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July 5, 2018
Why Alcohol Is Still the Most Dangerous Drug
It's cheaper, legal and kills more people than opioids. But public officials are much more united in the fight against drugs than alcohol.
June 27, 2018
Can Homelessness Programs Make Money -- and Should They?
"Pay for success" is changing the way cities confront the problem.
May 30, 2018
Why Liberals Are Mad That Conservatives Want to Exempt Some People From Work Requirements
Several states are considering exemptions from Medicaid work requirements that would disproportionately impact black and white people.
May 18, 2018
Despite Farm Bill Fail, Advocates of Food Stamp Work Requirements Succeed Elsewhere
The House voted against the legislation on Friday. But some of the ideas behind it have seen success in the states.
May 17, 2018
Data Is Improving Government Services, But at What Cost to Citizens' Privacy?
Data now informs almost everything the public sector does, and it also informs on us.
May 15, 2018
The Revolutionary Foster Care Law Buried in February's Federal Spending Deal
Congress passed drastic child welfare reforms that aim to reduce the removal of kids from their homes. But some worry they will cost states and harm children.
May 11, 2018
Taking on Walmart Is No Easy Fight for Cities
Some towns have tried to force certain big-box retailers to pay higher wages.
May 11, 2018
Mayors' Group Tries Novel Idea: A Bipartisan Agenda
The two new leaders of the U.S. Conference of Mayors, a Democrat and a Republican, have crafted a bipartisan strategy that they hope will help them wield more influence in Washington.
May 10, 2018
City Officials Highlight Innovative 'Ideas Worth Stealing'
From a community compost exchange to mayors funds, here are a few innovative ideas that city officials just might want to steal for themselves.
April 30, 2018
Steve Ballmer on Using Data to Tell Government's Story
The former Microsoft CEO wants Americans to have a clear picture of how government collects and spends their money -- and what they get in return.
April 24, 2018
Can Cities Make Water Affordable? Detroit Offers Hope, and Disappointment
Since the UN got involved, the city has taken steps to make utility bills more affordable. But 17,000 customers still could lose their service next month.
April 17, 2018
Automatic Voter Registration Goes Beyond the DMV
The most recent states to adopt the practice are expanding it to agencies that serve disenfranchised populations, including the poor and disabled.
April 12, 2018
In Terms of Food Stamps, the Farm Bill Has Something for Everyone
The legislation released on Thursday includes changes that could satisfy conservatives and liberals. It does not include most of the changes President Trump proposed, such as drug testing and a Blue Apron-style delivery service.
April 9, 2018
The Bipartisan Food Stamp Reforms Congress Won't Talk About
The farm bill expected to be unveiled this week offers Republicans a rare opportunity to reshape one of the largest federal anti-poverty programs.
March 29, 2018
Trump Proposal Would Penalize Legal Immigrants for Using Government Aid
Under a new leaked version of the rule reportedly being considered, use of government benefits -- with few exceptions -- could hurt an immigrant's chances of becoming a permanent legal resident.
March 27, 2018
Is It Time to Stop Saying 'the Safety Net'?
The three largest groups representing human services agencies and nonprofits say the phrase hurts their work -- and society at large.
March 13, 2018
At South by Southwest, Pragmatist Mayors Learn to Think Like Futurists
The city leaders gathered in Austin engaged in workshops and exercises designed to help them think longer-term.
March 13, 2018
The Homeless-Campus Concept Catches On
As homelessness rises nationwide, Las Vegas is taking a gamble on a new way of helping the homeless. But some say it's money that could be better spent.
March 12, 2018
To Track Opioid Use, More Cities May Soon Screen Wastewater
A new tech startup allows cities to chart drug usage down to the neighborhood level.
March 12, 2018
Can Apprenticeships Train the Workforce of the Future? States Hope So.
America has a skills gap. Governments across the U.S. are turning to European-style apprenticeship programs as a possible solution.
March 11, 2018
White Residents Have Better Access to City Services, Mayors Say in New Survey
Most mayors said people of color experienced worse treatment by police and the courts and had worse access to education, housing and health care.
March 9, 2018
SXSW 2018: Mayors Focus on the Future
As city leaders from around the country meet at South by Southwest in Austin, they'll discuss the forces that will shape urbanism for decades to come.
March 2, 2018
Trump's Leaked Immigration Rule Already Having Impacts
Regardless of whether a proposal to drastically expand the reasons for denying green cards becomes law, many legal immigrants are afraid to use government assistance -- for themselves and their children.
February 27, 2018
Wisconsin's Unprecedented Welfare Reform Could Inspire Conservative Changes Elsewhere
Gov. Scott Walker is poised to sign a sweeping package of bills that would make it harder to qualify for many safety net programs.
February 21, 2018
Affordable Housing Shortage Expected to Worsen Under Tax Law
Congress indirectly diluted the tax incentives for building affordable housing -- a change that's predicted to result in a quarter of a million fewer units.
February 14, 2018
Trump Wants to End States' Power to Make Food Stamps More Accessible During Recessions
The president, who often stresses the need for states to have more flexibility, wants to give them less when it comes to food stamps.
February 12, 2018
Trump Budget Calls for Work Requirements for Housing Aid
The president's budget released on Monday confirms most of a leaked proposal and would add to the administration's recent changes to the safety net.
February 9, 2018
Do Americans Support Work Requirements? Depends on How You Ask.
A new poll shows strong opposition to the new Medicaid policy being pushed by the Trump administration. But it contradicts other recent surveys.
February 1, 2018
To Speed Up Hiring, Do What Denver Did
Getting a government job, or even an interview, takes a notoriously long time. Denver cut the process practically in half.
January 30, 2018
What Happens to People Who Fail Work Requirements?
When families on welfare failed work requirements in Kansas, they fell into deep poverty. Could the same thing happen with Medicaid?
January 29, 2018
The Unlikely Comeback of Cap and Trade
With New Jersey's announcement that it will rejoin a multistate compact to limit carbon emissions, 2018 could be a banner year for cap and trade in the states -- even if the idea is dead in Washington.
January 29, 2018
Delaware Strengthens Bail Reform Movement
The state joins a small but growing movement to curb the practice of incarcerating low-risk offenders who can't afford bail.
January 24, 2018
Mayors Boycott Trump Meeting After Sanctuary Cities Threat
Most leaders and some members of the U.S. Conference of Mayors, including at least one Republican, backed out of a planned infrastructure meeting with the president on Wednesday.
January 22, 2018
Nonprofits Have Major Money Problems
A first-of-its-kind report shows that many of the nonprofits delivering social services are underpaid by governments and fail to manage their budgets wisely.
January 21, 2018
Has John Bel Edwards Discovered the Right Balancing Act Between Parties?
Most politicians believe moderation doesn't help Democrats much in the Deep South. Louisiana's governor, who's trying to fix the state's finances, isn't one of them.
January 17, 2018
Tax Law Could Deliver Billion-Dollar Blow to Social Services
Charitable giving is expected to drop, and nonprofits that operate social services for the government will likely take the biggest hit.
January 10, 2018
In Voter Purging Case, Supreme Court Appears Divided
The justices heard arguments on Wednesday in an Ohio case about when it's legal to kick inactive voters off registration lists. It's part of a larger debate about voting rights that has been heightened by President Trump.
January 4, 2018
States Undeterred by Reversal of Obama's Lenient Pot Policy
Jeff Sessions' announcement attracted bipartisan criticism. But some legal experts are skeptical of its impact, and several states have vowed to continue their marijuana markets or plans for one.
December 22, 2017
Why Can't Researchers and Policymakers Just Get Along?
They rarely collaborate. But Jenni Owen, the policy director for North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper, is part of a growing relationship between government and academia.
December 19, 2017
Once a National Model for Helping Panhandlers, Albuquerque's New Law Could Land Them in Jail
Its new ordinance exemplifies a shift in how cities across the country are trying to target panhandlers.
December 12, 2017
Foreshadowing Food Stamp Changes, Feds Seek States' Advice
The Trump administration has begun the process of tightening welfare programs. Many conservative states have been waiting for a moment like this for years.
December 6, 2017
Study: Housing the Homeless Can Drastically Cut the Government's Health Care Costs
It adds to the growing body of evidence that addressing homelessness saves money elsewhere.
November 28, 2017
Welfare Programs Appear Safe From Trump's Cuts, for Now
Even if Congress passes a spending bill without the president's proposed cuts to programs that help the poor, it's likely to consider more serious changes next year.
November 14, 2017
The Only U.S. Agency Dedicated to Homelessness Could Be Shut Down
The U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness helped end veteran homelessness in some places and reduce overall homelessness. The White House and House Republicans want it gone.
November 10, 2017
How Virginia's First Lady Is Leading the Fight Against Child Hunger
"We cannot have 13 million hungry children in the United States of America," says Dorothy McAuliffe.
November 7, 2017
Crime Victims Will Get New Constitutional Rights in Ohio
The state joined a growing trend on Tuesday that critics say is unnecessary and could impede the criminal justice process.
November 6, 2017
Studies Show Voters Need a Graduate-Level Education to Understand Ballot Measures
Ballot language often spurs confusion and lawsuits. Some state election officials are trying to make them easier to understand.
October 30, 2017
At Work, the 'Irregulars' Are Starting to Get Protection
Irregular hours and unpredictable schedules have redefined work for many low-income Americans. States and cities are just beginning to regulate them.
October 24, 2017
Cities Have a New Target for Ending Homelessness: Landlords
Rental vouchers are only helpful if landlords are willing to take them. All too often, they're not. But what if the government made it less risky?
October 16, 2017
Will Ohio Voters Enshrine Crime Victims' Rights in State Constitution?
Voters in three states approved similar ballot measures last year, but critics say it's unnecessary and could gum up the criminal justice system.
October 12, 2017
New Movie Spotlights the 'Hidden Homeless' and Already Has Oscar Buzz
It's rare to see a film featuring homeless people as main characters. "The Florida Project" focuses on the ones that few people notice.
October 10, 2017
Nowhere Else to Go: Why Kids Are Sleeping in Child Welfare Offices
The rising number of placements into state care is only partially to blame.
October 6, 2017
After Hurricanes, Public Housing May Never Get Rebuilt
When destroyed by disaster, public housing has historically taken years to be replaced -- if at all. What happens to low-income residents in the meantime?
September 25, 2017
Anti-Hunger Advocates Worry Trump or Congress Will Undo Progress
Both propose cutting the food stamps program by at least $150 billion over 10 years.
