Governing: State and local government news and analysis
Our resident humanities scholar has been thinking about whether we can learn to live up to the Declaration of Independence’s aspiration that all of us are created equal.
Research shows there are ways to fight fraud, but the bill contains very little language aimed at doing so.
The state had a fairly good digital response to the pandemic, given the low technology and training capacity that public health departments had prior. But the response wasn't perfect, especially for those with limited English or Internet access.
Ethics rules require judges to recuse themselves from cases involving relatives or their own partisan or political interests. But it doesn't always work out that way.
Too much of the space in our downtowns is taken up by parked cars, and requiring developers to provide so many parking slots inflates the cost of housing. It’s becoming clear that those mandates are irrational.
If Hispanics in the U.S. were an independent country, they’d have the world’s seventh-largest economy. They will also account for the majority of new adults entering the workforce in coming years.
Moderate and centrist Democrats who triumphed in the recent mayoral elections have been too quick to adopt Republican attack points, particularly when it comes to calls for reforming policing.
After a long wait, the federal infrastructure bill is headed toward President Joe Biden's desk. How can states and local areas take advantage of the $65 billion set aside for broadband? Here are some details.
A week after New Jersey’s gubernatorial election, Democrats in the state are maneuvering to shape the ideological tenor of Phil Murphy’s next administration by debating what the relatively close race means.
COP26 convened amid projections that greenhouse emissions were on track to go up, not down, over the next decade, and severe climate impacts have arrived much sooner than imagined. Will the summit change this picture?
Cities spend millions to raze vacant buildings. Why not use that money to repair them instead?
The COVID recession and its fiscal aftermath should remind politicians, advocates and labor that budget reserves are not piggybanks for new discretionary spending. Economic cycles have not been repealed.
As the nation continues to emerge from the worst effects of the pandemic, leaders in suburban school districts are using a range of strategies to restore and strengthen connections with students and communities.
The Western Fire Chiefs Association, a nonprofit that started in California during the 1800s, sees much potential in a new tool that can save substantial time and manpower in wildfire recovery missions.
Robert P. Jones says systemic racism is in the DNA of American Christianity and the communities it helped shape but holds out hope for redemption. The opportunity lies in telling a truer story about the founding of the church.
Minneapolis residents voted 56 percent to 44 percent against an amendment that would have transformed the city’s police. The reasons they did so are complicated, an expert writes.
California requires law enforcement to report the controversial warrants to a state database—but The Markup found massive discrepancies in how they’re reported.
Collinwood is a microcosm of Cleveland’s majority Black neighborhoods, where years of racism, predatory lending, gun violence and falling property values have left few options for stability and growth.
Republicans and Democrats weren’t the only ones on the ballot this Tuesday. Issues of policing, housing and clean energy were put before voters too.
A robust, nature-rich and welcoming public realm of parks, streetscapes and civic facilities has an array of social benefits for disadvantaged communities.
In an early vote of no-confidence in the Biden presidency, Republicans made inroads among suburban and Hispanic voters, while expanding their already long reach into rural precincts.
The cities of Boston, Cincinnati and Cleveland all elected new mayors of color who are still in their 30s. Progressives didn’t win everywhere, however, with more moderate Black Democrats prevailing in Buffalo and New York City.
Businessman Glenn Youngkin is the first Republican elected governor of Virginia in a dozen years. In New Jersey, Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy appears to be barely holding on.
The state’s largest city has seen its unhoused population surge since the start of the pandemic. Voters can choose from three options to fix the problem by either building one large shelter or a series of smaller ones.
Government organizations need a road map that sets the stage for the future, accounts for leadership changes, includes input from all players and gets a regular review and refresh.
The two candidates have pushed different approaches to reforming Boston’s transportation system. But many changes need the support of the state Legislature. Will Bostonians ride for free, more frequently or somehow both?
Some wrote for financial stability. Others wanted to rehabilitate their reputation as a leader. No matter the reason, these memoirs provide the country with a window of transparency into our presidents.
The city of Lansing, Mich., modernized the process of marijuana business licensing through a new online records management system. The changes have simplified the process for city staff and end users.
As world leaders gather for the COP26 Climate Summit in Glasgow next week, a group of scientists who are also mothers are fighting to preserve the climate for their children here at home.
Statewide legislation has led to a big rise in food donation and composting. But the trickiest part of the equation—separating food from its packaging—continues to cause headaches.
