Author Archive

Elizabeth Daigneau

Elizabeth Daigneau is the executive editor at Route Fifty where she is responsible for driving the daily news operations and overseeing the team of reporters and contributors covering the stories affecting city, county and state government officials. Before joining Route Fifty, Elizabeth was the chief operating officer at Vote.org, where In 2020,she helped run one of the largest voter mobilization programs in the civic sphere. Prior to Vote.org, Elizabeth served as the managing editor of Governing magazine for nearly a decade. In addition to her editing duties there, she wrote about energy and the environment for the state and local audience. After graduating from American University in 2002 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in journalism and literature, Elizabeth went to work at Foreign Policy magazine as assistant to the editor. Elizabeth lives in Maryland with her son and husband.
Finance

Can the snarky ‘Save Our Yachts’ campaign save Washington’s capital gains tax?

The long-fought-for and hard-won tax has survived its legal challenges. Now it must survive the ballot.

  • By Elizabeth Daigneau
Infrastructure

Under new partnership with feds, state AGs can investigate airline complaints

States have not been allowed to pursue air carriers for violating consumer protection laws since 1978, but a new partnership with the U.S. Department of Transportation will give attorneys general power to probe and report violations.

  • By Elizabeth Daigneau
Infrastructure

EPA issues first-ever drinking water standards for ‘forever chemicals’

The Biden administration also announced nearly $1 billion in newly available funding to help public water utilities implement PFAS testing and treatment.

  • By Elizabeth Daigneau
Management

The 5 best movies about state or local government, part 2

Lights, camera, action! In honor of this weekend’s Oscar Awards, here are our team’s top picks.

  • By Elizabeth Daigneau
Finance

States move to cut grocery taxes

Amid rising food prices, more states are reducing or eliminating a sales tax that impacts lower-income households the most.

  • By Elizabeth Daigneau
Finance

Municipalities taxing stay-at-home workers during pandemic was OK, court says

The Ohio Supreme Court upheld a temporary state law that allowed employers to withhold municipal income tax irrespective of where their employees performed their work. The ruling sets a precedent in the state.

  • By Elizabeth Daigneau
Workforce

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

  • By Elizabeth Daigneau
Infrastructure

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.

  • By Elizabeth Daigneau
Workforce

Get to know the 2023 Rising Stars

This year's class of Rising Stars has been selected both for their accomplishments over the past year and for their leadership potential.

  • By Elizabeth Daigneau and Adam Mazmanian
Infrastructure

$1.5 billion now available in federal transportation grants

A variety of road, transit, rail and trail projects are eligible for funding under the Transportation Department’s popular RAISE program.

  • By Elizabeth Daigneau
Digital Government

Introducing the 2023 Rising Stars

Route Fifty is proud to participate in the Rising Star Awards, a program that recognizes innovative, early-career individuals who are already having an outsized impact in the government IT community.

  • By Elizabeth Daigneau
Featured eBooks
The State of Trust in Government
Cybersecurity in State and Local Government
Building Data Literacy in the State and Local Workforce
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.

  • By Elizabeth Daigneau
Infrastructure

Cities struggle to solve the public restroom problem

There's a lack of public restrooms in U.S., which particularly affects the homeless. New policies and portable toilet models are helping to address the shortage.

  • By Elizabeth Daigneau
Infrastructure

Feds open new round in $500M grant program for transportation tech

The second year of SMART grants will award another $100 million to state, local and tribal governments for safe, equitable and sustainable transportation solutions.

  • By Elizabeth Daigneau
Management

‘That is how you run a city’: Top mayors share tips for tackling crime, homelessness and hostile media

The mayors of the country’s four largest cities, all of whom are Black, highlighted their management approaches at a gathering of the National Urban League. Plus, more news to use from around the country in this week's State and Local Roundup.

  • By Daniel C. Vock and Elizabeth Daigneau
Workforce

New fiscal year, new taxes

A slate of tax policy changes are set to take effect across 18 states. And just as the first day of July brings tax changes, the last day of June marks the end of another U.S. Supreme Court term. Here are the rulings that impacted states. Plus, more news to use in this week's State and Local Roundup.

  • By Elizabeth Daigneau
Management

The Press and the Government

Kentucky agencies are restricting their workers’ interaction with the media—in some ways that are unconstitutional. It highlights a tension that has long existed between governments and news outlets. Plus, more news to use from around the country in this week's State and Local Roundup.

  • By Elizabeth Daigneau
Management

SCOTUS Preserves Medicaid Patients’ Right to Sue

Had the court ruled differently, it would have stripped millions of people who rely on federal assistance programs of the ability to sue states when their rights are violated. Plus, more news to use from around the country in this week's State and Local Round

  • By Elizabeth Daigneau
Workforce

Staffing Challenges Spur Another Look at Four-Day Workweeks

School districts think shorter weeks could attract more teachers, while one Colorado city hopes they can help address chronic staffing shortages at its police department.

  • By Elizabeth Daigneau
Management

GOP Governors Respond to Texas' Call for Troops at Border

Four more governors have joined a growing list of Republican-led states sending personnel to the U.S.-Mexico border. But is it effective? Plus, more news to use from around the country in this week's State and Local Roundup.

  • By Elizabeth Daigneau