Government / Politics

TIGER Grants Are Back, But They're Called BUILD Grants Now
Promises (or fears) of the end of TIGER grant funding have proven unfounded thus far into the Trump Administration. Here's what's new with the U.S. Department of Transportation grant program formerly known as TIGER.

California and Auto Industry Agree on Vehicle Emissions Standards
Normally having the California Air Resources Board and the auto industry in agreement on emissions standards would be enough, but the Trump administration wants to ensure that California plays no role in setting standards.

Study: There's a Lot of Vacant Land in Texas Cities
All that empty acreage means that these big, rapidly developing cities don’t really have to sprawl.

Two States to Decide on Gas Tax Measures on Election Day
California voters will likely decide on whether to repeal a 12-cents gas tax increase while Missouri voters will decide whether to increase the state's 17-cents per gallon gas tax, fourth lowest in the nation, by 10-cents per gallon over four years.
In New Jersey, Beach Parking Located Right on the Sand
This summer, the seashore town of Wildwood is charging a fee for people with the right cars to park in a very convenient location.

Phoenix Joins Growing List of Cities Suing Over Citizenship Question
Phoenix sues Trump over change to census questionnaire which some believe could cost the city $350 million in federal funding.

Urban Utopias Under African Skies
An exhibit by Congolese artist Bodys Isek Kingelez at the Museum of Modern Art invokes urban idealism at the same time that it serves as a foil for poverty and deprivation in the megacities of the developing world.

Winners and Losers of the California Primary
With national media focused on individual candidates, propositions that dealt with park and water bonds, transportation spending, cap-and-trade, and rainwater may have been overlooked. Plus, a measure to increase bridge tolls in the Bay Area.

Buying Flood-Prone Houses an Expensive Proposition in Texas
Harris County has a home buyout program, designed to reduce the amount of residents living in flood-prone homes. But when it comes to home buyouts, a lot of money goes a little way.

Report Offers Guidance on 'Smart City' Investments
"The challenge of paying for smart cities projects" report by Deloitte recommends several steps for making the most of investments in "smart city" technology by city governments.

China Will Drive Electric Vehicle Market
Two new reports on the outlook of electric vehicles paint a bright future for the new technology. No country is more critical than China, where policies will force global auto companies to invest in clean technology if they want to have a future.

Keeping Old Coal Plants Operating Just Became a Matter of National Security
The president hopes to revitalize the nation's sagging coal industry by forcing utilities to purchase power from aging coal and nuclear power plants in the name of national defense. The news is already paying dividends for coal companies.

California to Invest $1 Billion in Electric Trucks, Buses, Charging Infrastructure
The investment comes not from the state legislature but from two regulatory bodies, the Air Resources Board and the Public Utilities Commission, authorizing the expenditure of VW settlement funds and utility ratepayer funds, respectively.

20 Finalists Announced in the 'Canada Smart Cities Challenge'
The winner of the Grand Prize for the Canada Smart Cities Challenge will receive $50 million CAD ($38.5 million USD).

Seattle Planning Director Pursues Equity Amid a Pro-Growth Agenda
An interview with Seattle Planning Director Sam Assefa for the latest installment of the "Planners Across America" series.

When 160 Mayors Talk About the State of the City
An annual report aggregates the State of the City speeches of mayors all over the country.

Prominent St. Louis Developer Accused of Fraud
The local developer is accused of inflating property values and defrauding a program meant to spur investment in distressed areas.

Editorial Exposes Bay Area Housing Hypocrisy
Cities can't have it both ways on the housing crisis, asserts an SF Chronicle editorial. Case in point: Berkeley passes a resolution to declare homelessness a state of emergency while opposing legislation to allow BART to develop its parking lots.

Where Republican Mayors Are Taking Leadership on Climate Change
(Even if they don't talk about it very much.)

Bad Break for Scooter Rental Company in its Hometown
Years before there was e-scooter-share, there was electric (Vespa-like) scooter-share in San Francisco by start-up Scoot. Now that they are ready to launch electric bikeshare, the city won't let them, unlike Barcelona, Spain where it began service.
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