Does unreliable data and analysis result in hidden taxes in the form of higher costs for infrastructure?
American Planning Association Executive Director Paul Farmer testifies before the House Government Reform Subcommittee on Federalism and The Census that public investment based on unreliable data and analysis may constitute a hidden tax in the form of higher costs for infrastructure.
Selected excerpts are also available on the Planetizen Tech Talk blog.
Farmer also underscored the importance of Congress supporting advances in remotely sensed data and new geographic information, which can vastly improve our understanding of regional land use and growth patterns, as well as support hazard mitigation programs.
APA also suggested that Congress provide new support for expanding community planning capacity. While geographic information systems (GIS) and scenario planning are becoming more commonplace, there are vast disparities in access to this technology and training in its full implementation.
[Editor's note: The link below is to a 100KB PDF document.]
Thanks to Milton Ospina

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

San Francisco's School District Spent $105M To Build Affordable Housing for Teachers — And That's Just the Beginning
SFUSD joins a growing list of school districts using their land holdings to address housing affordability challenges faced by their own employees.

Can We Please Give Communities the Design They Deserve?
Often an afterthought, graphic design impacts everything from how we navigate a city to how we feel about it. One designer argues: the people deserve better.

The EV “Charging Divide” Plaguing Rural America
With “the deck stacked” against rural areas, will the great electric American road trip ever be a reality?

Judge Halts Brooklyn Bike Lane Removal
Lawyers must prove the city was not acting “arbitrarily, capriciously, and illegally” in ordering the hasty removal.

Engineers Gave America's Roads an Almost Failing Grade — Why Aren't We Fixing Them?
With over a trillion dollars spent on roads that are still falling apart, advocates propose a new “fix it first” framework.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Borough of Carlisle
Smith Gee Studio
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
Municipality of Princeton (NJ)