Government / Politics

California Realtors Hope Ballot Initiative Will Put More Homes on Market
A ballot measure to enable older homeowners in California, particularly empty nesters, to downsize without losing their tax benefits granted to them by the 1978 Proposition 13, has qualified for the November ballot.

In Sprawling Charlotte, Traffic Jams Point to Climate Solutions
A look at the relationship between sprawl and climate change mitigation in the fast-growing North Carolina city.

Court Throws Out Massachusetts 'Millionaire Tax'
The failed "Fair Share Amendment" would have taxed the wealthy to pay for transportation and education.

Doug Ford, Elected Ontario Premier, Promises End of Cap and Trade
The brother of former Toronto Mayor Rob Ford decisively won the election on June 7 to be the next premier of Ontario, ousting current Premier Kathleen Wynne. His first order of business: end the province's emissions trading program.

Expansion of Maryland Toll Lane Project Increases Cost Five-Fold to $1.1 Billion
A $210 million project to add a single, 7-mile express toll lane on Interstate 95 north of Baltimore was just expanded to two lanes for 10 miles. Financing will rely on toll revenue. Unlike HOT lanes, every motorist will pay to use the lanes.

The Happy Jail
Where do the street trees come from, and where does the compost go? Rikers Island was New York City's growing outpost for years. But does “greening” the jail always improve things for prisoners?
26-Year-Old Civil Rights Complaint Finally Ends
The legal controversy over the Genesee Power Plant in Flint, Michigan has finally ended, with a court forcing the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to better investigate and resolve complaints of environmental discrimination.

Industry Report: Regulations Add 30 Percent to Multi-Family Development Costs
Two organizations representing the development industry have released a report to highlight the costs of doing business.

'Smart' Parking Meters Issue Tickets From Afar
More tickets, fewer meter maids.

San Francisco's Next Mayor a Self-Described 'Pro-Housing' Politician With Support From YIMBYs
London Breed is the first African American female elected mayor of San Francisco, and she brings high hopes that a pro-development approach can help mitigate the city's housing affordability crisis.

Trump Rebuffed by Federal Energy Commissioners on Coal and Nuclear Power Bailout
Last month the Trump administration directed Energy Secretary Rick Perry to require grid operators to purchase power from aging coal and nuclear power plants, enabling them to keep operating as a matter of "national security." Regulators disagree.

Chicago's New Train to O'Hare Won't Be a Train—It's Elon Musk's 'Loop'
Loop, as in a derivation of Hyperloop, conceived by Elon Musk and to be built by his newest venture, The Boring Company, is the technology of choice for high-speed transit to O'Hare Airport.

A Kinder and Gentler Approach to Scooters
It's a temporary experiment, but Santa Monica will not cap the number of scooters operated by private companies in the city.

Wanted in the Autonomous Vehicles Debate: A Place at the Table for Local Authorities
How much should the federal government involve local authorities in crafting autonomous vehicle regulations? Officials in New York say they aren't being included enough.

Initiative to Split California into Three States Qualifies for November Ballot
Should the "California Three States Initiative " pass on Election Day, the Golden State will be a step closer to splitting into three states: California, Northern California, and Southern California.

Cobb County, Georgia Preparing a Transit Wish List
Cobb County has been enabled by the state to raise taxes to fund transit expansions. Early planning efforts are expected to face political headwinds in a region known for opposing both taxes and transit.

The 'Head Tax' Failed in Seattle; Cities Still Want the Tax to Support Housing, Transit
If your city was home to some of the wealthiest, largest companies in the country, would you tax them to raise money for more housing and transit service?

Means-Based, Transit-Fare Discounts Take a Leap Forward in the Big Apple
The 2019 New York City budget includes $106 million to subsidize half the transit fare for qualified residents for six months. The city joins the ranks of Seattle, Toronto, and the Bay Area that offer income-based discounts for transit fares.

Looking Back to Find the Future of San Diego
An advocacy group is republishing the 1974 regional plan for sustainability, and finding that it's just as relevant now as it was then.

Carson: HUD No Longer Raising Rents for Subsidized Households
Blame it on the federal budget, says Department of Housing and Urban Development Secretary Carson.
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