Government / Politics
Cities Reach Out to Private Sector to Solve Fiscal Challenges
Kirk Victor examines the new and risky roads many cities are taking to get immediate access to capital in order to finance their fiscal challenges.
Poverty Soars in the Suburbs
Lisa McGirr looks at the growing challenge of suburban poverty, which in the last decade has climbed by 25 percent (almost five times faster than cities), and the larger trends that it signifies.
Santorum Picks a Fight with Urban America
Sarah Wheaton and Richard A. Oppel Jr. report on a new line of attack against the urban favoring economic policies of his own party, being utilized by Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum in an effort to motivate his followers.
City Hacking Goes Mainstream
Within the last six months, two forward thinking American cities have created new positions for Chief Innovation Officers, with a mission to connect city hall with a new generation of problem-solvers outside of it, reports Emily Badger.
A Wrap Up and Look Ahead on Transportation Reauthorization
Yonah Freemark has authored a comprehensive examination of the policy and process behind the Senate transportation bill passed on Wednesday. But will it come to anything?
Detroit Drifts Towards Budget Armageddon
As the city runs out of cash, Detroit leaders are balking at a restructuring deal proposed by state officials to establish a joint advisory board to address the city’s financial troubles without a state-appointed emergency manager.
Senate Transportation Bill Finally Passes
Enjoying bipartisan support, the Senate's two-year, $109 billion transportation and infrastructure bill was approved by a comfortable 74-22 vote margin this afternoon, reports Jonathan Weisman.
Hard Lessons Learned in a Push to Privatize Parking
In the frenzied hunt for new revenue streams, municipal authorities are getting creative in capitalizing on their assets. Nate Berg follows the example of Sacramento, who is considering privatizing its parking meters to pay for a new sports arena.
Maximizing the Economic Potential of American Cities
Inspired by three books published in the last year that help to elucidate the role of cities and density in making people and countries richer, Ezra Klein compiles some lessons for economic development in the United States.
Do Municipal Climate Plans Do Any Good?
With more than 600 cities in the U.S. developing or having enacted formal climate plans, Nate Berg investigates disconcerting new findings that show a lack of any causal connection between greenhouse gas reductions and climate action plans.
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.
Pagination
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Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
JM Goldson LLC
Custer County Colorado
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Jefferson Parish Government
Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Claremont