Government / Politics
Getting To $2.50 Gasoline - A Marketplace Final Report
In this second and final look at how to achieve Republican presidential candidate Newt Gingrich's promise of $2.50 gas, Marketplace's Kai Ryssdal reports on a subsidy strategy discussed in The Atlantic. Earlier he presented a price controls approach.
Senate Poised to Pass Transportation Bill
Jason Jordan reports on the good news from Capitol Hill, as the Senate has agreed on a path forward to end the amendment process and pass its 2-year, $109 billion surface transportation authorization bill next week.
Making Sure Design Doesn't Get Left Behind in Chicago's Infrastructure Push
Blair Kamin argues for the need for new Mayor Rahm Emanuel to carry on the enlightened relationship with design established by his predecessor, former Mayor Richard M. Daley, especially in light of recently announced initiatives.
Can The U.S. Really Become Energy Independent?
The short answer is yes, according to this NPR report that includes interviews with energy experts. The boom in shale fracking for oil and natural gas and the zeal of small energy companies is to credit. But UC Berkeley's Don Kammen has his doubts.
Senate Transportation Saga Continues
A much anticipated cloture vote on the Senate's proposed two-year transportation bill once again failed to win enough votes on Tuesday. Better news may be on the horizon however, reports Ed O'Keefe.
Are Municipal Politics to Blame for the Rise in Rents?
Mark Bergen, with the help of David Schleicher, argues that zoning policies are to blame for slowing development and escalating rental costs in cities across the country.
Appreciating The Legacy Of Planning Pioneer Charles Haar
Comprehensive planning is customary in a great many American cities these days, but it wasn't long ago that the concept was foreign to most planners. Attorney and scholar Charles M. Haar was one of the figures who revolutionized the field.
Participatory Budgeting Debuts in New York
Tom DiChristopher reports on a pioneering project in New York City that gives the residents of four City Council districts a direct vote on how to allocate municipal funds.
In Atlanta, A Transit Tax Battle Brews
Yonah Freemark reports on the conundrum faced by the 10-county Atlanta region over how to allocate expected revenues from a new sales tax intended to fund transit projects.
Point-Counterpoint on the Transformative Potential of the City 2.0
In respective reports on this week's awarding of the TED Prize, Anthony Flint and Diana Lind promote different opinions on the potential impact of this year's winner - The City 2.0.
Water Infrastructure Takes Center Stage at House and Senate Hearings
Jason Jordan reports on House and Senate subcommittee hearings this week that focused on water infrastructure concerns and a proposed new program to better address funding and financing options.
Largest U.S. Municipal Bankruptcy Pending For Stockton
Stockton, a city of 300,000 in California's ailing Central Valley, may become the largest city in the U.S. to declare bankruptcy. Agreements with public employee unions and major bond creditors may be all that stand in the way of default.
Uncertainty Dominates House's Next Step in Transportation Reauthorization
The House is working to amend its transportation bill, but what takes its place is far from certain. Burgess Everett reports on speculation that the GOP is aiming to shorten the length to two years, and make a host of other changes.
What Does Government Do for You?
Amidst shrinking municipal budgets and a Tea Party led backlash against government spending, Nate Berg reports on one New Jersey town's effort to completely eliminate its Department of Public Works. Is this the beginning of a trend or an aberration?
Why Is Sustainable Urbanism Illegal?
Writing for Alternet, Sara Robinson reports on the Sightline Institute's efforts to compile a list of what she calls "zombie laws" that prevent people from living sustainably.
A Bipartisan Solution to Global Warming and the Budget Deficit
In another sign of the coming apocalypse, a bipartisan group of House members have devised an entirely sensible way to cut greenhouse gas emissions, grow employment, and shrink the budget deficit in one fell swoop, by placing a price on carbon.
A Block Too Pretty For Subway Entrances?
East 69th Street is mobilizing to halt the Metropolitan Transportation Authority's plan to add subway entrances on their tony block - needed to handle displaced crowd flows from adding required ADA elevators at the 68th Street entrances.
The Once and Future Urbanism of Sandwich Boards
Chuck Wolfe traces the comeback of sandwich board signage in cities, explains how associated regulations work, and offers reasons why such signage should be carefully fostered.
Fracking Ruling May Result In More Local Bans
In what may turn out to be a landmark ruling, the right of Dryden, a New York township adjacent to Cornell University to use its zoning code to ban the controversial drilling technique known fracking was upheld by the N.Y. State Supreme Court.
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