Opinion: Page 2

The latest opinion pieces by industry thought leaders

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  • A detailed landscape design plan showing topographic contour lines, orange building illustrations, green trees, and directional arrows. The layout includes winding paths and clustered vegetation. A triangular scale ruler lies on the left, and three colored pencils, colored blue, green, and yellow, rest on the lower right corner of the page.
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    Toa55 via Getty Images
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    Is the public safety department model the future of municipal emergency service?

    The undeniable fiscal constraints associated with local governance has challenged contemporary public administrators to achieve more with less. Budgets are stretched thin, and local government managers face increasingly complex service delivery demands from an electorate that loathes the idea of paying higher taxes.

    Dr. Randall Bauer • Oct. 30, 2024
  • A detailed landscape design plan showing topographic contour lines, orange building illustrations, green trees, and directional arrows. The layout includes winding paths and clustered vegetation. A triangular scale ruler lies on the left, and three colored pencils, colored blue, green, and yellow, rest on the lower right corner of the page.
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    Toa55 via Getty Images
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    Traverse City’s broadband project is a cautionary tale for other communities

    As a former telecommunications executive who created business plans for fiber networks, I’ve watched Traverse City, Mich.’s efforts to build a fiber municipal broadband network with both interest and concern.

    Gerald DeGrazia • Oct. 29, 2024
  • A person in a suit stands at a podium with a microphone. Behind him are flags and three people wearing face masks.
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    Alex Wong via Getty Images
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    Communities could lose unspent ARPA funds in December if they don’t do this

    Governments generally must “obligate” the funds, which requires more than passing a budget or earmarking them for use.

    Tom Kaleko and Lucas Peterson • Oct. 21, 2024
  • An eviction notice posted on the front door of a home.
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    Vyacheslav Dumchev/iStock/Getty Images Plus via Getty Images
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    Eviction data is lacking. Here’s how local governments can help.

    Local leaders need to understand the magnitude of the housing crisis in their area to act on it, a Princeton Eviction Lab representative says.

    Camila Vallejo • Oct. 14, 2024
  • A detailed landscape design plan showing topographic contour lines, orange building illustrations, green trees, and directional arrows. The layout includes winding paths and clustered vegetation. A triangular scale ruler lies on the left, and three colored pencils, colored blue, green, and yellow, rest on the lower right corner of the page.
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    Toa55 via Getty Images
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    How to build awareness of flood risk and gain buy-in for flood control measures

    Floods are one of the most devastating events to strike a community—costly in terms of lives lost, damaged or destroyed homes, economic disruption, and damage to critical infrastructure. However, improvements in technology are helping local governments provide accurate assessments of flood risk, so steps can be taken to provide early and accurate warning of flood events, minimize potential losses, and improve outcomes and overall resilience after a flood occurs.

    Katherine Osborne • Sept. 13, 2024
  • A detailed landscape design plan showing topographic contour lines, orange building illustrations, green trees, and directional arrows. The layout includes winding paths and clustered vegetation. A triangular scale ruler lies on the left, and three colored pencils, colored blue, green, and yellow, rest on the lower right corner of the page.
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    Toa55 via Getty Images
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    Cleveland’s new strategic plan focuses on making city government work better

    As Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb stepped onto the Music Hall stage in the city’s Public Auditorium on March 5, 2024, it was hard not to lose your place on the continuum of past, present and future.

    Andrew Kleine • Sept. 11, 2024
  • A detailed landscape design plan showing topographic contour lines, orange building illustrations, green trees, and directional arrows. The layout includes winding paths and clustered vegetation. A triangular scale ruler lies on the left, and three colored pencils, colored blue, green, and yellow, rest on the lower right corner of the page.
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    Toa55 via Getty Images
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    Justice40: Getting federal funds to communities that need it most

    Editor's note: This article was originally published in American City & County, which has merged with Smart Cities Dive to bring you expanded coverage of city innovation and local government. For the latest in smart city news, explore Smart Cities Dive or sign up for our newsletter.President Bide...

