County Government
Local Officials Say They Need More Time to Spend CARES Act Money, as Future Aid Remains in Doubt
State and local governments are up against a Dec. 30 deadline to use the coronavirus relief money, a timeframe that many local officials say should be extended.
Local Officials Say They Need More Time to Spend CARES Act Money, as Future Aid Remains in Doubt
State and local governments are up against a Dec. 30 deadline to use the coronavirus relief money, a timeframe that many local officials say should be extended.
County Government
Parks Prove Popular During Pandemic—But Budget Cuts Loom
A June survey by the National Park and Recreation Association found that a majority of Americans consider parks an essential government service, but decreased revenue from the coronavirus pandemic is likely to threaten parks funding in the future.
Local Governments Have Embraced New Technology to Weather the Pandemic, Survey Finds
More than 95% of state and local leaders who responded to the poll said their agencies used software to maintain service levels as employees began working largely from home.
States and Counties Mandate Covid-19 Testing for Farm Workers
A handful of states and counties are requiring Covid-19 testing for farm and food-processing workers after several clusters of positive cases were traced back to agricultural facilities.
Fearing Delays and Chaos, Swing States Weigh Early Counting of Mail-In Ballots
Some states, including Michigan and Pennsylvania, prohibit processing absentee ballots until Election Day. Right now, leaders are considering changing that to avoid long delays about the results of the November election.
Revenue Shortfalls, Low Morale and New Technology: A Survey of Government Leaders in the Age of Covid-19
Facing reduced tax revenues and dealing with new challenges, local government officials in a new survey by ELGL, the Atlas and SeeClickFix reflect on staff morale and potential government cutbacks, as well as the technology that is helping them navigate this time.
Florida’s Cautionary Tale: How Gutting and Muzzling Public Health Fueled Covid Fire
Even as Florida's population grew over the last decade, Florida slashed the funding of local health departments, leaving them with less staff to respond to the pandemic. And some were then told not to speak.
What It Takes to Build a Nonpartisan Pipeline for Women Candidates
In a space dominated by Democratic groups, the LBJ Women’s Campaign School highlights its nonpartisan approach in trying to help more women get elected to office. It’s not that simple.
Public Pensions Rally in Chaotic Stock Market, But Bigger Bills Still Coming for Governments
Pension earnings came up short this year. Eventually, that will require bigger contributions to make up the difference.
Twitter Posts Show People Are Profoundly Sad—and Are Visiting Parks to Cheer Up
COMMENTARY | An analysis of Twitter posts to score people's "happiness" shows that the national mood is at its lowest point since the start of the project in 2008. But posts about park visits show they combat this malaise.
New Jersey Could Allow Local Governments to Borrow to Avoid Budget Cuts
Lawmakers this week approved legislation that would allow county and municipal governments to issue "coronavirus relief bonds" they would then pay back over 10 years.
Cities Turn to the Sewers to Track the Prevalence of Covid
Testing wastewater samples can give public health officials a heads up that an outbreak is looming, as people infected with SARS-Cov-2 shed the virus in their feces weeks before they begin showing symptoms.
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