The National Debt Is Becoming Your Local Problem
Federal overspending is squeezing states and cities, forcing them to raise taxes, slash services, or pile on more debt.
Local Government
You Shouldn't Need a License to Talk
Occupational licensing can be useless, harmful—and even a threat to free speech.
The Government Took Their Home Equity Over Modest Debts. Michigan's Supreme Court Just Threw Them a Lifeline.
Years after home equity theft was ruled unconstitutional, Michigan keeps looking for ways around the ruling.
Eric Adams Has Turned His Back on the Charter School Movement He Once Embraced
Once a champion of school choice, New York’s mayor has caved to union pressure—leaving tens of thousands of students stuck on waitlists.
Could New York Go Bankrupt Again?
Financial historian and attorney Richard E. Farley explains how political games, union power, and creative accounting tanked New York City in 1975—and why it could happen again.
Michigan Wineries Win $50 Million in Fight Against Local Zoning Rules
A federal judge ruled that Peninsula Township’s former restrictions on music, events, and grape sourcing violated the rights of local wineries.
Can Wall Street Survive a Socialist Mayor?
If Zohran Mamdani turns socialist rhetoric into policy, New York’s financial giants may not stick around to see how that plays out.
For Years, Oregon Stole People's Home Equity Over Modest Tax Debts. A New Law Puts an End to That.
The state just cracked down on a form of state-sanctioned robbery, where governments seized and sold homes over minor tax delinquencies—and then pocketed the profits.
D.C. Finally Moves To Implement Ranked Choice Voting After 3–1 Voter Approval
Voters overwhelmingly supported Initiative 83, but Democratic lawmakers have been hesitant to adopt it.
In Just 1 Year, 134 Lifeguards Cost Los Angeles Taxpayers $70 Million
The highest earner received a grand total of $523,351.
The Decentralized Master Planning of Seaside, Florida
The city where The Truman Show was filmed balances communal norms with private preferences.
New Jersey Court Strikes Down Town's Use of Eminent Domain To Skirt Affordable Housing Mandates
Despite the setback, Middletown Township is taking the case to the state supreme court.
DMV Officials Issued Driver's Licenses for Cash. Why Will REAL ID Be Any Different?
Bureaucratic requirements impose burdens only on people not inclined to break the law.
There's No Good Reason for Cities and States To Build or Subsidize Sports Stadiums
“There's no such thing as a free stadium,” says J.C. Bradbury. “You can't just pull revenue out of thin air.”
New York City Tried To Seize Lucy the Pig. Mayor Eric Adams Says the Family Can Keep Her—If She Leaves Town.
The owners faced fines of up to $18,000 for keeping the pig within city limits.
New Jersey Towns Face Setback in Lawsuit Against State's Affordable Housing Mandate
Despite this setback, a coalition of municipalities is challenging the state’s housing program in federal court.
The Absurdity of Government Grocery Stores Exposes the Flaws of Public Schools
Zohran Mamdani’s proposal for state-run supermarkets exposes the inefficiencies of state-run education.
She Got a Permit for Her Chickens. Now the City Is Fining Her $80,000.
The Douglas, Michigan, city government is hitting a homeowner with crushing fines after reversing its own approval. She’s fighting back in federal court.
America Has Plenty of Experience With Government-Run Stores, and It Isn't Pretty
New York mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani wants to open city-owned grocery stores. The U.S. already has a few, and they're a cautionary tale.
Focus, No Distractions, and Grind
Plus: Trump the Jacksonian, a big day for SCOTUS decisions, and more...
Stealing the Farm
Plus: housing reform is killed in Connecticut, bonus ADUs are gutted in San Diego, and two decades of Supreme Court-enabled eminent domain abuse.
The Government Seized Her Home for a Project That Never Happened
Twenty years after Susette Kelo lost at the Supreme Court, the land where her house once stood is still an empty lot.
He Fell Behind on His Taxes. So the Government Seized His Home, Sold It, and Kept the $258,000 Profit.
But now his case against the government can move forward.
Missouri Town Wants To Seize Local Businesses Over Chipped Paint and Cracked Sidewalks
Brentwood business owners are challenging the city’s definition of blight in an ongoing lawsuit against city officials' use of the dubious designation to invoke eminent domain.
Police Blew Up This Innocent Woman's House and Left Her With the Bill. A Judge Says She's Owed $60,000.
Vicki Baker's legal odyssey is finally coming to an end.
Review: A Comic Book Villain Runs for Mayor of New York in the New Daredevil Series
Daredevil's nemesis Kingpin runs up against local government bureaucracy.
D.C. Pauses Plans To Hike Minimum Wage for Tipped Workers
The issue has long polarized a city that is dominated by liberal and progressive politics and politicians, some of whom have confronted that good intentions do not equal good outcomes here.
That Time L.A.'s Deputy Mayor for Public Safety Called in a Bomb Threat on His Own City Hall
Former official Brian K. Williams just admitted that he faked a bomb threat during a work meeting. Now he faces up to 10 years in prison.
Judge Rules in Favor of New Hampshire Bakery in Fight Over Donut Mural
Conway, New Hampshire's attempt to force a local bakery to take down the mural "does not withstand any level of constitutional scrutiny," a judge ruled this week.
Mothers Are Losing Custody Over Sketchy Drug Tests
Some hospitals are even reporting women for testing positive for drugs that were given to them during labor.
The New Stadium Scam Is a Server Farm
Local governments love giving sweetheart deals to billion-dollar companies—now data centers instead of football stadiums.
Back to Basics
Plus: California zoning bill survives powerful lawmaker's economic illiteracy, Montana legislators pass simple, sweeping, supply-side housing reforms, and Washington passes rent control.
In Boston's Scooter 'Wild West,' Lawmakers Take Aim at the Wrong Target
The city passed a law cracking down on food delivery companies rather than the reckless drivers creating chaos on sidewalks and streets.
Chicago Cancels Cinco de Mayo Parade Over Fears of ICE Deportations
The Windy City has been the target of ICE’s ire since President Donald Trump took office.
Hawaii County Tells Homeowner His 38-Year-Old House Is Actually Illegal
Shahzaad Ausman has had to sue the county to confirm that he can continue to live in his own home.
Zoning Police Come for Cape Cod Lobsterman
Jon Tolley and his family have been serving fresh lobster from their home for over 50 years, but an anonymous complaint to town regulators threatens to shut their business down for good.
The Government Threatened To Seize His Home Over Tall Grass
Bureaucrats in Dunedin, Florida, originally hit Jim Ficken with a fine close to $30,000. When he couldn't pay that, things turned dire.
