Government / Politics

The Washington Post Urges a Radical Fix for D.C. Metro: Federal Takeover
The Washington Post opines that the best way to end Metro's 'death spiral' is to have the federal government take it over, similar to the way it intervened in the district's fiscal meltdown in the 1990s or Puerto Rico's debt crisis this summer.

Trump Campaign Proposes the End of Federal Climate Change Funding
The Trump Campaign released a policy statement this week that puts some skin in the game on the Republican candidate's climate change denials.

New Jersey Taking Steps to Takeover Atlantic City
The state of New Jersey rejected a financial plan for Atlantic City, clearing the stage for a new, larger battle over control of the city.

New California Law Empowers Local Governments to Plan for Climate Adaptation
State Senator Bob Wieckowski is working to help communities get the necessary tools to increase capacity for climate resilience.

Could the Philadelphia Transit Strike Determine Who Becomes the Next President?
Hundreds of thousand of bus, trolley and subway riders (and potential voters) in Philadelphia have been left to find alternative means of transportation since Nov. 1 due to a strike by the local Transport Workers Union who work for SEPTA.

When City Planning Fails: Taking a Single Hotel Development to the Ballot
What Happens When A Beverly Hills Developer Decides A Ballot Initiative Is Easier than the Planning Process?

Pittsburgh's Lessons for Los Angeles and Beyond: Reinvest in Planning
The rules are changing, Tom Murphy says, and cities need to change, too.

How Los Angeles Redefined Mobility as a Service
Los Angeles Department of Transportation General Manager Seleta Reynolds discusses her vision for urban mobility and the growing role of city leadership.

Billboards Having a Moment in Philadelphia
A proposal to add billboard advertisements to a pair of city-owned buildings come at a time when residents, and the federal government, are already concerned about the proliferation of billboards in the city.

The Promise and Significance of Planning Month
This October, the American Planning Association celebrated National Community Planning Month, or #PlanningMonth for short.

U.S. District Court Judge Approves $14.7 Billion Settlement in VW Emissions Scandal
The record deal between Volkswagen, the federal government, California, and consumers directs $5 billion to states to mitigate air pollution. The remainder will be used to compensate consumers who purchased the tampered diesel cars.
Stunning Acquittal of Defendants in Standoff with Feds at Oregon Wildlife Refuge
Will the acquittal of seven defendants in a U.S. district court who used force to occupy the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in Oregon last January embolden other takeovers of public lands by resentful ranchers or militia?

How *Not* To Do Economic Development
It's clear that New Jersey’s economic development planners didn't spend much time thinking about opportunity costs when they approved $1.1 billion in tax incentives under the Grow NJ program.

Lack of State, Local Infrastructure Investments Slowing the U.S. Economy
The Wall Street Journal builds a case that a slow down in state and local infrastructure investments is having a broad impact on the national economy.

Detroit Ballot Measure Puts Regional Transit in Reach
Involving four counties and $4.6 billion, the measure proposes a system that could put a million residents (and a million jobs) within a quarter mile of transit.
Study: Local Roads in California 'At Risk' Due to Lack of Funding
A coalition of local governmental agencies and advocates released their 2016 report on the condition of local streets and roads in California, and they found dire underinvestment. The legislature has yet to convene a special session on funding.

Behind the Popularity of Transportation Tax Increases
Transportation ballot measures are popular this November: over 70 populate ballots across the country. In California and elsewhere, they supplement declining federal and state funds for local infrastructure.

In the U.S., Climate Politics Trump the Pope's Message
The encyclical "Laudato si: On the Care of Our Common Home" might have scored public relations points among environmentalists last year, but according to a new study, it didn't score any points with Catholics or the broader U.S. population.

Baltimore's New Zoning Code Almost a Done Deal
The Baltimore City Council granted initial approval for the city's first zoning code overhaul in over 40 years.

DART Board Splits with Dallas Council on Subway Priority
The DART Board decided to move forward with a financial plan that funds both the Cotton Belt light rail line and the D2 subway.
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