Governing: State and local government news and analysis
Even in the days leading up to her assassination, Hortman offered an example of political bravery and smarts.
In recent months, major cities including San Francisco, San Jose, San Diego, Fresno and Los Angeles have significantly stepped up efforts to clear encampments. Officials say it's an overdue shift in policy around homelessness.
The only state with such a program didn’t get there overnight. Years of action at the state Capitol and the ballot box set the stage. It’s a lesson for lawmakers in other states facing the fiscal challenges of providing services families need amid diminishing federal aid.
State and local retirement systems should collaborate to develop an AI-powered digital assistant to help government employees make better financial decisions throughout their careers. Hand-me-downs from the private sector won't cut it.
Already, 1 in 3 counties receive federal disaster declarations each year. With disasters growing in strength and frequency, federal policies need to change.
The bill aims to get around federal protections for gun manufacturers.
Bringing generative artificial intelligence to bear on a staple of local government promises substantial improvements.
Researchers are building the case for putting nuclear microreactors in all sorts of places. Developers will need to work with communities to understand their hopes, concerns and priorities.
Democrats' hold on the state is at risk due to taxes and other costs. Separately, recall efforts are targeting politicians from Kansas City to California.
Delaware Gov. Matt Meyer beat his party's favored candidate in last year’s primary. He’s still finding his footing with the Democratic legislature.
Southern states saw huge amounts of growth in renewables last year, but they'll need to work to keep the momentum going.
Forbidding high-rises were a product of a misguided, elitist ideology. We could have done better than leveling vibrant neighborhoods.
Colorado’s revenue dropped by $1.2 billion due to tax code changes in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. Lawmakers altered some tax credits but left spending cuts up to Gov. Jared Polis.
A new federal program provides a historic level of funding for rural health care. But the application presents challenges and the timeline for submission is short.
Crime has mostly gone down under Mayor Cavalier Johnson but there’s still a perception that downtown isn’t safe. Meanwhile, the mayor is struggling to finalize a new contract with the police union.
To address local challenges, cities and counties have to act as catalysts for other groups, including businesses, nonprofits and residents, to address areas of common interest in collaborative fashions.
The payoff from effective personnel policies is a heightened sense of residents’ confidence in government and quality of life.
HUD recently changed the eligibility criteria for grants to support the Trump administration’s positions on a range of issues, from immigration enforcement to gender identity. The move bars applicants from most states.
When it comes to protecting their residents from environmental harms, lawmakers in red and blue states alike are making progress without waiting for Washington.
Police departments are understaffed and recruiting has become more difficult. In recent years, the number of communities using community responders to handle non-violent situations has skyrocketed.
Negotiations over revising the first-in-the-nation law collapsed and now it won’t be enacted until at least June 2026.
High school students’ math and reading proficiency levels are the lowest in decades. Only rigorous accountability and proven improvement strategies can turn that around.
Two big political blocs have different ideas when it comes to health.
A forthcoming state law will create the single largest new pool of workers with collective bargaining rights in decades.
Changing federal guidelines are creating uncertainty about access to the updated COVID-19 vaccination. Connecticut has found a way to bring clarity.
Updates enacted by Congress will make this successful program for low-income communities even more attractive to investors, particularly for housing. But there are plenty of ways to take advantage of the current program.
Blame Ozempic. And maybe tariffs.
Innovators, investors and practitioners are on the hunt for fruitful applications of blockchain and other evolving financial technology. Undoubtedly some of their ambitions will involve government finance. Which ones might actually pan out?
Congress has substantially increased support for the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit program. That should help finance thousands more units.
These programs are under relentless attack but there is no evidence that they’ve given Black Americans any disproportionate benefit.
