The American Planning Association has been outspoken in its opposition to the cuts proposed by the, still speculative, budget proposed by the Trump Administration.
Tess Hembree posts on the American Planning Association's (APA) blog in a clear statement of opposition to President Trump's preliminary budget proposal for the upcoming fiscal year 2018, released earlier this month.
According to Hembree, the budget "[outlines] a devastating vision of a dramatically reduced federal role in the nation’s communities."
The post goes on to organize the draft budget's impact on matters of planning importance. Hembree's list gathers her points into categories pertaining to the departments of Housing and Urban Development, Transportation, Interior, and Commerce, as well as the Environmental Protection Agency.
"Constituency is a powerful tool," writes Hembree, "and members of Congress are listening. Stand up for federal support for good planning." This post offers a primer on understanding the issues to begin that political action.
In addition to Hembree's post, the APA released an official statement on the Trump Administration's Fiscal Year 2018 federal budget proposal. The lede of that statement: "The federal budget proposal released today utterly fails to meet the needs of the nation's communities."
FULL STORY: President Recommends Devastating Cuts to Federal Programs; APA Opposes Proposal
Year in Review: The APA's Advocacy Work in Washington, D.C.
The APA noted that the 115th Congress was "marked by divisive rhetoric, partisan stalemates, and threats to programs on which local communities rely." At the end of the year, however, it could still celebrate substantial victories.
AICP Certification Maintenance Program to Include Equity Requirement
Two new mandatory topic areas will be required of AICP members to maintain professional certification.
Planners Call for Deep Police Reforms
A letter signed by over 600 planners calls on the American Planning Association to advocate for fundamental police reforms, in other words, to defund the police.
The state-sanctioned urbicide of Austin
People don’t kill cities. Freeways do.
US to reduce Colorado River water deliveries to Mexico
A new Colorado Treaty amendment reduces Mexico’s Colorado River water allocation by 250,000 acre feet.
New Jersey’s second-largest city bans standalone data centers
Jersey City will continue to allow co-location facilities, such as those meant for research institutions that store their own data.
Amtrak not solely to blame for New Jersey commuter rail's unreliability, report finds
A new study from the Garden State Initiative found that NJ Transit’s budget grew 20% across a 4 year period, but reliability declined significantly over the same period.
EPA erases limits on planet-warming pollution from power plants
Under Monday’s plan, power plants would still have some limits on how much mercury, arsenic and other contaminants they can emit.
Phoenix announces new on-demand transit service, more frequent RAPID buses
Both new services will launch in October, and are part of Phoenix's Project Effective Access Solutions for Easing Congestion.
FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?
After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.
Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold
The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.
Eagle County Government
Harvard University Graduate School of Design
Nashville Planning Department
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
The Pocatello Development Authority
The Urban Renewal Agency of the City of Pocatello
Journal of the American Planning Association