Local Government Management
States are enacting school cellphone bans. Here’s what that looks like.
Virginia became the latest state to take action against smartphone usage in public schools. The policy approaches differ.
The great Salt Lake City tax tradeoff
In a few weeks, the city council will be voting on a 0.5% sales tax to support economic development downtown. But it’s not the money that is drawing all the attention, it’s what the city is giving up.
After a 7-year experiment, New Orleans is an all-charter district no more
The closely watched experiment is coming to an end. New Orleans Public Schools will now act both as a charter school authorizer and an old-fashioned school district.
Meet Emma, Amarillo’s AI assistant and ‘digital human’
The Texas city’s generative artificial intelligence assistant will assist residents through voice conversations in multiple languages.
Measuring and managing risk in the quest for resilience
COMMENTARY | Incidents like the Baltimore bridge collapse should motivate local leaders to think carefully about risk management, prevention and mitigation.
Local news is crucial to governance, and it’s hurting
COMMENTARY | Public officials need to support it any way they can. It’s good for their communities, and it's good for them.
How to prevent ideas from getting lost in translation
Policy researchers and government administrators often seem like they’re speaking different languages. A new book aims to help experts communicate more clearly, so their ideas can have real-world impacts.
Can student debt relief attract workers to state and local government jobs?
More than 46% of state and local employees reported being “extremely or very worried” about paying back their student loans. A new report suggests addressing that concern could entice more people into the public sector.
City extends police department’s ‘life changing’ 4-day workweek pilot
The decision comes after the data shows that the 32-hour workweek resulted in faster emergency response times and cost savings
More cities offer broadband service, study says
The pandemic and federal funding has spurred the growth of municipally owned internet in the past two years as cities look to offer cheaper service.
Featured eBooks
Infrastructure ‘bootcamps’ help smaller cities win federal grants
The Local Infrastructure Hub has helped participating cities win millions of dollars to address pressing needs in transportation, climate, flood mitigation, rails, broadband and more.
‘Super mayor’ goes viral amid salary ordinance controversy
Tiffany Henyard, the mayor and supervisor of two suburbs in Illinois, spearheaded a bill reducing a potential successor’s salary if she loses her 2025 reelection bid. It’s the latest in a long line of alleged misdeeds by the charismatic and controversial political figure.
Gen Z and millennials have an unlikely love affair with their local libraries
Though they’re sometimes characterized as attention-addled homebodies, younger people see a real value in libraries − one that goes beyond books.
Mayors push for Congress to address the migrant crisis
But could the partisan debate over the border derail funding to cities and efforts to avert a government shutdown?
Data literacy: the drive to educate the public sector workforce
As data-based decision-making becomes ever more important, data academies begin to blossom in local government.
Helping cities flip money pits into gold mines
An incubator is working with cities to capitalize on their under-used properties by helping them to think like real estate developers.
What’s driving post-pandemic downtown recoveries?
Data shows that many of the country’s largest downtowns have more residents now than before the pandemic, but residents alone can’t revitalize downtowns.
Devil in the details: How outdated zoning code stymies development
With an analysis of its antiquated zoning laws and a newly restructured planning department, Boston is laying the groundwork to address housing shortages and meet its sustainability goals.
How one city is looking to future-proof its budgeting process
Nationwide, cities are attempting to improve their budgeting. But none appear to be taking more dramatic steps than fast-growing Fort Worth, Texas.
What the police raid of a Kansas newspaper says about government and the press
The raid sparked coast-to-coast outrage, but it also raised concerns about the eroding relationship between government officials and the reporters who cover them. Plus, more news to use from around the country in this week's State and Local Roundup.
