Infrastructure

Biden administration warns of risks to air and rail safety if government shuts down

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg also said that a shutdown and proposed GOP cuts could affect efforts to fight the fentanyl epidemic, as well as disaster relief operations.

Digital Government

One city’s ‘data conversations’ help confront pressing challenges

Faced with water shortages, Henderson, Nevada, has turned to a data-driven approach to solve it. It’s now rolling out its approach to other departments citywide.

Finance

With the farm bill set to expire, Congress is still months away from a new version

A looming government shutdown has slowed the process even more. Among the key areas of disagreement is the SNAP program, a huge spending portion of the bill that helps low-income families buy food.

Sponsor Content

Data Is the Key to Thwarting Ransomware

State, local and education networks face rising phishing and ransomware attacks, in which criminals steal a trove of personal identifiable data.

Workforce

Fossil fuel workers have the skills to succeed in green jobs, but location is a major barrier to a just transition

COMMENTARY | In a greener future, what becomes of current fossil fuel workers? Despite possessing skills applicable to green industries, their geographical locations will limit their opportunities.

Finance

Can pensions help address growing wealth inequality?

A new report finds that pensions have significant impacts on household wealth, increasing net worth across race, gender and educational attainment.

Management

Rethinking engagement to support a rapidly growing older adult population

COMMENTARY | Having a reliable, evidence-based planning process can significantly impact how state governments address the immediate needs of their aging residents while planning for the future.

Emerging Tech

Augmented, not artificial, intelligence should be government leaders’ priority

AI should be seen as a “co-pilot, not an autopilot,” said local officials at an event this week, adding that it could be crucial amidst a government workforce shortage.

Infrastructure

For rural communities, broadband expansion is no single thing

Small communities trying to take advantage of massive federal funding now available for broadband expansion deal with multiple hurdles. Resistance from major providers is just one of them.

Management

New White House office will work with communities to curb gun violence

The office will look to build off of last year’s landmark gun legislation and has been applauded by national local government associations who have called gun violence an “incredibly serious issue in America.”

Finance

Why a government shutdown is complex for state and local governments

It will impact welfare, food stamps, housing and infrastructure, among other things. But planning for a shutdown is difficult for a myriad of reasons.

Sponsor Content

2023 Public Records Complexity Benchmark Report

Read the complexity report to learn what successful public record request management looks like in 2023.

Management

Why some power companies support climate laws, but others don’t

Electric utilities have considerable political juice in state capitols, which a study found they can use to promote or stymie greenhouse gas reduction efforts.

Infrastructure

Traditional downtowns are dead or dying in many US cities—what’s next for these zones?

COMMENTARY | Developers have overbuilt office and commercial space in US cities for decades. Now, in the wake of pandemic shutdowns, many downtowns face hard choices about the future.

Infrastructure

Study looks at climate change effects on rural electrical grids

Investigators from universities in South Dakota, Puerto Rico, Maine and Alaska are working together for the next four years to study severe weather events and electrical grids.

Management

7 million Americans lose Medicaid coverage

Thirty states have wrongly disenrolled people during the “unwinding” of the health insurance program from pandemic-era policies. But nearly half a million individuals—many of them kids—have since been reinstated. Plus, more news to use from around the country in this week's State and Local Roundup.

Management

California enters the ring of drug manufacturing. Could others follow?

As insulin prices have skyrocketed, states have intervened to lower them with price caps. Now, California’s decision to manufacture its own is leading other states to consider similar steps in an effort to ensure essential medicines are affordable to the public.

Emerging Tech

AI will bring dramatic change in the next three years, say local government IT execs

But better training on the emerging technology is needed and should be mandatory, according to a new survey.

Infrastructure

A group of US governors promises to install 20 million heat pumps by 2030

And they want to put at least 40 percent of them in disadvantaged communities.

Management

5 things to know about Eric Adams’ latest housing proposal

The New York City mayor unveiled the latest on his goal to become a “City of Yes.”