September 25, 2017
Study Supports Bills to Give the Poor and Childless Bigger Tax Breaks
The tax system isn't set up to help low-income people as much if they don't have children. There's a push in Congress and the states to change that.
September 22, 2017
Population Growth Means a City Is Thriving, or Does It?
Public officials and reporters alike adopt the myth that bigger is better. That's not always the case.
September 22, 2017
The Upcoming Supreme Court Cases That Matter Most to States and Localities
In the term that starts Oct. 2, the justices will hear cases that could drastically alter the country's political, financial and social landscape.
September 13, 2017
Is 'Going Local' the Secret to Economic Development?
Newark, N.J., Mayor Ras Baraka hopes so. Right now, the major employers there mostly hire people and buy business supplies and services outside city limits.
September 12, 2017
'The Aftermath of the Aftermath': Hurricanes Stretch Safety Net and Providers
History suggests that social services will be in high demand for months. Are caseworkers in Texas and Florida prepared?
September 12, 2017
After 2016 Election Hacks, Some States Return to Paper Ballots
It's one of the ways states are trying to address growing concerns about the cybersecurity of voting.
August 31, 2017
Food Stamps Can Cut Seniors' Health Costs, But Most Aren't Using Them
A new study suggests governments are missing out on cost savings by not enrolling enough people in their programs.
August 29, 2017
The Simple Way States Can Stop Wasting Federal Job Training Funds
States are failing to use millions of dollars meant to retrain and employ coal miners and other workers in struggling fields.
August 28, 2017
Hit by Hurricane Harvey While Still Feeling the Impact of Ike
To this day, Galveston, Texas, gets millions less in federal funding because of a 2008 storm. It's a cautionary tale of how long it takes to financially recover from disasters.
August 24, 2017
Court Backlogs Could Disappear With This Drug Test
The wait for drug test results can bring the criminal justice system to a slow crawl. There's a faster test, but few are using it.
August 22, 2017
Governors Pay Prisoners Face-to-Face Visits
As part of a new initiative, eight governors agreed to meet with inmates, crime victims and corrections staff to better understand how their criminal justice policies impact people.
August 15, 2017
States Add a Human (Services) Touch to 'Stat'
Colorado is one of the few governments to employ the data-driven approach in human services. It's helping the state tackle major problems.
August 1, 2017
For This Pot Guy, States Are His Biggest Customers
After leading the creation of the nation's first legal marijuana market in Colorado, Andrew Freedman took the lessons he learned and made a business out of helping states regulate the drug.
July 25, 2017
The Unexpected Reason Panhandling Bans Are Being Struck Down Across the Country
A Supreme Court ruling about regulating church signs is spurring cities to repeal their anti-begging laws.
July 19, 2017
Seattle Brings Emoji-Based Food Safety Ratings to America
Some cities post letter grades on restaurants. King County opted for something more visual. The person who pushed for public ratings in the first place, though, isn't satisfied.
July 11, 2017
For Opioids' Youngest Victims, Is Help Too Little, Too Late?
Drug abuse is overwhelming the child welfare system at unprecedented rates. Solutions are slowly emerging, but they aren't always adopted.
July 11, 2017
Behind the Decision to Post That Infamous Facebook Photo of the Opioid Epidemic at Its Worst
Mayor Ryan Stovall has no regrets.
July 11, 2017
For This Government Job, Being a Former Drug Addict Is a Requirement
Hiring ex-addicts is a key part of Kentucky's strategy for combating the opioid epidemic and its impact on families.
July 5, 2017
The Cost of Water Is Rising. Philadelphia Has an Unprecedented Plan to Make It More Affordable.
It's the first city to set water rates based on income.
June 27, 2017
A New Strategy for Collecting Child Support: Debt Forgiveness
Westchester County, N.Y., is using debt forgiveness as an incentive for finding employment and paying child support. Will it work?
June 19, 2017
Judicial Redistricting: Issue Politicians Don't Want to Discuss
Kentucky's failed attempt this year illustrates a problem that many states face: Some judges are severely overworked while others don't have enough to do. But fixing that can be politically impossible.
June 13, 2017
Texas Tries (Again) to Reboot Its Troubled Child Welfare System
Child advocates say the state is taking encouraging first steps in turning around an underfunded and overburdened agency -- but it has a long way to go.
May 25, 2017
New Study Identifies the Best Cities for Good Government
The first of a now annual report details what cities are doing well and where they could improve.
May 25, 2017
Kevyn Orr on the New Orleans Mayor: 'I Have Rarely, If Ever, Heard a White Guy Speak With Such Passion' About Race
Detroit's former emergency manager praised Mitch Landrieu's speech on race and gave a memorable one of his own. Listen to it here.
May 23, 2017
States Offer Immigrants the Safety Net That Washington Won't
As deportation fears drive some immigrants to give up their government benefits, a new report offers the most comprehensive state-level look at what aid they're legally entitled to.
May 9, 2017
Why Some States Leave Federal Child Care Grants on the Table
In recent years, a handful of states have missed out on millions in federal subsidies for child care.
May 4, 2017
HHS Secretary: Health Can't Improve Unless People's Lives Do
Tom Price has a vision for a "reimagined HHS" that adopts a more holistic approach to problem solving and relies more on states and localities.
April 27, 2017
How Arizona Fixed Its Broken Child Welfare System in 2 Years
The state attracted national attention for its failure to prevent and address child abuse and neglect. Since then, massive changes have led to massive improvements.
April 20, 2017
With New Research 'Lab,' D.C. Aims Big for Better Public Policy
Lots of cities use social science data to help make decisions. But the District of Columbia is going a lot further.
April 18, 2017
Is It Time to Adopt a Less-Is-More Approach to Community Development Block Grants?
Trump wants to eliminate the program. But advocates argue it just needs to be reformed.
April 11, 2017
Federal Pressure Could Spur More 'Lunch Shaming' Bans
New Mexico is the first state to ban the practice. Now the rest have till the end of the school year to adopt an official policy for what happens when parents miss meal payments.
April 10, 2017
How Stat Got Stuck -- in the Place That Made It Famous
Using data to measure government performance has caught on in much of the country. But the tactic is in trouble in Maryland.
March 28, 2017
What the Unemployment Drug-Testing Bill That Trump Just Signed Means for States
The legislation undoes an Obama-era regulation about who can be drug tested. States will likely get more say over the matter, but not just yet.
March 22, 2017
An Interview With the Author Who Inspired Steve Bannon's Political Outlook
Neil Howe co-wrote a book in the 1990s. Little did he know how influential it would be.
March 20, 2017
College Savings Accounts Are Popular But Missing Their Marks
Few families use them -- and even fewer put enough money away to matter. Advocates, however, say the programs are too young to judge.
March 14, 2017
Even for the Homeless, No ID Means No Government Aid
A small number of states, however, are starting to let homeless people get IDs and birth certificates for free. Advocates hope the idea becomes a national trend.
March 1, 2017
Evidence-Based Programs Risk Losing Funding Under Trump
The president's budget director wants to eliminate a fund that supports research-backed state and local projects. It's won bipartisan support in the past. Will Congress step in to save it?
February 27, 2017
The New, More Powerful Wave of Civilian Oversight of Police
Cities are strengthening civilians' authority over law enforcement officers. But just how far should their power extend?
February 14, 2017
Leaked Trump Order Targets Legal Immigrants Who Use Government Benefits
If signed, the executive action would put green-card holders in danger of deportation and could burden state and local agencies.
February 1, 2017
With Less State Aid, Localities Look for Ways to Cope
In much of the country, states are offering localities less financial help than they were before the recession. That won't change anytime soon.
January 31, 2017
Trump Leaves Obama's Last-Minute Child Support Rule Alone
The new regulation requires states to help parents in poverty avoid debt and incarceration.
January 18, 2017
Study: Savings Program Helps Poor Put Aside 4 Times More
The report comes at a time when some federal policymakers want to end the program and while states and localities are launching similar initiatives of their own.
January 11, 2017
New Election Cyberprotections Cause Confusion and Concern
Left with unanswered questions, state and local election officials are worried about the Department of Homeland Security's latest attempt to stop hackers. DHS' response? Calm down. We're here to help.
December 23, 2016
The Rise of a Bipartisan Tax Break for the Working Poor
The earned income tax credit is a rare antipoverty program that has enjoyed a long history of bipartisan support among state and federal policymakers.
December 22, 2016
GOP's 'Sanctuary Campus' Threats Put a Price on Immigrants
Republicans at the federal and state levels want to defund universities that protect undocumented students from deportation. It's making some schools think twice about their policies, but should they?
December 13, 2016
The New Strategy for Raising (and Protecting) Money for Kids
Advocates are hoping to replicate the success they had at the ballot box this year.
December 2, 2016
Votes Miscounted? Your State May Not Be Able to Find Out.
Not many states have the necessary laws in place to conduct an effective election audit.
November 9, 2016
Voters Across the Country Get Tough on Guns
As Congress and legislatures stall on the issue, voters are doing what they can to keep firearms out of the hands of dangerous people.
November 9, 2016
4 States Vote to Raise the Minimum Wage, 1 Votes to Keep It As Is
South Dakota's ballot measure, which failed, would have actually reduced the minimum wage for some.
November 9, 2016
Despite Overwhelming Legal Opposition, Voters Gave Crime Victims Their Own Bill of Rights
Voters in three states approved "Marsy's Law," which ensures victims and their families are informed of developments in a criminal case.
November 9, 2016
Can't Afford Bail? In One State, That Doesn't Matter Anymore.
New Mexico voters may have energized a national movement to reform the criminal justice policies that keep lower-income Americans locked up.
November 9, 2016
Bucking Trends, Death Penalty Wins Voters' Support in 3 States
Americans' support for capital punishment has been waning, but you wouldn't know that by looking at Tuesday's election results.
November 9, 2016
Indiana and Kansas Make Fishing and Hunting a Constitutional Right
More than 80 percent of voters approved amendments on the ballot in both states.
November 8, 2016
How to Persuade the Public to Care About Other People's Problems
A communications expert reveals the most effective ways, and the results may surprise you.
November 1, 2016
Voting Technology Needs an Upgrade, But Who Will Pay for It?
Even though most polls are working with decades-old machines that lose or miscount votes, states and the federal government are largely ignoring the problem.
October 26, 2016
How Are States Using Welfare Funding? Often, Not to Help People Work.
Without a job, recipients risk losing their benefits. But states aren't spending much to help them get and stay employed. See how your state's welfare funding is being spent.
October 3, 2016
Welfare and the Underappreciated Value of Long-Term Thinking
A new approach asks recipients to look past short-term work and instead focus on making choices that will improve the rest of their lives.
