basis. Relocation incentives are helping to redefine the concept of “suburb.”
An apology by public officials would be the first step toward acknowledgment of government’s role in the sins of our past and the effects that linger today. And it would be the start of racial healing.
Tulsa has long relied on oil and gas to fuel its economy. It's created a tech and entertainment ecosystem that turned out to be a perfect fit for the era of remote work.
The U.S needs defined metrics and more data about cyber happenings across the nation, experts say. Otherwise, it’ll struggle to understand which practices and policies are most effective and where to invest more heavily.
Unlike many serious urban problems, this one is eminently solvable. There’s a growing body of useful research of what works to operate a well-functioning transit system.
Most bridges aren’t built offsite and then moved to where they need to be. But that’s what happened in Detroit with an unusual infrastructure project that also called for saving an iconic music recording studio.
With confidence in election outcomes at an all-time low, where is the evidence that election officials have used their authority to interfere with America’s democratic process?
Higher ed’s complex array of systems creates a large attack surface, and institutions are likely to pay ransom. Meanwhile, K-12 schools struggle with cyber staffing but more often resist extortion, a global report finds.
