Local Government Management

The Next Era of Data-driven Local Government

Cities and other localities are entering a new phase with how they incorporate data into decision-making.

  • By Alisha Powell Gillis

The Small Alabama City That’s Gained 117,000 TikTok Followers

Oneonta Mayor Richard Phillips’ video posts goofing around about local government and highlighting the town have attracted online fans and, in some cases, real life visitors.

  • By Molly Bolan

Building a More Diverse Public Sector Hiring Pipeline

Local governments are rethinking how they go about connecting with job candidates. “It’s just not enough to post a position and then say we have no qualified diverse talent,” says one official.

  • By Katherine Barrett & Richard Greene

Florida Elected Official Still Serves Although She Lives in Georgia

A Hollywood city commissioner bought a house out of state to care for her ill daughter and mainly resides there, carrying out her duties and attending meetings remotely.

  • By David Volz

A Library Struck by Controversy That Began Over a Book It Didn’t Own

In Boundary County, Idaho a local librarian decided to resign citing a “political atmosphere of extremism.” The situation there mirrors a trend affecting libraries around the country.

  • By Molly Bolan

The Perks of Positivity May Depend on Race and Culture

The supposedly universal benefits of positivity may not generalize across races, research indicates.

  • By Futurity

4 Ways to Improve Citizen Engagement on Climate Policy

COMMENTARY | It's a pivotal moment for climate spending with billions in new federal funding available. Broad input from residents can help local governments build stronger programs.

  • By Chris Adams

Despite New Funding, Infrastructure Jobs Prove Tough to Fill

Projects can't get built without the right workers, but a National League of Cities analysis shows how hiring for infrastructure jobs can be time consuming compared to other fields. NLC also offers tips for how governments can help to ease the problem.

  • By Molly Bolan

Shifting Power Can Help Local Governments Partner With Communities to Achieve Racial Equity

COMMENTARY | City and county leaders should create more opportunities for people of color to participate in the policymaking process.

  • By Sonia Torres Rodríguez and John Sankofa

City and County Government Workers Eligible for Additional Student Loan Debt Relief

The federal Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program is temporarily offering expanded debt forgiveness but borrowers need to file paperwork soon.

  • By Molly Bolan

$10B Redevelopment Slated for Downtown Miami

Miami-Dade County plans to transform 17 acres through a public-private partnership that includes government offices, "atypical" affordable housing, a transit station, cultural venues and businesses.

  • By Jean Dimeo

Electric Utilities Around the US are Running Out of Transformers

The shortage of the critical grid component is jamming up home building and threatening to cause other problems. In some cases, wait times for the parts are over a year, while costs have spiraled up by over 500%.

  • By Daniel C. Vock
Featured eBooks
Road and Transit Infrastructure Trends
Federal Recovery Funds at the State and Local Level
Infrastructure at a Turning Point

Could Apprenticeships Fix the Teacher Shortage?

COMMENTARY | Several states are pioneering "earn and learn" models as a potential long-term solution to address persistent educator shortages.

  • By Lois Kimmel

Biden Administration Unveils Website to Help Combat Extreme Heat Conditions

Heat.gov includes interactive maps, forecasts and other resources to help government officials and the general public cope with high temperatures.

  • By Edward Graham

The Three Cs of Effective Public Engagement

COMMENTARY | Incorporating citizen feedback into government budget and finance decisions can often lead to disappointing results, but following these principles can help.

  • By Chris Adams

How to Regain Citizens' Trust After a Financial Scandal

Just getting rid of the people involved isn't enough. A complex task follows for local leaders to restore faith in the government.

  • By Katherine Barrett & Richard Greene

‘I No Longer Feel Safe’: A Mayor Resigns, Citing Threats

The mayor of The Village, Oklahoma, said he’d been followed home after meetings, had his tires slashed and faced other abuse. The episode mirrors a disturbing national trend.

  • By Molly Bolan

States With the Greatest Housing Shortages

The U.S. is short 3.8 million units, with “underproduction” of new houses and rentals worsening in 47 states and Washington, D.C., according to a new report.

  • By Jean Dimeo

Cities and Towns Embrace 'Summer Fridays' for Their Workers

The trend towards more flexible and shorter work weeks in the summer months comes amid tight competition for public sector talent. "We’re seeing a strong push for quality-of-life enhancements," says one town administrator.

  • By Daniela Altimari

A Mayor Defends the Use of His ‘Secret’ Office Away From City Hall

New York City Mayor Eric Adams downplayed a report revealing the workspace, housed in high-rise building, saying he'd only been there four times.

  • By Sara Dorn

Virtual Meetings Stymie Creative Teamwork

A new study finds that in-person teams generate more ideas than remote teams working on the same problem -- possibly because when people focus on the narrow field of vision of a screen, their thinking becomes narrower as well.

  • By Edmund L. Andrews, Futurity