September 30, 2016
Race, Redistricting, Religion and Death Penalty Top U.S. Supreme Court's New Docket
An evenly divided court could decide the fate of many cases watched closely by state and local officials.
September 13, 2016
Studies Discredit Policies That Punish Poor for Saving Money
Proponents like Maine Gov. Paul LePage argue so-called asset tests save states money and shrink welfare rolls. New research suggests otherwise.
August 19, 2016
Why Companies Are Moving Back Downtown
Tax incentives aren't always the best way to lure businesses. Many are simply going where the talent is.
August 11, 2016
How Cities Are Ending Unintentional Racial Discrimination
Discrimination doesn't always appear in the most obvious places. Many government policies and practices are seemingly unbiased and uncontroversial but actually disproportionately harm minorities.
August 9, 2016
Pay Up or Park: Texas Links Child Support to Car Registration
The state's rare approach is meant to increase child support payments. But some say it will do the opposite.
July 28, 2016
Should Violence Against Cops Be a Hate Crime?
Blue Lives Matter bills that would increase the penalties for attacking police are popping up in states and Congress.
July 22, 2016
In Boston, Police Work to Build Trust One Ice Cream Cone at a Time
The city has a unique effort to improving the relationship between cops and citizens.
July 19, 2016
In Wake of Dallas and Baton Rouge, Police Around U.S. Take Extra Safety Precautions
Many police chiefs are ordering their officers to work in pairs. But whether that actually makes cops -- and citizens -- safer is up for debate.
July 13, 2016
How Cops and Mayors Are Making the Most of Pokémon Go
City officials across the country are using the gaming craze to educate and engage with the public -- and have some fun.
July 12, 2016
Food Stamps' Extremely Rare But Expensive Problem
Some people get food stamps from multiple states, costing the government millions of dollars. A new tracking system can cut those costs.
July 1, 2016
What the New President of Mayors Wants From the Next President of America
The incoming leader of the U.S. Conference of Mayors talks about cities' relationship with the Obama administration and what he expects from the new one -- whether it's run by Clinton or Trump.
June 14, 2016
The Price of Keeping Kids Fed in the Summer
Many low-income families struggle to survive without school lunch programs. Giving them extra welfare money in the summer can help.
June 13, 2016
Would Other States' Gun Laws Have Prevented the Orlando Shooting?
Florida's gun control laws are relatively lax, but most states also lack the laws that may have stopped Omar Mateen from getting his hands on deadly weapons.
June 9, 2016
Who's an Employee? The Uber-Important Question of Today's Economy
Sharing economy companies like Uber and Lyft claim that the people who work for them are "independent contractors," thus ineligible for most employee benefits. That argument may prove difficult to sustain.
May 31, 2016
In One State, Abused Animals May Get Their Day in Court
Convictions in animal cruelty cases are rare but could become more common if Connecticut adopts an unprecedented law.
May 18, 2016
Murder Mystery: Can New Orleans Control Its Homicide Rate?
The city has made real progress in its battle against homicide, but a recent rise in crime puts it all into question.
May 17, 2016
It Takes a Village: The Idea Behind a Unique Anti-Blight Strategy
To tackle the problem of vacant properties, Memphis is acknowledging that it needs help.
May 10, 2016
In Indiana, a Phone Call Can Lead to Better Child Care
The Hoosier State is the latest to use behavioral science or "nudge" experiments to improve outcomes in human services programs.
May 2, 2016
Meet the Nation's First 'Vitality Fellow,' Making Cities Livable for Everyone
St. Paul, Minn., wants its urban areas to welcome everyone -- whether they're 8 or 80 years old.
April 28, 2016
When Cops Are Racist and Unaccountable, Then What?
The latest task force report isn't the first to suggest major reforms to the Chicago Police Department, but it might be the first to result in real change.
April 12, 2016
Knight Foundation Awards $5 Million in Urban Innovation Grants
The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation is spreading its latest grants across 19 communities to support an outdoor office, a carpentry-based workforce program and more.
April 12, 2016
Using Data, Providence Cuts Absenteeism and Tackles Other Youth Issues
A foundation is promoting the use of evidence-based prevention programs to help young people in low-income, urban neighborhoods.
April 7, 2016
Poll: Sheila Dixon Loses Lead in Baltimore Mayor's Race
The city's former mayor, who was forced to resign a few years ago, is no longer the frontrunner.
April 7, 2016
Tech-Savvy Teens Make It Easier to Clear Juvenile Records
Most people don't know they can get their juvenile records erased. Thanks to a group of young people, there's now an app for that.
April 5, 2016
In Baltimore Mayor's Race, Sheila Dixon Seeks Forgiveness and a Second Chance
The former mayor, convicted of corruption, is trying to win back voters' trust. The odds are she will.
April 1, 2016
Like Starbucks Rewards, But LGBT Homeless Get Coffee and Help
A group of grad students is implementing an award-winning idea for encouraging young homeless people to use health and social services.
March 30, 2016
Can Teaching Peace Reduce Violent Crime?
Other countries teach conflict resolution to at-risk youth as a way to break the cycle of violent retaliation. The idea is slowly catching on in America.
March 18, 2016
Making Juvenile Justice LGBT-Friendly
Spurred by lawsuits and a growing understanding of the population's challenges, some states are making detention centers safer for and more accepting of LGBT youth.
March 16, 2016
The Black Lives Matter Activist Who Wants to Be Mayor
DeRay Mckesson insists his campaign is about more than race.
March 9, 2016
In Minimum Wage Wars, Public Workers Often Benefit First
Many governors and mayors are struggling to raise the minimum wage for their jurisdictions. In the meantime, some are giving their own employees a raise.
March 8, 2016
Kansas Recruits Volunteers to Mentor Welfare Recipients
Modeled after a successful anti-recidivism program, Kansas has a new volunteer mentoring program to help people on welfare find work.
March 3, 2016
Improving Government Outcomes and Lives, One Text at a Time
Many cities are trying to use behavioral science to better communicate with citizens. New Orleans is testing the effectiveness of different text messages.
February 29, 2016
Cities Risk Criminalizing Homelessness
Despite federal pressure to find a new approach to dealing with the homeless, San Francisco has joined the long list of cities that have forced them out of public spaces.
February 29, 2016
A Proactive Approach to Keeping Kids Out of Jail
Instead of waiting to help until kids get in trouble, Los Angeles County is using data analytics to help them before. So far, it's proving successful.
February 11, 2016
With Obama's Climate Rules in Limbo, Some States Face Tough Decisions
The U.S. Supreme Court has put the Obama administration's plan to cut carbon emissions on hold.
February 11, 2016
While Homeless Veterans Get Housing, Rest Are Left in the Cold
Veteran homelessness has dropped sharply, thanks to cities' efforts and new funds from the Obama administration. But most people living on the streets aren't veterans.
February 9, 2016
Oklahoma Applies Behavioral Economics to Child Care
The state's welfare agency tried new strategies to help parents and child care providers avoid an interruption in benefits.
February 4, 2016
Black Lives Matter Activist Enters Baltimore Mayor's Race
DeRay Mckesson joins a crowded field at the last minute, but there's no doubt he's a serious contender to replace the outgoing mayor.
February 2, 2016
How Police Chiefs Plan to Avoid 'Lawful But Awful' Shootings
After years of research, law enforcement leaders recently released recommendations for reforming how and when cops use their weapons.
January 14, 2016
Why Billionaires' Big Donations Often Fail to Change Much
Mark Zuckerberg and Bill Gates have given millions to overhaul public education. But their cash has proven to be anything but free money or a remedy to systemic problems.
January 12, 2016
Up to 1 Million People Could Lose Food Stamps in 2016
Nearly half the states are reinstating work requirements that had been suspended since the Great Recession. But advocates say it's still too soon.
January 8, 2016
A New Era for Governors' Relations With Congress?
The National Governors Association had seen its influence on federal legislation decline in the past decade. But because of new leadership, things may be looking up.
December 10, 2015
Bloomberg Philanthropies Expands Data Help to 13 More Cities
The organization is spending $42 million to help the selected cities improve their performance and services using data-driven decisionmaking.
December 8, 2015
Child Care Subsidies Are Getting a Second Look
Thanks to a change in federal law, states are moving away from stringent reporting requirements that can keep low-wage parents from working.
December 8, 2015
How Many Homeless Kids Are in America? No One Knows.
But a new effort could provide a true count of the number as well as insights into why they became homeless in the first place.
November 30, 2015
After the Asylum: How America's Trying to Fix Its Broken Mental Health System
Patients with mental illness are being detained in emergency rooms, often for weeks at a time. Now some states are rethinking the entire psychiatric care system.
November 20, 2015
How One City Used Instagram to Address Blight
Like many cities, Mobile, Ala., didn't even know how many blighted properties it had. Instagram offered a cheap and simple way to start figuring that out.
November 10, 2015
Why Governments Declare a Homeless State of Emergency
Three cities, one county and a state have suspended laws that hamper their ability to address homelessness. But why now and what does it mean?
November 4, 2015
Vote Offers Momentum for Keeping Big Money Out of Politics
In Maine on Tuesday, voters strengthened the public campaign financing system that became a model for other states and helped the legislature become the nation's most blue-collar.
November 4, 2015
Endangered Species Get Extra Protection in One State
Voters in Washington state increased the penalties for trafficking animals or parts of animals that are at risk of becoming extinct.
November 4, 2015
In Texas, Politicians Can Now Live Outside the Capital
Texas used to force many elected officials to live in the state's capital city. Voters repealed that rule Tuesday.
November 4, 2015
Texas Makes Hunting and Fishing a Constitutional Right
Voters made Texas the 19th state to add legal protections for hunting and fishing, which are now also the preferred methods for controlling wildlife.
October 13, 2015
The City That Embraces Day Labor to Help Homeless
While other cities try to regulate or ban panhandlers, Albuquerque, N.M., offers them an income and social services for the day.
October 6, 2015
The Changing Relationship Between Ex-Criminals and Their Parole Officers
Rather than acting as former offenders' enemies, parole and probation officers are now working to be their mentors. Can it reduce recidivism?
October 1, 2015
Do Mayors Still Care About Income Inequality?
It was a major issue in recent mayoral races. This year, San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee is one of the few candidates talking about it.
September 24, 2015
How a Housing Program Can Save Medicaid Money
Helping poor people move from high- to low-poverty neighborhoods can improve their health and cut the government's costs.
