Five primary factors will shape this November’s midterm elections. Each has varying degrees of importance, but all solidly affect President Joe Biden’s approval ratings, which influences how people will vote, said Larry Sabato, Ph.D., political prognosticator, professor of politics at the University of Virginia, and founder and director of the University of Virginia Center for […]
At first glance, the $1.5 billion specifically earmarked for brownfield cleanup and a total of $21 billion set aside for environmental remediation in the $1 trillion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (H.R. 3684) may seem paltry, given that there are an estimated 450,000 brownfield sites identified by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in the U.S. […]
Congressional Democrats are struggling to come up with a plan to pass legislation containing much of their and President Joe Biden’s domestic policy agenda, with an eye toward having tangible achievements that can be touted in their 2022 midterm reelection bids. After spending much of 2021 disagreeing with centrist Senators Joe Manchin (D-WV) and Kyrsten […]
As the new year begins, lawmakers will begin returning to their chambers to discuss and debate numerous pieces of legislation. Congress is currently focused on President Joe Biden’s Build Back Better initiative and voting rights legislation, but conventional wisdom suggest that passage of meaningful, nonpartisan legislation will remain a challenge during an election year. However, […]
Real estate developers and owners provide the commercial and residential space for individuals to live, work and play. State and local governments can play an important role in supporting this through incentives and other measures that ensure development projects financially “pencil” and are economically sustainable over the long term. Tax Increment Financing (TIF) districts are […]
The debate on greenhouse gases and climate change is occurring at every level of government within the United States. Many states have initiated mandates calling for commercial building owners to gradually reduce their greenhouse gas emissions and eventually become net-zero by certain dates as part of efforts to address climate change. These mandates have included […]
Finally, after months of political gamesmanship between progressives and moderates in the Democratic party, the House of Representatives on Nov. 5 passed H.R 3684, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which President Joe Biden signed into law this Monday. The Senate passed the bill on Aug. 10, and moderate Democrats in the House had been […]
Every local government in the United States is required to operate under a balanced budget where incoming revenues equal outgoing expenditures. The National League of Cities has referred to these local budget as “political instrument(s)” that governs public policy priorities, funds government services and programs, sets spending limitations and establishes a level of transparency and accountability […]
