Government / Politics

Houston’s Growth Poses Service Challenges
The Houston region continues to grow, and local regional governance is struggling to meet residents’ needs.

Missouri Voters Rejects Legislative Gas Tax Increase
Missouri legislators approved a bill at the end of the legislative session to place a 10-cents per gallon gas tax increase on the ballot to fund road repair. It had the support of Gov. Mike Parson but was rejected by nearly 54 percent of voters.

Sunday Fun: New Video Game Explains Land Use Politics
We're not sure if planners will find this game, since it's so close to real life, but maybe it will make a good recommendation for friends and family members?

Voters Approved $30 Billion for Transportation This Election
Nationwide, voters approved nearly 70 percent of transportation ballot measures on the ballot.

Philadelphia Project Seeks Diverse Array of Investors
A development project in Philadelphia is raising funds through a combination of Opportunity Zones benefits, federal tax credits, and crowdfunding.

Californians Vote to Maintain Roads and Transit by Rejecting Gas Tax Repeal
In potentially the most important transportation ballot measure in the state since 1990, the last time residents voted on the gas tax, Californians were deciding whether to repeal fuel taxes and vehicle registration fees approved last year.

Toronto Mayor Wants a 'Transit Czar'
Toronto Mayor John Tory knows the city's residents take transit seriously, so he's appointing a new position: transit czar.

Mixed Results on Renewable Energy Initiatives
Two western states had very similar renewable energy initiatives on the ballot sponsored by NextGen America requiring utilities to get 50 percent of electricity by 2030. It passed in Nevada but was rejected in Arizona.

Election 2018 Results: Local and State Land Use, Transportation, Housing, and Infrastructure
Election results from every corner of the country.

New Vancouver Council Plotting to Rescind Recently Approved Zoning Changes
Local elections have consequences.

L.A. Decides to Keep Short-Term Rentals Out of Rent Controlled Apartments
A City Council decision on short-term rental regulations reverses the decision of the City Planning Commission.

No West Coast Climate Bloc
Had election results proved favorable in Oregon and Washington, UC Berkley Law Climate Program Director Ethan Elkind suggested that the two states could join California to form a West Coast Climate Bloc. Oregon came through, but not Washington.

Trump Administration's Error-Riddled Fuel-Economy Rules
The official case for repealing car fuel-economy rules is so full of errors it will be hard to defend in court.

Energy Issues at Stake in New Mexico Land Commission Election
Unlike energy issues that will appear in the form of ballot initiatives on Tuesday in three western states, voters in New Mexico will cast their energy vote in their choice for state land commissioner, an arcane position with considerable authority.

‘Nudging’ Durham Commuters Toward More Sustainable Modes of Travel
Behavioral science is informing the city’s efforts to change the way people commute.

U.S. EPA's Climate Change Website Still Missing in Action
It might take a new administration for climate change to be of concern to the federal government again.

Major Court Victory for California High-Speed Rail Authority
Plaintiffs suing the state of California over a 2016 law that allowed the High-Speed Rail Authority to tap a $9.9 billion bond measure, passed by voters a decade ago to pay for construction on "usable segments," came up short for the second time.

Judge: Pittsburgh Can't Hide Amazon HQ2 Offer From the Public
City and county officials have already appealed a decision that would require them to release the details of a proposal designed to entice Amazon into locating its second headquarters in Pittsburgh.

State Gubernatorial Elections Have Environmental Consequences
The environment and climate change may not be top issues in the nation's hotly contested gubernatorial contests next Tuesday, but their outcomes can cause policy changes. Take North Carolina and the election of Roy Cooper, a Democrat, two years ago.

TEDx: How Will Autonomous Vehicles Transform Cities?
Nico Larco presents a TEDx Talk on the impacts AVs will have on cities, including impacts on land use, land valuation, and the environment. AVs are more than just a transportation issue, and planners need to prepare for the coming changes.
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