Government / Politics

The Rockefeller Foundation unveils its innovative plan to incentivize private investors to provide the infrastructure solutions for eight U.S. cities most vulnerable to extreme storms and rising seas.

January 21, 2013 - The Washington Post

For those that've wondered about the fate of New York's "occasionally controversial" Plaza Program projects after the administration that's championed them leaves office: Have no fear, says Janette Sadik-Khan, "This is set in stone."

January 20, 2013 - The New York Observer

"America is renewing itself from the bottom up." That is the premise underlying the second annual “Innovations to Watch” list just released by The Brookings Metropolitan Policy Program and The Rockefeller Foundation.

January 20, 2013 - Brookings

So said Thomas Donohue, CEO of the world's largest business organization, in calling for raising the gas tax at a press conference following the annual State of American Business address to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

January 20, 2013 - Governing

This week, the U.S. House of Representatives approved a two-part bill to fund the recovery from Hurricane Sandy. In an essay written prior to the vote, Rob Young criticizes the rush to approve rebuilding the entire coast as it was before the storm.

January 17, 2013 - Bloomberg

With yesterday's announcement that Interior Secretary Ken Salazar will soon step down, the three top environmental posts in the federal government are waiting to be filled. The vacancies are further muddling the administration's second term agenda.

January 17, 2013 - The Washington Post

In a preview of his statewide transportation plan, Mass. Gov. Deval Patrick unveiled an ambitious agenda and an appetizing menu of potential funding options on Monday. The final plan released yesterday has some wanting to send their meals back.

January 17, 2013 - Streetsblog

While the wind energy credit was extended thanks to the fiscal cliff deal, don't expect to see a flurry of wind projects built and certainly it won't match last year's production. Much uncertainty remains for this renewable power industry.

January 17, 2013 - The Wall Street Journal

Employing material gathered for his forthcoming book, Chuck Wolfe argues for layered, historical illustrations of how people relate to built and sociocultural communities around them, and offers 5 principles and companion lessons for placemaking.

January 16, 2013 - myurbanist

Facing federal regulatory action for violating Clean Water Act standards, the L.A. County Board of Supervisors will consider a parcel tax weighted towards a property's amount of impervious pavement to fund programs to reduce stormwater pollution.

January 16, 2013 - The California Report

Over the next few decades, half of global economic growth is predicted to come from the slums of developing world cities. Gaia Vince believes the key to the coming urban revolution is how these shantytowns evolve.

January 16, 2013 - BBC

The "great global project" of this century, says Patrick Doherty, is how to "accommodate 3 billion additional middle-class aspirants in two short decades." In a bold essay, he outlines how the U.S. must lead the global transition to sustainability.

January 15, 2013 - Foreign Policy

"[A]ffordable housing remains one of America’s most vexing problems," states an editorial published last weekend in The Times. To help address this problem, the editors challenge the new Congress to finally finance the National Housing Trust Fund.

January 15, 2013 - The New York Times

The recent purchase of Zipcar by Avis is just the latest sign that carsharing is in a period of flux. As shared-mobility evolves in the next few years, planners can play a crucial role in ensuring that the industry serves those in need of alternatives to car ownership, generates revenues for municipalities, integrates with public transportation, and delivers wider benefits.

January 14, 2013 - Scott Le Vine

A suburban Detroit developer is promoting an alternative vision for Detroit's Belle Isle: transforming the island park into a commonwealth free market utopia for the elite.

January 14, 2013 - The Detroit News

At a forum held last week, candidates to become L.A.'s next mayor outlined their approaches to tackling the city's most daunting housing challenges - from homelessness to the need for more affordable housing.

January 14, 2013 - Los Angeles Times

Justin Hyde is firmly in the camp that 'Vehicle-Miles-Traveled' (VMT) fees are coming - and the release of a GAO report last month may support that contention. Privacy concerns from GPS and collection costs are challenges that were considered.

January 14, 2013 - Motoramic (Yahoo! Autos blog)

Why not increase the sales tax on all goods, eliminate the state gas tax, and then redirect general fund money from paying for public education, safety, parks, etc. to roads?

January 11, 2013 - The Washington Post

While the fiscal cliff talks did not increase the gas tax as some transportation analysts had hoped, it did increase a benefit that many commuters who ride public transit will appreciate, particularly those whose monthly expenses total $240.

January 10, 2013 - Sierra Club Compass

In Massachusetts, transportation funding is one of the key issues to be addressed by the state legislature this year. James Aloisi, former Transportation Secretary, offers an inventive way to fund Transit Improvement Districts.

January 10, 2013 - Governing