Local Economies

Customers Won't Wear a Mask? One State Says to Call the Police.

Updated guidance from the New Hampshire Attorney General's office instructs businesses to call local law enforcement for assistance if customers simply refuse to comply with a statewide mask mandate.

  • By Kate Elizabeth Queram

Airbnb Cancels Rentals in Washington, D.C. Region for Inauguration Week

The company’s decision to cancel and block lodging rentals comes after leaders from the District, Maryland and Virginia urged people to stay away.

  • By Andrea Noble

Timing of Covid-19 Vaccine for Health Care Workers Depends on Where They Live

STATE AND LOCAL ROUNDUP | Kansas and Missouri plan to rely on the honor system to comply with priority distribution of coronavirus vaccines ... Employees in one Louisiana city will receive a one-time lump-sum hazard payment ... Indiana lawmakers hope to shield businesses from Covid-19 lawsuits.

  • By Kate Elizabeth Queram

Congress Nears Covid-19 Relief Deal With Direct Stimulus Payments, But No Local Government Aid

Representatives from both parties, who met Tuesday and Wednesday, said major headway was made during negotiations on a roughly $900 billion relief package. But more direct help for state and local governments isn't included.

  • By Andrea Noble

Bipartisan Lawmakers Offer Two-Part Covid Relief Package

A $748 billion proposal would fund initiatives like unemployment insurance and the Paycheck Protection Program, while a separate $160 billion bill would provide state and local aid, but also a liability shield.

  • By Andrea Noble

To Create A Strong Government Technology Ecosystem, Increase Inclusivity

COMMENTARY | It’s time we did more to support underrepresented entrepreneurs to improve local government services and increase inclusivity.

  • By Anthony Jamison

In November, Men Dropped Out of the Workforce at Higher Rates than Women

November was the first time in what has been dubbed the first female recession that men suffered greater losses than women. About 347,000 left the labor force.

  • By Chabeli Carrazana, The 19th

Mayors Pessimistic About Cities' Prospects for Post-Covid Rebound

Concerns highlighted by the Menino Survey of Mayors include possible deep cuts to local education and the changing economic landscape for local businesses.

  • By Andrea Noble

Lawmakers Propose $908 Billion Covid Relief Plan in Bid to End Gridlock

A bipartisan group of senators and House members discussed their proposal Tuesday, but congressional leaders suggested they would be moving ahead with their own plans.

  • By Andrea Noble

America Failed at Covid-19, but the Economy’s Okay. Why?

COMMENTARY | The U.S. entered the coronavirus recession with a few structural advantages. Its success may not last for long.

  • By Annie Lowrey, The Atlantic

Governors Announce Small Business Aid Alongside Restrictions

States hope the money will help businesses survive public health orders.

  • By Sophie Quinton, Stateline

States Need Federal Money to Do the Right Thing

COMMENTARY | Bailing out bars and restaurants would allow them to remain closed—and curb the spread of the coronavirus.

  • By Annie Lowrey, The Atlantic

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Manufacturing Rallies as Tourism, Energy Lag

Consumers spent money on cars and recreational equipment.

  • By Tim Henderson, Stateline

Covid-19 Will Likely Shrink Job Market For College Grads

COMMENTARY | As firms adjust to the Covid-19 economic slowdown, the job market for new college graduates is expected to decline for the first time in more than a decade.

  • By Caroline Brooks, Futurity

Women Gained Back Jobs in October, But Slowly

The unemployment rate for women fell to 6.5 percent, but it remains in high single digits for Black and Latina women.

  • By Chabeli Carrazana, The 19th

Rejecting the ‘Fair Tax’ Ballot Measure, Illinois Voters Decide to Keep a Flat Income Tax

Illinois voters rejected a ballot measure that would have allowed the state to implement a graduated income tax. Campaigns for and against the initiative together raised more than $120 million.

  • By Emma Coleman

Jobs Recovery Slows for States and Remains Uneven

An analysis by Fitch Ratings found that job growth had slowed for most states as Covid-19 cases and hospitalizations surge across the country.

  • By Kate Elizabeth Queram

America Chose Sickness, and Lost the Economy

COMMENTARY | There is no saving the economy without guaranteeing worker health.

  • By Annie Lowrey, The Atlantic

West Virginians Were Promised an Economic Revival. It Hasn’t Happened Yet.

The coal industry continues to decline. Natural gas isn’t bringing the prosperity it promised, and now the pandemic has wrecked the state’s economy.

  • By Ken Ward Jr., ProPublica

Filing for Unemployment Doesn’t Have to Be So Terrible

State unemployment systems were overwhelmed by filings during the pandemic. A new report lays out basic steps states can take to make the claims process easier for users.

  • By Andrea Noble

Coronavirus Deal Remains Elusive as Senate Rejects Scaled-Down Bill

The back and forth negotiations over a broader Covid-19 stimulus package continued Wednesday with no firm agreements in place.

  • By Andrea Noble