    Laurie Mazur • Aug. 19, 2024
  • A detailed landscape design plan showing topographic contour lines, orange building illustrations, green trees, and directional arrows. The layout includes winding paths and clustered vegetation. A triangular scale ruler lies on the left, and three colored pencils, colored blue, green, and yellow, rest on the lower right corner of the page.
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    Toa55 via Getty Images
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    Manatee County Sheriff’s Office transforms performance management to improve service

    Residents are flocking to Manatee County, Fla. From 2010 to 2021, the county’s population grew by a whopping 33% to 429,000.

    Julie Beckwith • Aug. 16, 2024
  • People look up at bubbles floating across a city street.
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    Permission granted by Paul Kalbfleisch
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    Prioritize play to help your city thrive in a post-pandemic world

    More joyful public spaces can offer a path forward for cities as housing and work trends weaken their relationships with residents.

    Paul Kalbfleisch • Aug. 13, 2024
  • Bumper-to-bumper cars and trucks on a midtown Manhattan street.
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    Spencer Platt via Getty Images
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    Congestion pricing alone won’t solve New York’s traffic problem

    Car-free streets, dedicated bus lanes, lower speed limits and variable toll pricing are among other cities' strategies for success, says TomTom's VP for traffic and travel information.

    Ralf-Peter Schäfer • Aug. 6, 2024
  • A detailed landscape design plan showing topographic contour lines, orange building illustrations, green trees, and directional arrows. The layout includes winding paths and clustered vegetation. A triangular scale ruler lies on the left, and three colored pencils, colored blue, green, and yellow, rest on the lower right corner of the page.
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    Toa55 via Getty Images
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    Digital permitting: Building stronger communities and centralizing asset data

    Editor's note: This article was originally published in American City & County, which has merged with Smart Cities Dive to bring you expanded coverage of city innovation and local government. For the latest in smart city news, explore Smart Cities Dive or sign up for our newsletter.Permitting...

    Dan Puerling • July 16, 2024
  • Eviction notice on door of house with brass door knob.
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    Bill Oxford via Getty Images
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    The White House just took steps to combat housing discrimination. States and local governments should follow.

    As the country’s eviction epidemic grows, lawmakers must take aim at tenant screening practices locking millions out of affordable housing.

    Jasmine Rangel • July 9, 2024
  • A detailed landscape design plan showing topographic contour lines, orange building illustrations, green trees, and directional arrows. The layout includes winding paths and clustered vegetation. A triangular scale ruler lies on the left, and three colored pencils, colored blue, green, and yellow, rest on the lower right corner of the page.
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    Toa55 via Getty Images
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    WIFIA funding helps communities address the impacts of climate change

    Editor's note: This article was originally published in American City & County, which has merged with Smart Cities Dive to bring you expanded coverage of city innovation and local government. For the latest in smart city news, explore Smart Cities Dive or sign up for our newsletter.Changes in...

    Dallas Shattuck • June 14, 2024
  • A detailed landscape design plan showing topographic contour lines, orange building illustrations, green trees, and directional arrows. The layout includes winding paths and clustered vegetation. A triangular scale ruler lies on the left, and three colored pencils, colored blue, green, and yellow, rest on the lower right corner of the page.
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    Toa55 via Getty Images
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    How one city is proactively managing AI use—and what local governments can learn from it

    Editor's note: This article was originally published in American City & County, which has merged with Smart Cities Dive to bring you expanded coverage of city innovation and local government. For the latest in smart city news, explore Smart Cities Dive or sign up for our newsletter.AI (artificial...

    Todd Hurley • April 8, 2024
  • A technician connects cable on a solar rooftop array.
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    Wichien Tep via Getty Images
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    Utilities must come clean about the full value of community solar

    Utilities often oppose customer-driven, third-party-owned energy projects like community solar because they threaten to supplant utility investments and utility shareholder profits.

