On Thursday, in a 5-4 decision, the Supreme Court handed down a major victory in South Dakota v. Wayfair, concluding that state and local governments can require remote retailers with no physical presence in the state to collect and remit sales taxes. After years of congressional inaction, the decision brings cities one significant step closer
When researchers ask the average American whether they could handle the cost of an unexpected home repair project, the answer is simple: no. That lack of financial preparedness is compounded by the fact that many homeowners do not understand what their homeowner’s insurance actually covers. This leaves many American homeowners in a tough spot when
As American as apple pie, “freedom” and “opportunity” are the ideals our country is supposed to represent — and that every city leader strives toward. But for too many young people today, opportunity is a promise unfulfilled, and their freedom to choose what to do, who to be, and how to live is only nominal.
This is a guest post by Dr. Robert Garcia, mayor of Long Beach, California. Like many communities across the nation, our city of Long Beach, California, is constantly looking for new approaches to improve public safety and the well-being of residents. We have a lot to be proud of on this front. Our crime rate
Throughout June, NLC is celebrating America’s forward-thinking small cities and towns with #SmallCitiesMonth. This is a guest post by Lisa Gonzalez, senior telecommunications researcher at The Institute for Local Self-Reliance. Significant segments of Americans still struggle to obtain some form of broadband Internet access and even more don’t have a choice of high-quality Internet service.
This is a guest post by Mayor Mark Stodola, Little Rock, Arkansas, president of the National League of Cities As you may know, my focus this year as president of NLC is to help city leaders prepare for the future of work. What does that mean? Well, it means a lot of things. For me,
This is a guest post by Shannon Kendrick, Director of Strategic Partnerships and Intergovernmental Affairs at the Peace Corps. South Sioux City, Nebraska. Nashville, Tennessee. Chicago. Los Angeles. What do each of these cities have in common? As Employers of National Service, each recognizes the value that volunteers bring to the workplace — once they’ve returned
This is a guest post by Steve DelBianco, president of NetChoice. America’s tech industry has embraced the idea of permissionless innovation, where new online business models set up operations without requesting approval from public officials. That’s how eBay revolutionized the way people sell their stuff, and it’s how sharing economy businesses became a great way for
This is a guest post by Cynthia Koehler, executive director of the WaterNow Alliance. When it comes to addressing the nation’s water infrastructure crisis, cities and towns are ground zero. They account for 80% or more of spending on drinking water, stormwater and wastewater nationwide, as federal and state support for these vital public services have
This is a guest post by Kimberly Nelson, Executive Director of the U.S. Public Sector’s State and Local Government Solutions, Microsoft Corporation and Troy Coggiola, Chief Product Officer, Accela. Government agencies strive to improve the quality of life for their citizens, ensuring equitable access to services and desired businesses, smart community development and overall public health and