September 21, 2015
Scott Pruitt: America's Sue-Happy State AG
Oklahoma's Republican attorney general sues the federal government -- and even other states -- every chance he can get. Will his legal battles change the future of American politics?
September 18, 2015
Urban Planning Inspires an Opera
A new opera seeks to capture the conflict between two of the 20th-century titans who shaped American cities.
September 10, 2015
More Than Just a Bench
A handful of cities have installed solar-powered benches that can charge phones, sense heat and track traffic.
September 8, 2015
Can Social Impact Bonds Help Reduce Homelessness?
Using the financing mechanism, Santa Clara County, Calif., can finally afford to try an expensive-but-proven method of reducing chronic homelessness.
August 24, 2015
Conservatives Get a Stronger Voice on Poverty
There's been no national conservative organization pushing states to adopt their ideas about programs for the poor -- until now.
August 11, 2015
A 'Glitch' Keeps Health Insurance From Former Foster Kids
But proposed legislation in Congress would fix the wording in the federal health-care law that's leaving some foster youth uninsured.
August 3, 2015
Obama Unveils Tougher Climate Rules Than Expected
If the rule survives the inevitable legal challenges, it will mark the first time the federal government limits air pollution from carbon dioxide.
July 23, 2015
Where Obama and Christie Agree on Criminal Justice
In their recent proposals for reforming the system, the Democratic president and Republican governor who wants to be president have found common ground in three major areas. But does it even matter?
July 15, 2015
The Technology That Could Make Roads Safer for Cyclists
Most states have laws to protect bikers from cars, but they're hard to enforce. One city is testing a new device that makes it easier.
July 14, 2015
Food Stamps Have a Procurement Problem
Soon, only two companies will make the cards that people get government benefits with. Here's why that matters.
July 1, 2015
Obama Tries to End the Cycle of Broken Poverty Promises
Pouring federal aid into poor communities hasn't accomplished much in the past. But the Obama administration insists its Promise Zones program will be different.
July 1, 2015
Can You Change Negative Perceptions About Government Aid?
Many people think the work of human services agencies creates dependency and exacerbates poverty. But there's a new effort to recast them in a more favorable light.
June 17, 2015
Philly Converts Empty Lots Into Affordable Housing for All
Unlike similar initiatives that only build housing for low-income people, Philadelphia's will also target people who make too much to qualify for public housing but too little to afford private housing.
June 9, 2015
States Try to Speed Up Foster Placements
The federal government plans to expand the use of a web-based tool nationwide after a pilot of the system showed good results.
May 15, 2015
My Brother's Keeper Is Great, But What About the Girls?
Critics say the president's new program to help young black men unfairly excludes black girls who, by many measures, experience the same problems.
May 12, 2015
States Rethink Asset Tests for People on Food Stamps
In the last few years, most states have stopped taking assets like retirement and education savings into account when deciding whether people qualify for aid.
May 1, 2015
How Many Undocumented Immigrants Are Actually Getting In-State Tuition?
State Dream Acts have drawn passionate responses from both advocates and critics. But evidence suggests these measures have had limited impact.
May 1, 2015
Getting Out of Jail and Back to Work in 'Second Chance City'
In Jersey City, N.J., ex-offenders are getting an opportunity to start their lives over again -- and so is a familiar public figure trying to help them.
April 22, 2015
Why Kansas' New Welfare Rules Are Basically Unenforceable
The state's law banning welfare spending on entertainment and luxury goods and services sparked a national debate about how people use public assistance.
April 14, 2015
Why Photo IDs Won't Stop Food Stamp Fraud
As more states consider photo requirements for food stamps, a new report finds Massachusetts' law to be ineffective in preventing fraud.
April 9, 2015
Can Reforming Barbershops Improve Black Boys' Literacy?
Grad students want to combat black boys' low reading levels by adding books that cater to them to barbershop waiting areas.
April 6, 2015
Are Government Efforts to Help Poor People Manage Money Working?
Cities have offered financial counseling to low-income people for years, but only recently have some tracked the impact of these services on clients' debt, credit and savings.
April 1, 2015
How Bloomberg's Still Changing the Way Cities Operate
Bloomberg Philanthropies and other organizations have poured an unprecedented amount of money into making cities more innovative and collaborative. What happens when the money runs out?
April 1, 2015
The City as Consultant
Most cities already freely share ideas with others, but some are starting to sell their best practices to other local governments.
March 26, 2015
Welfare Agencies Are Failing to Help Poor People Vote
Massachusetts is the latest state to settle a legal battle over the failure of its welfare offices to meet federal voter registration requirements.
March 9, 2015
Obama Wants Cities' Help Filling Tech Jobs
He's the first U.S. president in 20 years to address the National League of Cities conference.
March 9, 2015
Why Food Stamp Usage Is So High in Oregon
Nearly 100 percent of eligible Oregonians take advantage of food stamps, far more than any other state. That might be a good thing.
February 18, 2015
Why Ohio Cares About Connecticut's Attempt to Rewrite History
Lawmakers in both states have reignited a century-old feud over the well-accepted claim that the Wright brothers were the "first in flight."
February 12, 2015
Removing Blight, One Block at a Time
A nonprofit founded by mayors is helping seven cities finance and organize community service projects to revitalize low-income urban neighborhoods.
February 9, 2015
Why Homelessness Is Rising in D.C. But Declining Elsewhere
Laura Zeilinger talks about why homelessness is on the rise in the district and what the Bowser administration is doing about it.
February 6, 2015
Mike Pence Touts and Defends Education Record on Capitol Hill
At a Congressional hearing, the Indiana governor, who could be a presidential contender, touted his state as a national leader and expressed his support for diminishing the federal role in schools.
February 2, 2015
What Obama's 2016 Budget Means for States and Localities
The president's budget would be a boon in a host of areas but also includes cuts to popular programs.
February 1, 2015
Low-Income Residents More Likely to Leave D.C.
Wealthy residents remain in the city at a higher rate than poor residents, according to a new D.C. government report.
February 1, 2015
The Downsides of a Neighborhood 'Turnaround'
A former D.C. housing official gives a hard look at what worked, and what didn't, in an award-winning redevelopment project.
February 1, 2015
Why D.C.'s Affordable Housing Protections Are Losing a War with Economics
In the nation's fastest-gentrifying neighborhood, some of the strongest affordable housing protections haven't been enough to keep lower-income residents from being priced out of their homes.
January 22, 2015
Big-City Mayors Tap Grad Students for Their Teams
New mayoral fellowships give graduate students city governance experience and mayors much-needed extra help.
January 13, 2015
A Major Flaw in the Welfare Law
A new GAO report says the nation's largest cash assistance program fails to incentivize states to help people find work.
December 30, 2014
One Maine City's Stand against Cutting Funding at Homeless Shelters
Portland, Maine, is ignoring state instructions that could discourage people from seeking shelter beds.
December 15, 2014
Birth Records and College Savings, All in One Form
Rhode Island is streamlining its existing and underused program to allow parents to sign their children up for college savings accounts the day they're born.
December 12, 2014
A Better Way for Cities to Measure Greenhouse Gases
Until now, there was no universal, comprehensive methodology for cities around the world to measure their emissions. One of the tool's creators explains its power in the fight against climate change.
December 10, 2014
Lessons from 10 Years of Sustainability in Grand Rapids, Mich.
It was one of the first cities to join a nationwide movement to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in 2005. The city's director of energy and sustainability looks back at what's changed in the past decade.
December 1, 2014
Training Future Leaders to Master Policy and IT
As demand for data analysts in government grows, what may be the nation's first master's program that teaches not just public policy knowledge but technology skills too has launched.
December 1, 2014
What Can Cities Really Do About Climate Change?
Grand Rapids, Mich., stands as tangible evidence of what cities can do to reduce human impact on the environment. But the city's efforts also underscore its limitations.
November 25, 2014
A Two-Generation Approach to Poverty
A new report advocates more programs that address the needs of parents and children simultaneously.
November 5, 2014
Voters Pass Up Voting Changes
Three states rejected ballot measures that either would have made voting easier or harder.
November 5, 2014
Voters in Washington State Approve Universal Background Checks
Voters in Washington state approved universal background checks, the only gun control measure on a state ballot this year.
November 5, 2014
Republican States Reject Anti-Abortion Amendments
Ballot measures that would have defined a fetus as a person lost in North Dakota and Colorado. But voters paved the way for new abortion restrictions in Tennessee Tuesday.
November 5, 2014
Minimum Wage Hikes Pass in 4 Red States
The ballot measures follow a wave of mostly Democratic states lifting wages for low-income workers after federal inaction.
November 5, 2014
Arkansas Voters Approve Extended Term Limits
Arkansas voters approved a ballot measure that combined popular ethics reforms with an extension of term limits for state lawmakers.
November 5, 2014
Massachusetts Boosts State Paid-Sick-Leave Movement
It's now the third state to require businesses to pay workers when they have to take sick days.
November 5, 2014
Oregon Voters Reject Drivers Cards for Undocumented Immigrants
Oregon voters rejected a ballot measure that would have issued government ID cards to those without citizenship or legal presence.
November 5, 2014
Alabama Voters Approve Gun Rights Amendment
Alabama voters approved a constitutional amendment that affirms the right to bear arms is a "fundamental right" and any regulation of that right is subject to the highest level of judicial review.
November 1, 2014
Why Are States Passing Up Millions in Federal Funding?
Only a few states take advantage of the federal matching funds intended to help employ food stamp users.
October 31, 2014
Alabama Measure Would Label 2nd Amendment a 'Fundamental Right'
Voters will decide whether to add language in the state constitution intended to give higher legal protections to gun rights.
October 31, 2014
Red States Could See Minimum Wage Hikes After Election Day
Even though most Americans support raising the minimum wage, most Republican-run states so far haven't done so.
October 28, 2014
4 Takeaways from the Census Report on Poverty
If not for government assistance, millions more would be impoverished, according to the latest data.
October 21, 2014
Hispanic Voters Increase in Numbers but Not Political Clout
Even though an increasing share of eligible voters are Hispanic, a new study suggests that for several reasons, they won't impact most governors races in November.
October 10, 2014
Abortion Restrictions on 3 State Ballots
Three states are putting the issue to voters in November, including one measure that would criminalize abortion.
October 7, 2014
When Can Prisons Limit Religious Freedom?
In Holt v. Hobbs, the U.S. Supreme Court has a chance to decide when courts should defer to prison officials on security policies that burden religious rights.
