Governance & Finance: Page 7

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    Column // Economic Oppportunity

    Stronger together: The power of collaborative community solutions

    When local governments, nonprofit organizations, academic institutions and private companies come together with a shared vision, they can tackle complex problems in ways that communities alone cannot.

    By Katie O'Connor and Jamal Lewis • March 11, 2025
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    Win McNamee via Getty Images
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    Local government impacts of President Trump’s first 50 days

    President Donald Trump wasted no time in canceling or halting many of former President Biden’s initiatives that provided support to local governments. State, city and nonprofit leaders are turning to the courts to fight back.

    By Smart Cities Dive Staff • March 11, 2025
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    Recycling batteries and bulbs can help local governments hit their sustainability targets

    City and county administrators can take several steps to make their communities more sustainable, including using local companies for recycling needs.

    By Michael Keating • March 10, 2025
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    Stadiums

    Minor league baseball is helping cities hit a revitalization home run

    Some mid-sized cities have taken the celebration and excitement of opening day and turned it into a year-round return on investment by building hometown baseball stadiums, creating a focal point for downtown revitalization.

    By • March 7, 2025
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    Anna Moneymaker via Getty Images
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    US DOT asks DC transportation authorities to focus on cutting crime

    Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy directed Amtrak, the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority and the District Department of Transportation to report and take action to improve safety.

    By • March 7, 2025
  • James Earp
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    James Earp

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    Exemplary Public Servants

    Emphasizing ‘people over position’: 2023 Exemplary Public Servant James Earp

    As city manager, Earp has fostered inclusivity and built a sense of ownership among city employees, which has led to a more efficient city with stronger bonds to its residents, his nominator said.

    By • March 5, 2025
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    With spend visibility tool, agencies can consolidate procurement efforts to preferred contracts

    Having a holistic view of spending can be a differentiator when it comes to strengthening procurement processes and implementing strategic practices.

    By Michael Keating • March 4, 2025
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    Opinion

    Energy bills are crushing low-income families. Here’s how state and local policymakers can help.

    Recent research found that a quarter of low-income households in the U.S. spend more than 15% of their income on energy bills, compared to the overall median of just 2.9%.

    By Roxana Ayala • Feb. 28, 2025
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    DOT funding priorities benefit Whiter, wealthier communities: Urban Institute

    A plan to tie funding to marriage and birth rates would leave behind historically underserved communities, according to an Urban Institute analysis.

    By Kalena Thomhave • Feb. 25, 2025
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    Maddie Meyer via Getty Images
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    FTA postpones enforcement of state safety oversight rule for rail transit

    Though the rule was effective Jan. 1, the Federal Transit Administration is  postponing enforcement to March 20 in line with a Jan. 20 executive order.

    By • Feb. 25, 2025
  • A man wearing a gray and black jacket with the emblem of the city of Baltimore on the left side.
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    Rob Carr via Getty Images
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    23 AGs line up behind Baltimore in CFPB case

    Efforts to shutter the agency are against public interest, the AGs said. The CFPB’s attorneys argue it’s in the public interest to act “consistent[ly] with the philosophy of a new administration brought about by a national election."

    By Dan Ennis • Feb. 25, 2025
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    Sponsored by

    Improving Indoor Air Quality Through Effective HVAC Ventilation

    Indoor air quality (IAQ) is influenced by a variety of factors, including outdoor pollutants, ventilation systems, and the presence of indoor sources like cleaning chemicals, allergens, and building materials. Poor IAQ can directly impact the health and productivity of individuals within a building. For instance, exposure to airborne particulate matter, such as that found in wildfire smoke, can lead to respiratory issues, especially for vulnerable populations such as children, the elderly, and those with pre-existing health conditions.

    By OMNIA Partners • Feb. 24, 2025
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    Sponsored by

    Disaster Preparedness: The Three Ps for Organizational Resilience

    Leveraging Cooperative Purchasing for Emergency Response and Recovery

    By OMNIA Partners • Feb. 24, 2025
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    Sponsored by

    Purchasing Innovation: How Technology is Transforming Public Procurement

    Technology is no longer a luxury in procurement—it’s a necessity. By embracing technological innovations, public sector organizations can achieve greater efficiency, transparency, and value. Whether through automation, AI, or ecommerce platforms, the tools are available to transform procurement into a strategic driver of success.

    By OMNIA Partners • Feb. 24, 2025
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    (2025). [Video]. Retrieved from New York State.
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    NY takes on Trump in battle over congestion pricing

    U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy terminated approval of New York's program for tolling vehicles that enter Manhattan's central business district. New York Gov. Kathy Hochul vowed to fight.

    By • Feb. 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.
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    Inspect your whole local government IT infrastructure as you snuff out cyberattacks

    Local governments are often facing a lack of budget for network upgrades and/or have small IT teams, which can mean they are more vulnerable to a potential cyberattack in an increasingly risky environment. It’s becoming clear that building and maintaining a strong network infrastructure to support modernization projects is essential to mitigating this risk.

    By Michael Keating • Feb. 19, 2025
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    Kent Nishimura via Getty Images
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    FEMA halts enforcement of flood rebuild rule, New York Times reports

    By not requiring buildings at risk of repeated flooding to be elevated or moved, the government isn’t saving money, critics say.

    By Robert Freedman • Feb. 19, 2025
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    Baltimore sues Trump administration over purge of DEI programs

    Baltimore, along with several other organizations, says President Trump overstepped his authority in his executive orders to slash DEI initiatives and threaten federal funding approved by Congress.

    By • Feb. 18, 2025
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    (2025). "America Builds: A Review of Programs to Address Roadway Safety" [Video]. Retrieved from T&I Committee Republicans/YouTube.
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    Roadway safety requires traffic enforcement, infrastructure investments: House hearing

    Safety advocates and local government officials joined members of Congress in calling for action to reduce traffic deaths in a House subcommittee hearing.

    By • Feb. 18, 2025
  • Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro speaks at a podium.
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    Mark Makela via Getty Images
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    Pennsylvania Gov. Shapiro sues Trump administration, citing frozen IRA funding

    The state’s agencies have limited access to over $3.1 billion in funding for activities including distributed solar deployment, well plugging and weatherization, according to the lawsuit.

    By Diana DiGangi • Feb. 18, 2025
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    Column

    A strategy for boosting local government efficiency and meeting citizen needs with a dwindling budget

    Many state and local agencies are grappling with budget challenges and hiring holds going into fiscal 2025. They are tasked to reduce spending, but not services—and the standout strategy for that is outsourcing.

    By Dennis DuFour • Feb. 13, 2025
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    Local governments are acquiring more public safety technology, including transformative AI tools

    Data-driven tools are revolutionizing how law enforcement agencies detect, prevent and respond to criminal activity, enabling more proactive and efficient operations.

    By Michael Keating • Feb. 11, 2025
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    Column

    How streamlined verifications can support public housing agencies amidst the affordable housing crisis

    Technology and data can help reduce manual efforts for public housing agencies working to more quickly get affordable housing to eligible people.

    By Benjamin Carlson • Feb. 10, 2025
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    Michael M. Santiago via Getty Images
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    DOT rescinds approval of New York congestion pricing plan

    Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy called the plan "a slap in the face to working class Americans and small business owners."

    By • Updated Feb. 19, 2025
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    Column

    Reconciling induced demand with highway spending — a new way to think about transportation planning

    With more than 4.2 million miles of public roads crisscrossing the United States, why does the country continue to pour billions of dollars annually into highway construction, expansion and maintenance?

    By Wes Guckert • Feb. 7, 2025