Government / Politics

Mexico City Airport Project Ends; Causes Economic Rumblings
Mexican voters do not want the airport project to continue, and serious economic consequences could follow.

Curbs Are Plentiful, But the Info About Them Isn’t Great. A New App Could Change That
An app called Surveyor is making it easier to collect better data on curbs.

Will More Money Solve San Francisco's Homelessness Problem?
San Francisco voters will decide on Proposition C, a business tax based on gross receipts levied on large employers, the most contentious of five local measures.

Oracle Launches Land Use and Development Software
The product uses artificial intelligence to manage zoning, code enforcement, and permitting for local governments.

Rural Residents Not on Board With Texas Bullet Train Plan
A proposal for high-speed rail from Houston to Dallas is highlighting the state’s social and political divisions.

Sacramento Hopes to Lead Transportation Emission Reductions by Example
As California tries to stem its increasing greenhouse gas emissions from the transportation sector, its capital, Sacramento, may prove to be a model for other cities as it embraces electric vehicles and strategies to reduce driving.

When Academic Research Goes Bad
A 'misconduct investigation' decided that an industry-funded study, used by the EPA as the basis to roll back a regulation limiting the number of old engines that could be used in new truck chassis (i.e., "glider trucks"), was inaccurate.

Friday Funny: Grey Areas Discovered Between YIMBY and NIMBY
You know housing politics has gone mainstream when a satirical literary journal pokes fun at your acronyms.

New York’s Music Venues Vital to City, Says Report
A study of the musical nightlife of New York shows these spaces are an integral part of the city’s urban landscape.

Prime Minister Trudeau Extends Carbon Pricing Throughout Canada
A carbon tax-and-dividend plan goes into effect on January 1 in the four Canadian provinces that don't price carbon emissions. Revenues will be rebated to residents, small businesses, and public institutions as Climate Action Incentive payments.

New York Voters to Consider Term Limits for Community Board Members
Proposal 3, on November's ballot, aims to bring new diversity to the community board system that advises land use and development decisions around the city.

Chicago and New York: Two Transit Systems, Two Very Different Outcomes
Both cities have aging transit systems in need of major repairs. Chicago’s approach has helped turn the system around while New York is still grappling with its issues.

Aldermanic Obstruction Too Strong for Former Chicago Spire Site Plans
Developers Related Midwest have new plans for the infamously failed development site, but have so far been stymied by demands from the office of Alderman Brendan Reilly.

Is There Science in Planning?
A survey of planning offices in the United States reveals an important dynamic of professional practice.

One-Seat Ride to JFK a Long Shot, But Other Possibilities Exist
A one-seat train ride to JFK Airport has long been discussed, but it is not likely to happen. However, a number of options could improve the trip.

Greenhouse Gas Emissions Continue to Decrease in the U.S.
President Trump and his cabinet have been busy rolling back environmental regulations and promoting coal burning, and now they claim credit for a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions last year even greater than in 2016.

Lawsuit Challenges Cincinnati's Homeless Encampment Ban
The ACLU will challenge Hamilton County's ban on tent cities in court.

L.A. Ends 'Veto' Power Over Homeless Housing
Anti-poverty advocates had criticized the "pocket veto" as arbitrary and unfair—and the state agreed.

IPCC Report Sways Microsoft to Endorse Carbon Fee Initiative on Washington Ballot
A dire report on climate change issued by a United Nations panel influenced Washington-based Microsoft to take a position on a controversial state carbon fee, Initiative 1631. Oil companies are fighting back, citing wide exemptions from the fee.

Californians Could Vote to Expand Prop 13 Property Tax Breaks in November
A biting opinion piece asks why Californians would want to worsen the effects of Proposition 13 by voting yes on Proposition 5.
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