    Jeff Cramer and John Farrell • April 3, 2024
  • A detailed landscape design plan showing topographic contour lines, orange building illustrations, green trees, and directional arrows. The layout includes winding paths and clustered vegetation. A triangular scale ruler lies on the left, and three colored pencils, colored blue, green, and yellow, rest on the lower right corner of the page.
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    Toa55 via Getty Images
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    What is going on with Vision Zero

    Editor's note: This article was originally published in American City & County, which has merged with Smart Cities Dive to bring you expanded coverage of city innovation and local government. For the latest in smart city news, explore Smart Cities Dive or sign up for our newsletter.In 2019, t...

    Wes Guckert, PTP • March 27, 2024
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    CharlieTong via Getty Images
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    Local government climate coalitions are delivering state policy results

    Environmental justice legislation in Colorado and energy efficiency and renewable energy programs in Wisconsin are two recent coalition accomplishments.

    Lindsay Ex and Erick Shambarger • March 26, 2024
  • Close up of EV charger with cars parked in background
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    Scharfsinn86 via Getty Images
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    5 tips for building highly utilized curbside EV chargers

    Think about EV charger placement and features that provide value to community residents, visitors and business owners, says the president and CEO of EV charging company Volta.

    Brandt Hastings • March 22, 2024
  • A detailed landscape design plan showing topographic contour lines, orange building illustrations, green trees, and directional arrows. The layout includes winding paths and clustered vegetation. A triangular scale ruler lies on the left, and three colored pencils, colored blue, green, and yellow, rest on the lower right corner of the page.
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    Toa55 via Getty Images
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    The art of dismantling the “unfortunate process”

    Editor's note: This article was originally published in American City & County, which has merged with Smart Cities Dive to bring you expanded coverage of city innovation and local government. For the latest in smart city news, explore Smart Cities Dive or sign up for our newsletter.Procuremen...

    Christopher E. Burton • March 6, 2024
  • A rendering of an Electric Era charger charging a vehicle.
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    Permission granted by Electric Era
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    To spur more EV chargers, regulators must get creative with demand charges

    No matter what the incentives for installing an EV charger, very few businesses will enter this marketplace if selling the product leads to thousands of dollars in charges that aren’t made up for with revenue.

    Chris Kaiser • Jan. 8, 2024
  • An artistic rendering of a building which is transitioning from fossil fuel use to renewable sources like solar panels
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    Oliver de la Haye via Getty Images
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    The US could still get to net-zero

    The country could reduce nearly 90% of greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 without any Hail Mary innovations.

    Michael Jung and Adam Agalloco • Dec. 1, 2023
  • Exterior of the U.S. EPA headquarters with two flags flying
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    Justin Sullivan via Getty Images
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    EPA should put landfill methane on COP28 agenda: former Oregon governor

    States like Oregon are curbing landfill methane emissions to help achieve climate goals. Kate Brown says the EPA should take greater action on this issue ahead of COP28.

    Kate Brown • Nov. 8, 2023
  • Electric vehicle, or EV, charging stations.
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    gerenme via Getty Images
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    Big power’s EV charging strategy: Raise rates, overpromise, underdeliver, repeat

    We grant publicly regulated utilities certain privileges in exchange for reliability and affordability. When they try to leverage that privilege to corner a new market, they deserve plenty of pushback.

    Jay Smith • Nov. 6, 2023
  • A detailed landscape design plan showing topographic contour lines, orange building illustrations, green trees, and directional arrows. The layout includes winding paths and clustered vegetation. A triangular scale ruler lies on the left, and three colored pencils, colored blue, green, and yellow, rest on the lower right corner of the page.
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    Toa55 via Getty Images
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    How public-private partnerships are fueling growth in Orlando

    The city of Orlando is the center of a growing, thriving metropolis that is home to more than two million residents.

    Craig Ustler • Nov. 3, 2023
  • The California Capitol building.
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    Wallentine via Getty Images
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    ‘Yes in God’s Back Yard’ law aims to help battle California’s housing crisis

    The recently signed bill allows religious groups and nonprofit colleges to build affordable housing on their land without strict adherence to zoning standards. 

    Ellia Thompson • Oct. 31, 2023