October 3, 2014
10 SCOTUS Cases That Matter for State and Local Governments
The U.S. Supreme Court will hear cases this term related to religious freedom in state prisons, taxes on railway carriers, traffic stops and more.
October 1, 2014
San Jose Election Tests Political Risk of Cutting Pensions
The California city's November election will shed light on whether Democrats can risk the political fallout of cutting a prized union benefit to protect basic city services.
October 1, 2014
Government Gives Gas Stations Some Competition
In an effort to offer residents cheaper fuel, Somerset, Ky., opened what's likely the nation's first city-run retail gas station this summer.
September 23, 2014
When Public Housing Assistance Ends
A new study looks at what happens to people when they leave housing programs.
September 18, 2014
5 States Put Voting Reform to the Voters
Ballot measures in five states propose changes to early voting, voter registration and citizen-led initiatives.
September 11, 2014
Why Some Say Arkansas' Ethics Reform Is a Trojan Horse
A November ballot measure would limit the influence of lobbyists and corporations but also add time and flexibility to term limits.
September 10, 2014
Massachusetts Could Require Paid Sick Leave Next
Voters in Massachusetts will decide in November whether to make paid sick time a required benefit for most workers after California became only the second state to do so Wednesday.
September 8, 2014
Oregon Could Be the Next State to Let Immigrants Get Licenses
Oregonians will decide in November whether they want to join the 10 states that already issue a driver's card or license to undocumented immigrants.
September 4, 2014
3 Cities to Collaborate in Anti-Poverty Fight
Louisville, Philadelphia and Nashville are the first cities in a new program that will dedicate $3 million in technical assistance to help cities reduce poverty.
September 3, 2014
In D.C., Most Gunshots Happen Near Schools
A new study uses gunshot-detection technology instead of police reports to track gun violence.
September 1, 2014
EPA Rules Could Breathe New Life into Cap and Trade
Cap and trade may be dead on Capitol Hill, but states could use it to meet new EPA targets for reducing power plants' carbon emissions.
September 1, 2014
Cities Find New Ways to Go After Gun Violence
Widespread and comprehensive gun control legislation has failed at the federal and state levels. While cities don't have the authority to ban guns, they've gotten creative trying to control them.
August 27, 2014
Cities to Compete for $45 Million Innovation Grants
Some cities will get grant funding to test a method of problem solving designed by the charitable foundation, Bloomberg Philanthropies.
August 26, 2014
Feds to Try Tying Work Requirements to Food Stamps
The U.S. Department of Agriculture is looking to fund state pilot projects that combine food assistance and job training in an effort to find the best way to get people out of poverty.
August 21, 2014
Rick Perry: Border Security Before Immigration Reform
In what resembled a presidential campaign speech, the recently indicted Texas governor called for increased federal controls against illegal immigration before Congress considers immigration reform.
August 8, 2014
Report: Cutting Jobless Benefits Doesn't Increase Employment
More than a handful of states cut unemployment benefits in recent years.
August 6, 2014
Missouri Voters Expand Constitutional Gun Rights
More than six in 10 voters approved a constitutional amendment pertaining to the right to bear arms and own ammunition and gun-related accessories.
August 4, 2014
Should States Expand Gun Restrictions or Gun Rights?
Ballot measures in Missouri and Washington state ask voters to weigh in on government's role in regulating firearms.
August 1, 2014
The Wyoming GOP's Civil War over Education
The state's Tea Party-backed superintendent created an intraparty rift over schools. Now, she's taking the fight to the next level and trying to unseat the incumbent governor from her own party.
July 29, 2014
City Pilot Uses Late Water Bills to Help the Poor
While Detroit used unpaid bills to cut off water service to thousands of people, five other cities are using those same outstanding payments to identify and help people in need.
July 24, 2014
Want to Govern? Survey Says, Attend Policy School
Senior public officials in state and local government say graduate school prepared them for their current careers, according to a new survey.
July 9, 2014
Former New Orleans Mayor Sentenced to 10 Years
Ray Nagin received a 10-year prison sentence after being convicted on corruption charges.
July 8, 2014
Mayors Group Scraps Cap-and-Trade Support
The U.S. Conference of Mayors has launched a new campaign to save energy and cut down on air pollution. But, due to GOP opposition, they're no longer urging Congress to pass cap and trade.
July 7, 2014
L.A. County Designs a Whole New Voting System
The nation's largest election jurisdiction is designing a voting system unlike any around the country. The administrator in charge of county elections explains why.
July 1, 2014
America's Looming Crisis in Voting Technology
The nation's voting equipment is quickly becoming obsolete. But even if local governments could afford upgrades, no new machines exist to buy.
June 30, 2014
Supreme Court: Quasi Public Employees Exempt from Union Dues
The ruling creates a new class of "partial public employees" who can choose not to pay membership dues to unions representing them, laying the groundwork for overruling other precedents.
June 30, 2014
Michigan May Nix the Nation's Only Local Gun Boards
A bill in the legislature would end the policy requiring special county boards to review concealed gun applications. Critics worry the approval process will become too easy.
June 24, 2014
Why Every Foster Kid Should Have an 'Electronic Backpack'
Having a digital warehouse to hold foster kids' health and education records eases their many transitions from one home to another and makes it easier to apply for jobs and college. But few places have them.
June 18, 2014
Who Wants to Intern with the Government?
Women, minorities and community college students have more interest in government internships than the general student population, a survey finds.
June 16, 2014
How Government's Using Behavioral Economics to Get People to Make Better Decisions
Federally funded projects in several states and localities are testing ways to use convenience and peer pressure to get prison inmates and people who owe child support to make better decisions.
June 11, 2014
Don't Forget About Affordable Housing, Survey Says
A recent survey shows most people think state and local governments aren't doing enough to ensure a sufficient supply of affordable housing. Several cities are trying to help.
June 6, 2014
After Isla Vista, Lawmakers Want to Take Guns from Dangerous People
California legislators proposed a bill to confiscate guns from people who pose a threat to themselves or others. Other states are already considering following suit.
June 3, 2014
States Push to Make Voting More Convenient
State legislatures have seen dozens of bills related to election reform so far in 2014. And unlike recent years, most of them are trying to make it easier to vote.
June 1, 2014
States and Localities Are Losing Their Influence in Washington
Increased partisanship in state and local government has caused the organizations representing them to lose some of their influence on federal policy. Can they get it back?
May 30, 2014
Report: Women Missing from Utah Politics
Women in Utah aren't as politically engaged as their peers in other states. Current and former elected officials want to change that.
May 27, 2014
States Relax Medicaid Eligibility for Former Foster Kids
Eleven states are extending a provision of the federal health law to avoid punishing former foster kids for pursuing jobs or schools in other states.
May 19, 2014
Why's Vermont's Minimum-Wage Law Kind of a Big Deal?
It's the latest state to raise the minimum wage and the first this year that already linked automatic increases to inflation.
May 16, 2014
Why Government Should Help Poor People Get Bank Accounts
The former head of consumer affairs in New York City explains why helping the poor manage money wisely would also help governments manage their money better.
May 9, 2014
Some States Streamline Food Stamp, Medicaid Applications
Five states have used data from the federal food stamps program to quickly enroll more than 500,000 people in Medicaid.
May 7, 2014
Welfare Spending's Up, But Not for the Poorest
New research finds that federal spending on safety net programs has gone up since the 1970s, but it's not reaching the nation's poorest people and families.
May 5, 2014
Should Cities Limit the Number of Rideshare Cars?
Seattle recently became the first city to limit the number of rideshare cars. City Councilwoman Sally Clark talks about the controversial regulations that have since been suspended.
May 2, 2014
State Experiments Result in Increased Food Stamp Usage Among the Elderly
A lot of elderly people are eligible for food stamps but either don't know they are or face barriers to signing up.
May 1, 2014
Switzerland Takes the Minimum Wage a Step Further
Should everyone have a guaranteed minimum income even if they don't have a job? It's a radical idea on the Swiss ballot that also has some support in the United States.
May 1, 2014
What the U.S. Can Learn from Brazil's Less-Than-Universal Preschool
In 2009, Brazil became one of only three countries to mandate early education. But it quickly found that universal preschool is a simple idea that's difficult to implement.
May 1, 2014
Lessons in Gun Control From Australia and Brazil
A recent book outlines other countries' approaches to gun control that have significantly reduced violence. Should states look to these places as a model for gun laws?
April 28, 2014
Almost Half of Cities Have Cut Air Pollution
At least four in 10 American cities have cut greenhouse gas emissions, according to a survey by the U.S. Conference of Mayors. An April report details the extent to which a 2005 environmental campaign has spread to cities across the country.
April 23, 2014
Ad Attacks Republican Scott Smith for Ties to Mayors Group
A dark money group released a misleading TV ad that attacks Arizona gubernatorial candidate Scott Smith for liberal policy positions adopted by the U.S. Conference of Mayors.
April 22, 2014
Why Can't Oregon Get People Off of Welfare?
A recent audit says Oregon, which mirrors national trends in some ways, hasn't done enough to get citizens off public assistance and into the workforce.
April 17, 2014
Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson to Lead Mayors Group
After Mesa, Ariz., Mayor Scott Smith stepped down from the presidency to run for governor, Johnson assumed the top position this week for the U.S. Conference of Mayors.
April 16, 2014
The Business Case for Asking Applicants About Criminal History
Some states and cities want to to use "ban the box" legislation to stop employers from screening job applicants with criminal records. Here's why some businesses oppose such measures and how some lawmakers eased their concerns.
April 10, 2014
Why Connecticut's Paid Sick Leave Law Didn't Kill Jobs
Businesses reported little increase in costs since the state became the first to require companies to compensate workers for sick days.
April 4, 2014
4 Red States That May Raise the Minimum Wage
Four states with Republican-controlled legislatures may raise the minimum wage through ballot measures this year.
April 3, 2014
Baltimore May Ban Criminal History Question on Job Applications
Baltimore may become only the sixth city to "ban the box" to prevent companies from asking prospective employees about their criminal background early on in the application process.
April 1, 2014
Can Cities and Rural Counties Come Together?
Recent political battles have highlighted the decades-old divide between urban and rural areas, making groups that occupy a middle ground more necessary than ever.
April 1, 2014
Jason Kander: Young, In Charge and Taking on Ethics Reform
The 32-year-old secretary of state wants to make Missouri's ethics laws, which are currently among the nation's weakest, some of the strongest.
March 31, 2014
The Case for Ethics Reform in Missouri
Missouri Secretary of State Jason Kander explains why he wants to see tighter controls of campaign contributions and lobbyist gifts.
March 25, 2014
Is There a Better Model for Housing Vouchers?
