Governance & Finance: Page 2

  • A silver elevated train over a city street with a tall building in the background.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Chip Somodevilla via Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    Illinois transit authority shifts money to delay service cuts

    The move, approved by the Regional Transportation Authority’s board, will keep the Chicago Transit Authority running as is until mid-2026.

    By • Updated Aug. 28, 2025
  • People with heavy machinery wearing safety vests at a road construction site.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Joe Raedle via Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    Can cities and states keep their roads in good shape?

    With an influx of pandemic-era funds already spent, many states anticipate funding gaps over the next decade that could threaten road safety and infrastructure reliability.

    By • July 31, 2025
  • Aerial view of buildings with street running through the middle and hills in the background.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    No zoning code? That’s a problem, one Virginia city discovered.

    Procedural missteps can derail even well-supported measures to eliminate single-family zoning — a problem Charlottesville, Virginia, is now addressing.

    By Danielle McLean • July 31, 2025
  • A suburban neighborhood.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    Senate advances landmark affordable housing legislation

    “This is a historic and long-overdue step forward,” U.S. Conference of Mayors Housing Task Force Chair Andrew Ginther said.

    By • Updated Oct. 14, 2025
  • Close-up of scaffolding on an old stone building
    Image attribution tooltip
    Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    Municipal codes, financial incentives are driving the retrofitting boom, new research finds

    Nearly half of building executives surveyed believe retrofits meet urban space needs better than new construction, but many cities lack the policy muscle to make them scalable.

    By • July 29, 2025
  • 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.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip
    Column

    Paper-based payments are gone for good: What state and local governments need to know

    Adopting digital payment methods such as digital wallets can have time and cost-saving benefits for resource-constrained local governments.

    By Jamie Rosenberg • July 28, 2025
  • 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.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    American City & County and Smart Cities Dive are combining

    The AC&C staff will continue reporting on key state and local government issues under the Smart Cities Dive brand.

    By • July 28, 2025
  • A person holds a stylus against a tablet standing upright as a display. The tablet shows graphs and charts indicating financial planning.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Natalie Forman/Smart Cities Dive
    Image attribution tooltip

    The Municipal Cost Index is now on Smart Cities Dive. Here’s what you need to know.

    Since 1978, American City & County’s proprietary tool has helped local governments determine the cost of providing services to their residents.

    By • July 28, 2025
  • Double exposure of coin stack and notebook laptop computer with financial graph on white paper business planning vision and finance analysis concept
    Image attribution tooltip
    Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    The Municipal Cost Index

    Local governments and contractors use the MCI to calculate budgets. Some data for the September update is not yet available due to the federal government shutdown, however.

    By , • Updated Oct. 24, 2025
  • The exterior of Los Angeles' SoFi Stadium.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip
    Deep Dive

    LA passed a $30 minimum wage for hospitality workers. Hotels continue to fight it.

    As hospitality and travel organizations push for a referendum on the Olympic Wage ordinance, city officials face a crossroads between supporting wage justice and risking economic fallout.

    By Noelle Mateer • July 28, 2025
  • Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, in a blue suit and tie, gestures with a crowd behind him.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Kevin Dietsch via Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    Smartphone, connected vehicle data could help states comply with DOT’s ‘Safe Roads’ demand

    Governors must respond by August 30 to the Transportation Department’s letter asking for information on accident-prone arterial roads.

    By • July 25, 2025
  • Ron DeSantis speaks in a navy blue suit and light blue shirt, at a wooden podium that reads "$2 in 2025" in red about a red gas can over the words "Fueling American Freedom" in blue.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Brandon Bell via Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    Florida governor, CFO launch DOGE-style local government audits

    Broward County and Gainesville are the first communities to receive letters from the governor requesting financial and DEI information and access to offices, data and personnel.

    By Maura Webber Sadovi • July 23, 2025
  • 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.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip
    Column

    Traffic-related fatalities continue to rise in multiple cities

    Are outdated government operations to blame for Vision Zero failures?

    By Wes Guckert, PTP • July 22, 2025
  • A man and a woman shaking hands
    Image attribution tooltip

    Adobe / Aldeca Productions

    Image attribution tooltip
    Sponsored by Constant Contact

    6 top marketing trends for local governments in 2025

    Discover the top trends that will help local governments strengthen relationships with constituents.

    July 21, 2025
  • A girl works at a computer in a modern office
    Image attribution tooltip

    SHutterStock/1332155009

    Image attribution tooltip
    Sponsored by Neumo

    Now entering the self-service era for state and local government

    Government has always been people-based, but agencies must take a new approach to meet future needs.

    July 21, 2025
  • Men and woman sitting along a large desk.
    Image attribution tooltip
    (2025). "Subcommittee Markup of FY26 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Bill" [Video]. Retrieved from House Appropriations Committee/YouTube.
    Image attribution tooltip

    Amtrak, high-speed rail, public transit take cuts in House 2026 budget proposal

    In a markup session Monday, a House subcommittee proposed slashing the transportation department’s discretionary spending by over $3 billion.

    By • July 15, 2025
  • 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.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    Cities drive most U.S. economic activity: report

    Metro-area economies’ contributions to U.S. economic growth increased for the fifth consecutive year, according to the report released by the U.S. Conference of Mayors, but a S&P Global Market Intelligence representative noted economic headwinds ahead.

    By • July 10, 2025
  • A worker dumps trash into the back of a trash truck
    Image attribution tooltip
    Jeff Fusco via Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    Philadelphia sanitation strike ends with tentative pay agreement

    AFSCME and Philadelphia officials confirmed the strike has ended, though the union must still ratify the terms of the deal before it becomes official. Between 1,200 and 1,300 sanitation workers were part of the strike.

    By Megan Quinn • July 10, 2025
  • People on a station platform walking alongside a train.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Permission granted by Dan Zukowski
    Image attribution tooltip

    Massachusetts dedicates $8B to transportation in FY2026 budget

    Public transportation funding will help the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority narrow its deficit. Roads and bridges also received funding.

    By • July 8, 2025
  • 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.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip
    Column

    Building a resilient government starts with developing people

    Local governments are often where policy meets execution. That front-line responsibility requires skilled, adaptable teams ready to navigate change. That’s why investing in employee learning and development is essential.

    By Ray Resendez • July 2, 2025
  • 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.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip
    Green infrastructure

    Building community through play

    The right playground equipment fosters community spirit and helps direct youth energy in the right direction

    By Michael Keating • June 30, 2025
  • 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.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    The pandemic and election disruptions have made local governments a target for cybercrime

    Cybercriminals carry out highly targeted and prolonged attacks against local governments that involve advanced tools and techniques to infiltrate networks.

    By Michael Keating • June 25, 2025
  • 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.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    Mayors demand orderly, targeted immigration enforcement

    Federal officials should notify local officials before immigration raids and limit enforcement to serious criminals, a U.S. Conference of Mayors resolution says while condemning recent ICE efforts.

    By • June 24, 2025
  • 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.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    Mayors address Trump administration actions’ impacts on cities at annual meeting

    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.As the 93r...

    By • June 20, 2025
  • 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.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip
    Column

    Making process improvement stick: A data-driven path to local government efficiency

    CPI is a structured, ongoing approach to identifying and eliminating inefficiencies in operations. For state and local governments, this means streamlining workflows, leveraging available data and technology, and continuously adapting to changing community needs.

    By Claire Collins, DeAndre Watson • June 12, 2025