If a congressional debt ceiling deadlock persists and capital markets seize up, states and localities will still have to pay their bills. Public financiers need to be ready to adjust their portfolios to establish a liquid cash buffer.
The development of a COVID-19 vaccine was a triumph, but one that only had meaning if enough Americans were vaccinated. A new book tells the inside story of how that challenge was met.
With action at federal, state and local levels, along with surging demand for EVs, the energy transition accelerated remarkably in the last 12 months.
Federal legislation requiring machine-readable reporting has its critics, but it would go a long way toward modernizing how data is collected, used and shared. It also could lower borrowing costs for states and localities.
Lots of governors have their eyes on the Oval Office. Most of the action will be among Republicans who will be zeroing in on Democratically controlled cities to score points on issues ranging from immigration to crime to spending.
State governments can best lead and govern distinct and diverse communities. The founders knew that the only way to build a new nation was to avoid taking too much autonomy from them.
A harsh analysis of the global pandemic response has public health leaders in the U.S. pointing to a fractured, underfunded public health system, partisan politics and low health literacy as barriers to better outcomes.
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.
Half a decade after it first proposed the rule, the federal government could soon require states to set targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions from the transportation sector. But questions remain about its impact.
On indicator after indicator, health care lags in the states that ban abortion or are likely to in the wake of the Supreme Court’s ruling. Will the abortion-ban states be able to catch up?
In a political landscape already divided over climate action, the ruling in West Virginia vs. EPA effectively leaves state and local government to face a global challenge on its own.
With authority and accountability split between three jurisdictions, the nation’s third-largest transit system has lurched from one crisis to another. Now, with ridership and reliability tanking, the service faces an uncertain future.
Congress responded to the COVID crisis by allocating unprecedented sums to help cities and states recover. Early data about how they are using the money suggests that big spends can have complications.
Pre-emption has been on the upswing in recent years, leaving many city leaders frustrated. Richard Schragger, author of City Power, talks about the fallout from this power struggle and how it can hurt urban growth.
Consensus among the states on issues of national importance now seems as elusive as it was in the nation’s pre-Constitution days.
Counties and their public health officials have been on the front lines of the COVID pandemic, struggling amid white-hot politics that has weakened the nation’s response. Can we do better when the next pandemic strikes?