A Baltimore program that requires participants to use their government rental aid in low-poverty, mostly white suburbs sheds light on how government can implement housing vouchers more effectively.
March 24, 2014
A Plan to Take the Stigma Out of Breastfeeding
With the help of a first-place award from a national public policy contest, a team of graduate students plans to increase breastfeeding rates in New York City.
March 24, 2014
Can Cities Change the Face of Biking?
There's a growing trend of teaching young people (especially those from demographic groups that historically haven't embraced biking) how to repair and ride bikes.
March 18, 2014
Americans Still Love Their Libraries
Most Americans enjoy their public libraries and use them frequently, according to a new report by the Pew Research Center.
March 12, 2014
Report: States Neglect Road Repairs
A new report by Smart Growth America charges that states are spending too much on new roads while existing infrastructure deteriorates.
March 6, 2014
Gay Rights Movement Sees Historic Gains in Many States
A new report details state legislation that impacted the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community. While much of the report strikes a hopeful note, it also anticipates more political battles ahead.
March 5, 2014
Obama Pitches Major New Investments in Budget Plan
Here's a rundown of the proposals that would most affect states and localities and how stakeholders reacted to the president's budget.
March 3, 2014
How Mayors Used the Stimulus for Energy Efficiency Projects
A new survey shows how cities used money from the 2009 stimulus package to invest in energy efficient infrastructure.
March 1, 2014
Is Increasing the Minimum Wage a Good Way to Alleviate Poverty?
Wage hikes have become the highest-profile antipoverty proposals in states and localities. But some advocates say boosting the Earned Income Tax Credit would be better for the working poor.
March 1, 2014
Fighting Traffic One Paint Brush at a Time
Frustrated by government inaction, citizens in cities across the country are taking traffic problems into their own hands. But the cities aren't always thankful.
February 28, 2014
Why Is the City of New Haven Selling Gift Cards?
Some cities are using government-issued prepaid cards to fight poverty and increase public safety. New Haven, Conn., is using them to stimulate the local economy. Should other cities do the same?
February 25, 2014
Why the District of Columbia Wants to Count LGBT Homeless Youth
The LGBT population makes up a disproportionate share of homeless youth, so the District wants to make its shelters safer and more accommodating for them.
February 13, 2014
Common Themes in the 2014 State of the State Addresses
Governors used their annual speeches to introduce proposals on education, pension reform, raising the minimum wage and more.
February 7, 2014
What Government Can Learn from Colleges about Transportation Policy
A new report details transportation policies on college campuses that could help municipalities promote public transit, biking and car-sharing services.
February 6, 2014
States See Mixed Results in Attempts to Improve Financial Security
A new report details which states are enacting policies aimed at helping low-income Americans become more financially secure and whether those policies translate into change.
February 1, 2014
Forget Technology; Denver Turns to Its Employees to Fix Problems
Instead of looking for better results through data analytics, new technology or paid consultants, Denver looks to its own employees for simple, straightforward reforms.
January 31, 2014
Jersey City Joins Paid Sick-Time Movement
Two New Jersey cities decided to join the handful of cities across the country that require employers to offer paid-sick time. We spoke with the mayor of Jersey City about the issue.
January 29, 2014
Obama to Mayors, Governors and State Legislators: Raise the Minimum Wage
After bills to raise the federal minimum wage stalled in Congress last year, Obama asked state and local officials to raise the minimum wage in their jurisdictions.
January 28, 2014
Arizona Makes Child Safety a Priority
Gov. Jan Brewer abolished the child protective services division in her state in the hopes of creating an independent agency that reports directly to her -- something only 10 other states have done.
January 24, 2014
Meet the First Woman Appointed to the Idaho Potato Commission
Peggy Grover made history in January when Idaho Gov. Butch Otter appointed her as the first woman to serve on the state's potato commission.
January 24, 2014
Minnesota Mayor Announces Competition to End Veteran Homelessness
After Phoenix used competition to effectively eliminate veteran homelessness, Chris Coleman, mayor of St. Paul, Minn., will challenge towns in Iowa and Ohio to eliminate veteran homelessness by 2015.
January 23, 2014
New Jersey Program Marks Cars for Emergency Responders
The state's Yellow Dot program allows counties, cities and towns to offer car decals that tell emergency responders that critical health information is stored in the motorist's glove compartment.
January 15, 2014
California Proposal Would Extend Health Insurance to Undocumented Immigrants
Under Obamacare now, undocumented immigrants and children who are legally present under Obama's Deferred Action program are ineligible for Medicare, non-emergency Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program.
January 14, 2014
Maine Struggles with Welfare Misuse at ATMs
As states work to comply with new federal welfare rules that restrict recipients from withdrawing cash benefits from liquor stores, reports released by Maine's Department of Health and Human Services show some doing just that.
January 9, 2014
Rubio Unveils Poverty, Income Inequality Plan
A key part of U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio's proposal is handing over funds and discretion to states.
January 9, 2014
Amid Slow Recovery, Some States Turn to Tax Credits for Working Poor
Last year, at least 15 states sought to help the working poor by building upon the federal Earned Income Tax Credit.
January 7, 2014
Cities That Raise the Minimum Wage May Have to Pay Their Workers More
State and local governments that look to raise the minimum wage may have to boost their own workers' pay first.
January 1, 2014
2014's Top 10 Legislative Issues to Watch
Plus six trending issues that could be big this year.
January 1, 2014
Are Governors' State of the State Speeches All Talk?
Governors only succeed about half the time in passing legislative proposals they push for in their annual address.
December 23, 2013
Despite Broken Website, Maryland Enrolls Homeless in Medicaid
Medicaid enrollment assisters in Maryland are finding ways to sign up homeless people for public health insurance despite huge technical problems.
December 17, 2013
District of Columbia Council Finalizes Vote on Minimum Wage Hike
For a second and final time, the District of Columbia City Council voted unanimously to increase the minimum wage.
December 9, 2013
How Salt Lake City Solved Chronic Veteran Homelessness
Officials in Salt Lake City say that by the end of this month, they will have zero chronically homeless veterans.
December 9, 2013
How D.C. and 2 Maryland Counties Coordinated a Minimum Wage Hike
Legislators in Montgomery and Prince George's counties teamed up with the District of Columbia to raise the region's minimum wage. To do so required some compromise and trust in one another. This is how it happened.
December 4, 2013
District of Columbia to Consider Voting Rights Bill for Non-Citizens
A new bill would make D.C. join the handful of municipalities that give legal permanent residents who are not U.S. citizens the right to vote in local elections. So far, more than a quarter of the Council supports the measure.
December 1, 2013
But What Did Cory Booker Actually Accomplish in Newark?
He promised to rescue his troubled city as mayor. Did he deliver?
November 26, 2013
What Newtown Report Says About Gun Laws and the Mentally Ill
A report on the school shooting in Newtown, Conn., digs into the shooter's history of mental illness. Nothing suggests the state's new guards against arming the mentally ill would have stopped the incident.
November 25, 2013
Census Report: Poverty Could Be Worse Without Food Stamps
The new data comes at a time when Congress is considering deep cuts to the program in the farm bill.
November 15, 2013
New York City to Test New Tax Credit for Working Poor
It's unusual for a city to create its own tax credit, but New York has launched a pilot project that supplements the federal Earned Income Tax Credit to help lift low-income, single adult workers with no children out of poverty.
November 13, 2013
Strictest State Anti-Immigration Law Gutted
Alabama state officials have agreed to a settlement that guts most of the controversial provisions in the toughest anti-immigration law in the country.
November 7, 2013
Takoma Park Sees High Turnout Among Teens After Election Reform
In the nation's first local election with 16-year-olds voting, many teens took advantage of their new right to cast a ballot this week.
November 6, 2013
Seattle Voters Reject Public Financing of Council Campaigns
Seattle voters rejected a ballot measure that would have made the city one of a handful that match private contributions with public funds in council races.
November 6, 2013
As States Lose Food Stamp Money, Substitutes Are Scarce
A temporary boost in food stamp benefits expired on Nov. 1. Now hungry families must turn to food banks and other public programs for help.
November 1, 2013
One Office, Two (Sometimes Competing) Interests
Oklahoma is one of only a few states in which one executive oversees both cornfields and oil fields.
October 28, 2013
Should Taxpayers Fund City Council Campaigns?
A ballot measure in Seattle is asking voters to make it one of a handful of cities that uses public funds to pay for city council races.
October 22, 2013
New Poverty Measure in California Finds 2 Million Additional Poor
Researchers updated the federal tool for measuring poverty and found more Californians can't afford a basic standard of living.
October 18, 2013
Why Connecticut Bought a Tennis Tournament
Connecticut may be the first state in the nation to purchase a pro tennis tournament. The deal has its skeptics, but Gov. Dan Malloy and other state officials say it will generate millions.
October 14, 2013
How the Shutdown is Hurting Public Housing
Planned affordable housing projects are experiencing shutdown-related delays, and deals may fall through if the federal government doesn't re-open soon.
October 10, 2013
How Michigan Got Better at Counting Homeless Veterans
Homeless veterans are notoriously difficult to count. Michigan found a way to test the accuracy of its numbers and deepen the state's understanding of veteran homelessness today.
October 1, 2013
Furloughed Flood State Unemployment Offices
On the first day of the shutdown, state unemployment offices in the mid-Atlantic received an unusual number of applications from federal employees -- some getting more in one day than an entire year.
October 1, 2013
How Will the Sharing Economy Change the Way Cities Function?
Ride-sharing services and the uncertainty about how or whether to regulate them like taxi cabs illustrate a world where "ownership" is a rapidly changing concept.
October 1, 2013
Federal Shutdown Could Disrupt Ceremony for Fallen Firefighters
A national memorial service for fallen firefighters would lose access to a venue, and other needed facilities, if the federal government shutdown persists.
September 24, 2013
Poverty Rates Remain Stubbornly High in Big Cities
In 54 big cities and towns, at least a quarter of the population lived below the federal poverty line last year, according to new data from the U.S. Census Bureau.
September 1, 2013
Breaking Down the Traditional Caseworker Model
Facing smaller staffs and budgets, nearly every state or local agency serving the poor has struggled to do so in a timely manner. A new approach in Connecticut is getting social services to people cheaper and faster.
August 27, 2013
HUD Emergency Funds to Soften Sequester's Impact
Local housing authorities are in dire straits. Without funds, some may have to eliminate rental assistance.
