Governing

Governing The Future of States and Localities Governing connects America's leaders and citizens by providing news and analysis on management, policy and politics.

page managed by Zoe Manzanetti ([email protected])

In December the Atlanta City Council did something increasingly rare among local governments: It reinvested in public ac...
01/10/2026

In December the Atlanta City Council did something increasingly rare among local governments: It reinvested in public access television. By approving nearly $1.6 million in funding over three years to bring the program back online, city leaders restored more than a local media channel — they reaffirmed a democratic principle, writes Governing Opinion columnist Jabari Simama.

Atlanta’s decision to reinvest in it and bring a full-scale program back on the air should be a national model. It’s especially needed in today’s radically reshaped media environment.

Some homeowners’ associations do essential work, but an emerging backlash highlights how far HOAs can reach into residen...
01/09/2026

Some homeowners’ associations do essential work, but an emerging backlash highlights how far HOAs can reach into residents’ lives. The debate over how HOAs’ power is sparking state efforts to curb their authority.

Homeowners' associations do plenty of beneficial things. But sometimes they go too far, testing the tension between individual and community rights and leading to states’ efforts to restrict their powers.

San Francisco is taking an unprecedented legal step against the makers of ultra-processed foods. City Attorney David Chi...
01/09/2026

San Francisco is taking an unprecedented legal step against the makers of ultra-processed foods. City Attorney David Chiu’s first-of-its-kind lawsuit targets major food manufacturers and seeks to end what the plaintiffs say is deceptive marketing that contributes to chronic disease and public health costs.

A first-of-its-kind lawsuit from the city of San Francisco seeks to end advertising that misleads consumers about the health impacts of highly processed foods. The city attorney spoke with Governing about the suit.

Americans' access to clean drinking water is vulnerable to cyber attacks from nation states and cyber criminals — malici...
01/08/2026

Americans' access to clean drinking water is vulnerable to cyber attacks from nation states and cyber criminals — malicious actors could disrupt water access to entire communities, or make drinking water unsafe by altering chemical balances. Last year, New Hampshire decided to do something to help its unprepared local water utilities.

Water facilities aren’t always aware of the risks they face, or what they can do about it.

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz has ended his bid for a third term amid a wide-reaching fraud scandal involving state programs, ...
01/08/2026

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz has ended his bid for a third term amid a wide-reaching fraud scandal involving state programs, a controversy that has come to define the final years of his administration. David Schultz, a professor at Hamline University, argues that the real story isn’t just one political controversy, but what it reveals about governance under a single party’s control.

The scandals that ended the Minnesota governor’s bid for a third term reflect the kind of oversight failure that comes with one-party control of government. Above all, voters expect competent administration.

Tensions between Washington and the states are flaring again. Early moves by the Trump administration to pause federal g...
01/08/2026

Tensions between Washington and the states are flaring again. Early moves by the Trump administration to pause federal grants have reignited long-standing disputes over federal authority. Governing’s Donald Kettl writes that grant rules are being used more aggressively to enforce policy priorities, setting up legal and political battles that could reshape how federal aid flows.

The Trump administration is holding federal grants hostage to its priorities.

Instead of using the National Guard as stand-in police, states could tap the guard’s medical personnel to back up strain...
01/07/2026

Instead of using the National Guard as stand-in police, states could tap the guard’s medical personnel to back up strained local emergency responders, argue Thaddeus L. Johnson, a senior fellow at the Council on Criminal Justice, and Natasha N. Johnson, an assistant professor of educational studies and research at Augusta University. Medical-only deployments of guard medics might help get life-saving care faster, especially during spikes in shootings, they write.

Rather than acting as substitute police, guard medics could help save lives by backing up strained local emergency responders. It’s not unprecedented.

California has passed a wave of housing reforms, but the state still isn’t building enough homes, writes Steven Greenhut...
01/07/2026

California has passed a wave of housing reforms, but the state still isn’t building enough homes, writes Steven Greenhut, Western region director for the R Street Institute. Why has so much well-intentioned policy failed to move the needle on housing production in the state?

An onerous 1970 law remains an open invitation for lawsuits. And reforms should make it easier to build the kind of housing most Californians want.

Washington, D.C.’s transit system has staged one of the strongest post-pandemic recoveries in the country. WMATA boosted...
01/07/2026

Washington, D.C.’s transit system has staged one of the strongest post-pandemic recoveries in the country. WMATA boosted ridership and shored up funding with help from D.C., Maryland and Virginia, outpacing many systems that are still struggling with cuts and financial woes. But challenges remain -- the agency is pushing for steady capital funding to tackle a backlog of projects and secure long-term stability for the first time in its history.

Few cities have seen a post-pandemic ridership bounce-back as successful as Washington, D.C.'s. But the area's transit system is looking for more help from officials in the district, Maryland and Virginia.

Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey is carving out a reputation for pragmatism in a deeply blue state. As the first woman an...
01/07/2026

Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey is carving out a reputation for pragmatism in a deeply blue state. As the first woman and first openly gay governor of the Bay State, Healey has leaned into everyday issues over sweeping ideology.

Maura Healey broke new ground as the first woman and first openly gay candidate elected governor in Massachusetts, but her priorities have been firmly focused on quality-of-life and cost-of-living issues like housing and transportation.

As the federal Department of Government Efficiency draws attention, many states are quietly running their own efficiency...
12/23/2025

As the federal Department of Government Efficiency draws attention, many states are quietly running their own efficiency efforts. Rather than sweeping cuts, state initiatives are focusing on practical streamlining that saves money while maintaining services, often with bipartisan buy-in, write researchers Katherine Barrett and Richard Greene.

States’ efforts to streamline government operations may sound like the federal model once led by Elon Musk, but when it comes to genuine government efficiency they’re getting a lot more done.

A new Governing map shows where data centers are already concentrated and where major new projects are headed as the AI ...
12/23/2025

A new Governing map shows where data centers are already concentrated and where major new projects are headed as the AI boom accelerates. Virginia leads the nation, followed by Texas, while large expansions are planned across states like Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Ohio and Mississippi. See where your state stands.

AI investment is driving the economy, and states want a share. Here’s a look at where the data centers that do the work of AI are located.

Address

Sacramento, CA

Telephone

+19169321300

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Governing posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Shortcuts

Share

Category