Infrastructure
We know widening highways leads to more traffic. Why do we do it anyway?
More lanes, more pain—a researcher unravels the persistent myth of easier commutes.
Management
Incumbent San Francisco mayor faces uphill battle
Crime, homelessness and a lack of affordable housing could doom London Breed’s bid for a second term.
Finance
How tougher regulations on short-term rentals can boost revenue for state, local govs
Some short-term rental properties go undetected by authorities, but a new report offers tips on how officials can crack down on unregulated rental units to boost revenue and reduce their negative impacts on communities.
Sponsor Content
The State of Government Payments: Insights From 2024 Research
State and local governments have made strides in enhancing online payments, but they must continue to mature their payment systems to meet rising constituent expectations while maintaining back-office efficiency.
Management
School choice questions dominate November ballot propositions
Measures in Colorado, Kentucky and Nebraska are among 11 ed-related issues on the ballot. Others address facility upgrades, school board partisanship.
Infrastructure
Coastal cities have a hidden vulnerability to storm-surge and tidal flooding—entirely caused by humans
COMMENTARY | Dredging to deepen shipping channels has made coastlines more vulnerable to extreme storms and sea-level rise.
Finance
Going into 2025, cities plan for leaner budgets
A survey of city finance officials found that at least half are wary of the coming year and are forecasting more conservative revenue estimates.
Emerging Tech
One year ago, New York City introduced a sweeping AI plan. Here’s how it’s going.
In a Q&A with Route Fifty, one of the architects of the city’s ambitious AI Action Plan discusses the process and challenges for ensuring the technology is used responsibly and ethically.
Finance
Ensuring resilient water infrastructure requires creative financing
COMMENTARY | Federal support is key to ensuring water systems are safe. But state and local governments have a critical role to play, too.
Digital Government
Computer programs monitor students’ every word in the name of safety
Companies tout security features; privacy advocates dislike constant surveillance.
Management
Wildfires are coming to the Southeast. Can landowners mitigate the risk in time?
No other part of the country has seen such a sharp rise in the number of big fires. The bigger challenge, though, is getting people to embrace the prescribed burns that can prevent them.
Featured eBooks
Workforce
Biden administration forgives $4.5B in student debt for public service workers
The president said that more than 1 million public servants to date have had their federal student debt canceled.
Sponsor Content
AI for the Public Sector: Use Red Hat OpenShift AI for efficient model deployment
Discover how Red Hat OpenShift AI allows data science teams to build, tune, and deploy models efficiently across various environments.
Management
Increasing the impact of opioid settlement funds
COMMENTARY | States bear a heavy responsibility to administer and leverage the money for the public’s benefit. They can do that through a data-driven approach.
Management
In Las Vegas, a political dynasty nears its end. Who will replace it?
It’s the first time since 1995 that Sin City voters can’t select a Goodman for mayor. Instead, voters will choose between two politicos in a contentious race for the top job.
Infrastructure
The secret ingredient in Biden’s climate law? City trees.
Planting trees in cities sounds simple. Here's why the Forest Service is spending $1.5 billion on it.
Management
Millions of aging Americans are facing dementia by themselves
At least 4.3 million people 55 or older who have cognitive impairment or dementia live alone in the United States, according to estimates from University of California-San Francisco research.
Management
Bird flu is spreading across the U.S. How worried should you be?
From dairy testing to bird culling, public health officials say there are ways to keep avian influenza in check to avoid widespread disaster.
Infrastructure
Virginia goes all in on passenger rail
A new rail bridge into Washington, D.C., is viewed as crucial to expanding rail service in the state, which has seen record-setting ridership in recent years.
Digital Government
What states learned from the CrowdStrike outage
Three months since a faulty update caused outages and disruptions worldwide, state CIOs are looking back and assessing how they did.
Management
Preschools teach ‘hardly any math,’ even as students struggle in later grades
Math advocates say more early math, taught through play or games, can help students later.