August 8, 2013
Oakland's Debit-ID Cards Catching On
In the hopes of helping immigrants and the unbanked, the city was the nation's first to offer cards that act as an ID and a prepaid debit card. For a product targeted at low-income people, though, critics charge the cards are too expensive.
August 1, 2013
Should Reckless People Pay to Get Rescued?
At least three states already allow and more are considering allowing localities to charge citizens for what can be dangerous and expensive rescues that occur when recklessness (like kayaking during a flood) is involved.
July 30, 2013
Cities Launch Anti-Poverty Centers
With federal support for social service programs dwindling, cities are looking for new ways to combat poverty.
July 26, 2013
After Newtown, Conn. Codifies Pet Therapy for Kids
State officials found dogs to be helpful therapeutic aids for counseling the surviving children of the mass school shooting. A new law may make Connecticut the first state with a formal animal-assisted therapy program for trauma victims.
July 25, 2013
Feds Launch New Challenge to State Voting Laws
A month after a Supreme Court ruling freed jurisdictions from having to get federal approval to change their election laws, Attorney General Eric Holder announced a lawsuit to require Texas to do just that -- and "it will not be our last," he said.
July 23, 2013
Technology Helps Los Angeles Track Energy Use
Even big cities like L.A. don't have the capacity to collect energy data in a timely fashion. But a federal program helps the city's building owners measure consumption.
July 1, 2013
When Mayors Talk Crime, Does it Mean Anything?
Mayors talk a lot about lowering crime, according to a new study, but their words often carry no weight for creating change.
June 28, 2013
Localities Praise Passage of Immigration Bill
Local government associations support the basic principles for immigration reform that are in the Senate bill.
June 28, 2013
Mississippi AG Jim Hood: The Last Democrat in Dixie
Somebody forgot to tell Mississippi's attorney general that his party doesn't win in the Deep South anymore.
June 28, 2013
Who Should Regulate Guns?
After gun control measures failed in Washington, states are taking matters into their own hands.
June 25, 2013
New Child Well-Being Rankings Released
The 2013 Kids Count data from the Annie E. Casey Foundation had some unexpected surprises.
June 25, 2013
High Court Rejects Part of Voting Rights Act
The U.S. Supreme Court struck down the key provision that provided a formula for deciding which states must ask for permission before making changes to its elections procedures.
June 21, 2013
Report: 96% of Missing Guns Are Stolen
A first-of-its-kind audit shows that about 190,000 firearms were reported to police as lost or missing in 2012. The data may inform current debates about whether people should have to report missing guns.
June 19, 2013
Supreme Court Rejects Arizona's Citizenship Requirement for Voters
A ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court blocks proof-of-citizenship requirements on federal voter registration forms, but leaves open the possibility of amending the form to include Arizona's stricter standard for verifying citizenship.
June 14, 2013
2 Former Governors Say Immigration Reform Would Save States Money
Immigration reform could save states money and boost the economy, said former governors Haley Barbour and Jeb Bush at a recent forum.
June 14, 2013
Pennsylvania Reconsiders Requiring People to Report Missing Guns
After 30 municipalities passed laws requiring residents to tell police when their guns disappear, the legislature is reconsidering a statewide proposal that failed in 2008 to do just that.
June 6, 2013
Can a City Require Citizens to Own a Gun?
The Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence is suing the city of Nelson, Ga., over its new ordinance requiring residents to own firearms. The lawsuit's outcome could impact other places with gun mandates.
June 5, 2013
Shelley Metzenbaum Wants You to Trust Government Again
A former leader at the Office of Management and Budget hopes to use her new position to restore public confidence in government. Here's how she plans to do it.
May 31, 2013
Technology Threatens Public Officials' Safety
Several high-profile government officials were killed this year. Standing in the public light has always had its risks, but they're higher than ever as tracking an official's whereabouts can be as simple as following their Twitter feed.
May 28, 2013
How Do State and Local Government Officials View Gun Control?
Most state and local public officials favor universal background checks, however, support varies when it comes to other proposals to prevent gun violence.
May 23, 2013
Florida, LexisNexis Partner to Combat Identity Fraud
A pilot program, which could soon spread to other states, uses software to automatically verify a person's identity when they apply for Medicaid, welfare or food stamps.
May 15, 2013
Will Kindergartener Bank Accounts Catch On?
San Francisco was the first city to create college savings accounts for every kindergartener in public school. Now other jurisdictions are contemplating a similar program.
May 10, 2013
Anti-Terrorism Grants for Cities at Risk
Federal grants that aided police in the Boston Marathon bombing have shrunk in recent years and are at risk of further cuts under the president's reform proposal.
May 1, 2013
10 New State Laws That Loosen Gun Restrictions
While some states have tightened gun restrictions since last year's mass shootings, many in the South and Midwest have passed new laws being celebrated by the National Rifle Association.
April 30, 2013
States Look to Reduce Part-Time Lawmakers' Bias
Most state lawmakers supplement their legislative job with one in the private sector. To reduce the conflicts of interest that inevitably arise from this, states are considering revising their ethics laws.
April 29, 2013
Why States Are Using Welfare to Pay for Housing
A program to lift people out of homelessness under President Obama's stimulus package yielded some encouraging early results, but lacks a long-term funding source. Some states are turning to welfare.
April 22, 2013
Tying Welfare to Grades Meets Resistance
Should welfare benefits be tethered to a students' performance in school? One Tennessee legislator thinks so, but he's gotten national backlash for his proposal.
April 16, 2013
Chronic and Veteran Homelessness on the Decline
Despite some troubling economic conditions, chronic and veteran homelessness both dropped by more than 6 percent last year, according to a new report.
April 15, 2013
Study: Citizen Budgeting Related to Better Outcomes
Inviting public comment early in the budget process, and doing so in multiple ways, is closely associated with better performance outcomes, according to a new study.
April 10, 2013
5 Gun Safety Measures in Obama's 2014 Budget
The administration has asked Congress to fund better record keeping for background checks and scientific research related to gun violence. For full coverage of the president's proposed budget, click here.
April 1, 2013
When Colleges Create Their Own DREAM Acts
As granting in-state tuition to undocumented immigrants becomes more popular, some universities aren't waiting for the green light from state lawmakers to do it.
March 29, 2013
Tea Party Running the Show in Georgia County
Most of Fayette County's elected leaders are Tea Partiers, shedding light on how Tea Party reformers -- if given full control -- might shape public policy and overhaul Republican politics at the local level.
March 26, 2013
NYC Social Service Nonprofits Compete for Prize Money
To win, they'll need to prove they have the most novel and effective way to help low-income New Yorkers.
March 26, 2013
Liquor Prohibition Ending in Parts of the South
Eighty years after Congress repealed prohibition, some cities in Mississippi have decided to permit the sale of hard alcohol.
March 14, 2013
Report: High-Skill Worker Funds Target Wrong Parts of Country
Money raised through visa applications to pay for high-skill worker training doesn't actually match geographic demand, according to a new report.
March 13, 2013
Advancing the Debate: Should Teachers Carry Guns?
South Dakota is the first state to explicitly allow school employees to carry guns. Critics fear accidents, while supporters view the law as a way to give districts more autonomy.
March 7, 2013
Study: DREAM Acts Would be Economic Boon for States
When state lawmakers consider granting in-state tuition to undocumented immigrants, they tend to focus on strict university-related spending and tuition revenues. A new study finds that government and society would see a net economic benefit.
March 5, 2013
How Many Undocumented Immigrants Would Take In-State Tuition? No One Knows.
The price tag of tuition equity bills can save them or kill them. But figuring out those actual costs is anybody's guess.
March 4, 2013
Advancing the Debate: Why Legalize Sports Betting?
New Jersey passed a law to legalize sports betting at casinos and race tracks, which is already allowed in four states. But the feds and major sports leagues have been working to block it.
February 28, 2013
Some State Legislators Want to Work More, Not Less
Four state legislatures meet every other year instead of annually. Lawmakers in North Dakota and Texas want to leave biennial budgeting in the past.
February 28, 2013
Cities Rethink Gun Buyback Programs
The programs were found to be ineffective in reducing violent crime, but cities are revisiting -- and in some cases, revamping -- them in the wake of last year's mass shootings.
February 26, 2013
New Group Studies International Social Services Programs
The U.S.-based firm Mathematica Policy Research will evaluate the success of programs aimed at helping the world's most vulnerable children.
February 25, 2013
Advancing the Debate: Why Give Illegal Immigrants In-State Tuition?
Oregon may become the next state to grant in-state tuition to young illegal immigrants. We review the arguments for and against state tuition equity laws, which 13 states currently have and at least a dozen are considering.
February 20, 2013
Advancing the Debate: Should Pennsylvania's Lottery Go Private?
Pennsylvania's attorney rejected a contract to privatize the state lottery. The governor is scrambling to find a solution. Local newspapers give their take on the controversy.
February 15, 2013
North Carolina Will Grant Driver's Licenses to Young Illegal Immigrants
North Carolina will become the ninth state to grant driver's licenses to young illegal immigrants, the state's transportation secretary announced Feb. 14.
February 13, 2013
Obama Calls for More for Infrastructure, Jobs, Energy
In his State of the Union address, the president laid out a second-term agenda that could result in more federal aid to state and local governments.
February 11, 2013
Advancing the Debate: Political, Fiscal Costs of the Medicaid Expansion
11 GOP governors have rejected the Medicaid expansion, but some are endorsing it -- even though they lambasted so-called "Obamacare."
February 7, 2013
Pew Study: Not All Immigrants Want Citizenship
A new study examines why some eligible immigrants choose not to seek naturalization. For some, it's because they don't want to be U.S. citizens.
February 6, 2013
At Immigration Hearing, Mayor Julian Castro Spars with House Committee
In its first hearing of 2013 on immigration reform, Republicans on the U.S. House Judiciary Committee sparred with San Antonio Mayor Julian Castro over the merits of comprehensive immigration reform.
February 4, 2013
Advancing the Debate: Why 2013 Is (or Isn't) Right for Comprehensive Immigration Reform
Pundits think the stars are aligned for comprehensive immigration reform.
January 30, 2013
Survey Finds Broad Support for Universal Background Checks, Not Weapons Bans
A new survey to be published in The New England Journal of Medicine finds that most gun owners and non-gun owners support criminal-history background checks for all gun sales. Proposed bans on assault weapons and high-capacity magazines were less popular among gun owners.
January 28, 2013
Op-Eds Offer Fresh Perspectives on Gun Control
Some news commentary has escaped the binary of second amendment rights vs. a full-scale firearms ban.
January 25, 2013
Gun-Control Advocates Drop 'Gun Show Loophole' Talking Point
Gun-control advocates are instead focusing on universal background checks and closing the private-sales loophole. Here's why.
January 24, 2013
Mayors Group Backs New Assault Weapons Ban Bill in Congress
Michael Nutter, president of the U.S. Conference of Mayors, voiced the group's support for Sen. Dianne Feinstein's bill to ban assault weapons.
January 21, 2013
Police Verify Dangers First to Reduce False Alarms
An Urban Institute report describes how three police departments saved time and money by reducing the incidence of false alarms.
January 17, 2013
State Immigration Compacts Signal Bipartisan Principles for Reform
Colorado is the latest state to publish guiding principles for federal immigration reform.
January 15, 2013
Governors Weigh In on Gun Violence in State of State Speeches
Some state leaders aren't waiting for Congress to address last year's mass shootings in Newtown, Conn. and Aurora, Colo. So far five governors have alluded to gun violence in their annual state-of-the-state addresses.
January 14, 2013
Maryland Gov. O'Malley to Push for State Assault Weapons Ban
Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley has announced his legislative agenda for gun control includes a ban the sale of assault weapons and high-capacity magazines.
January 10, 2013
States Consider Closing the Gun-Show Loophole
Only a handful of states require background checks on all firearm sales at gun shows, but some legislators are trying to change that this year.
January 8, 2013
Maryland Task Force Recommendations Could Take Guns from Mentally Ill
As part of a re-examination of Maryland state laws on firearms and the mentally ill, a task force has recommended that the state should require mental health professionals to contact police if an individual seems dangerous. The policy, if it becomes law, could lead to new gun seizures.
January 4, 2013
Wind Energy Tax Credit Extended in Fiscal Cliff Deal
Under last week's fiscal cliff deal, states that depend on wind as part of their energy portfolio got the production tax credit renewed for another year.


text:
Asked by Elizabeth, South Carolina
I have been sick for two weeks and my doctor said I have jaundice from mono. I got my belly button pierced on spring break in Mexico and I'm worried. Could my jaundice be from hepatitis C or HIV instead?
Living Well Expert
Dr. Jennifer Shu
Children's Medical Group
Thanks for your question. If your doctor did a test for mononucleosis, it would make sense that your jaundice (yellowing of the skin and eyes) is due to one of the viruses that causes the mono syndrome. Mono is commonly spread between college and high school students and may be transmitted by kissing or other contact with saliva such as from sharing drinks. The most common symptoms are fever, sore throat, swollen glands and extreme tiredness. Jaundice occurs in up to 30% of people who have the infection and goes away in about four to six weeks without any special treatment.
Body piercing performed under nonsterile conditions has been linked to infections such as hepatitis B and C viruses as well as HIV. A person who is pierced with a ring that was contaminated by an infected individual could potentially catch one of those viruses. Poor piercing hygiene practices such as reusing dirty equipment or not washing ones hands or changing gloves may also enable infections to be spread. The states in America have varying health regulations for places that perform body piercing; however, the situation may be different in Mexico. Your physician can test you for hepatitis B and C and HIV infections, but it's most likely that your jaundice is the result of your mono infection.
Good luck!
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subset: commoncrawl


text:
Flags Of "Their� Fathers?
Perhaps the movie's most glaring omission involves the absence of any African-American soldiers. No Blacks were featured in any of the early war films from the Forties and Fifties, and none were awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor
(Imaginary history has no Black heroes).
On the morning of February 19, 1945, in the wake of 74 consecutive days of pounding from the air by B-29 bombers, over 100,000 U.S. soldiers mounted an amphibious assault on Iwo Jima, a tiny Far East island about a third of the size of Manhattan. The Marines who landed there that fateful day encountered mines, booby traps, and much stronger resistance than they had bargained for because the bombardment had failed to soften-up the fortification as anticipated.
The Japanese had carved a honeycomb of concrete-reinforced caves 40-feet deep into the face of Mount Suribachi, the 550-foot extinct volcano towering over the isle's southern tip. So, armed to the teeth, the enemy patiently waited underground, afforded the early advantage offered by a maze of 1500 bunkers interconnected by 16-miles of passageways.
Further complicating the invasion was the fact that when the GI's arrived, they were unable to dig foxholes, because the shore of the hostile terrain was composed of Black sulfuric ash, a loose, shifting soil virtually impossible either to walk on or to dig foxholes in. As a consequence, the Allies ended up stuck like sitting ducks on the beach, suffering more than a casualty per minute for the first 60 hours.
Though America did ultimately prevail in this pivotal battle of the Pacific Theater of Operations, victory would be prematurely celebrated back home due to a "Mission Accomplished" photo-op which transpired on the fifth day of the fighting. That's when AP photographer Joe Rosenthal (who just died in August of this year at the age of 94) snapped the world-renowned shot of a half-dozen soldiers hoisting Old Glory high atop Suribachi which would serve as a morale booster for a populace growing weary of the war's mounting debt and death toll.
Two days later, on February 25th, when the picture appeared in the Sunday edition of newspapers all across the country, most readers were unaware that the bloody engagement wasn't over. But it would continue for almost another month, ultimately taking a total of 6,821 Americans lives (including half the men in the famous print) as well as all but a few hundred of the 22,000 Japanese entrenched on the island.
In addition, the American public didn't know that the too good to be true Kodak moment had been a recreation, not an authentic snapshot of the historic instant when the Stars and Stripes were first raised on the summit. When asked, Rosenthal initially acknowledged that the photo had been staged and that another flag had been planted before he arrived, but he retracted the statement when that admission ignited a nasty backlash.
Nonetheless, the photo won the Pulitzer Prize and spawned a cottage industry of reproductions of the iconic tableau including everything from posters to paperweights to billboards to a commemorative postage stamp to a silver dollar to a national monument to propaganda war newsreels.
With Flags of Our Fathers, one would hope that Clint Eastwood would have some reason to make another Iwo Jima movie besides resurrecting the same sort of patriotic claptrap already dished out ad nauseam in war flicks like John Wayne's Sands of Iwo Jima (1949). But regrettably, Eastwood chose neither to clarify the aforementioned photo controversy, nor to edify his audience in any other meaningful way.
Perhaps the movie's most glaring omission involves the absence of any African-American soldiers. No Blacks were featured in any of the early war films from the Forties and Fifties, and none were awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for bravery in World War II, at least until President Clinton made an overture to correct the glaring oversight during his presidency.
So, excuse me for wondering why Eastwood would opt to perpetuate the myth of Iwo Jima as a virtually lily-white invasion in these presumably more enlightened times. Sadly, Clint's not the only top director guilty as charged, since Steven Spielberg served up a similar historical distortion in Serving Private Ryan, and more recently, Oliver Stone conveniently changed the color of a Marine hero at Ground Zero from Black to white to fit his vision of 9-11 for World Trade Center.
This persisting bias has serious implications for the prospects of the already beleaguered Black male, for a fundamental function of film, ostensibly, is to convey a sense of a culture's social structure. And when the cinematic lens is repeatedly employed to map out microcosms of society marked by African-American marginalization, it is very likely to engender real-life attitudes rationalizing continued ostracism and exclusion.
Truth be told, about 1000 Black soldiers took part in the assault on Iwo Jima, including Sergeant Thomas McPhatter, whose all-Black platoon landed on the first day. McPhatter, 83, who played a critical role in the real flag-raising on Mt. Suribachi, not the re-enactment, is fed up about being ignored again by Flags of Our Fathers.
"This is the last straw," he complained. "I feel like I've been denied, I've been insulted, I've been mistreated. Of all the movies that have been made of Iwo Jima, you never see a Black face. But what can you do? We still have a strong underlying force in my country of rabid racism."
During WWII, the Department of Defense directed embedded cameramen not to film African-American GI's in action. Remember, America's Armed forces were segregated until 1948. So, any newsreel footage accidentally containing Blacks invariably ended up on the cutting room floor. But Blacks were there, and shed blood in almost every major engagement of the war.
So why the reluctance to rectify the deliberately whitewashed version of history disseminated during the shameful days of discriminaton? Who knows? NYU History Professor Yvonne Latty says she even urged Eastwood before he began production to include Black soldiers in the film and sent him a copy of her book about these forever unsung heroes, but to no avail.
The upshot is that Flags of Our Fathers is a 21st Century version of the state-sanctioned, pro-war propaganda designed to instill a sense of patriotism in the Baby Boom Generation back when they were impressionable babies. The violence may no longer be sanitized, but its color-coded depictions of heroism remain unchanged.
The story revolves around a Private Ryan-like mandate to bring back to the States the soldiers who had erected the flag in the suddenly-famous photograph. Why? In order to exploit the vets sudden celebrity to sell government bonds on behalf of the war effort. This tedious timewaster's only tension revolves around a seemingly meaningless controversy, namely, whether one of the deceased soldiers holding the pole might have been misidentified.
With Blacks invisible, Flags of Our Fathers devotes its express ethnic insensitivity in the direction of other ethnic minorities. Thus, Japanese are repeatedly referred to as "Japs," while the token non-white GI, Ira Hayes (Adam Beach), a Native-American, is presented as an offensive combination of two stereotypes: "The Noble Savage" and "The Drunken Indian."
When not speaking in silly non-sequiturs such as, "Because of this war, white men will understand the Indians a lot better," Ira is portrayed as a lush who never learned how to hold his liquor. Yet, he supposedly somehow embarked by foot and by thumb on a 1300-mile journey from Oklahoma to Texas to inform a grieving mother (Judith Ivey), in person, that her late son had indeed been standing alongside him holding the pole in the famous picture, just as she suspected, as if that could in any way be a comfort for her loss.
His conscience cleansed and his duty to his great white brother honorably performed, Ira subsequently reverts to the true nature of the red man, drinking himself into a stupor till he's found frozen to death in a ditch by the side of a road. The movie's underlying message, a slight variation on an age-old theme, is that wars are still fought by brave white guys for God, mom and apple pie, and that anybody who would dare to disagree must be a cut-and-run coward.
It'll be interesting to see whether Clint tones down his ethnic animus in Letters from Iwo Jima, his upcoming companion piece purporting to present the Japanese perspective of the same battle. What's the point of making a pair of historical epics, if both merely reflect and reinforce deep-seeded racist attitudes rather than attempt to teach tolerance, understanding and an appreciation of our cultural differences?
Fair (1 star). Rated R for expletives, ethnic slurs, and the graphic depiction of the carnage of war. Running time: 132 minutes. Studio: Dreamworks Pictures
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