A Florida Retiree's Uncut Lawn May Cost Him His House
Jim Ficken was fined $29,000 for violations of his town's tall grass ordinance.
Local Government
Judge to Charlottesville: You Can Put a Statue Up, but You Can't Take It Down
A judge has ruled that the town's Confederate monuments must stay.
Is Your Hometown Balancing Its Budget by Fining Everybody It Can? Here's How To Find Out.
Governing puts together a database of cities and towns addicted to money from fines and forfeitures.
Two Cheers for Pete Buttigieg's Proposal for "Place-Based Visas" for Immigrant Workers
The idea has some flaws, but would be a major improvement over the status quo. It also has much in common with a proposal for state-issued visas promoted by two Republican members of Congress in 2017.
Stossel: Mow Your Lawn or Lose Your House!
Florida man may lose home because he didn’t cut his grass.
After 6-Year Fight, Florida Couple Wins Right to Grow Veggies at Home
Local governments can't outlaw home vegetable gardens under a new Florida law.
Kansas City Uses Bad Research To Justify Corporate Welfare
A local development study didn't evaluate whether government incentives had anything to do with a business's decision to invest.
Missouri House Approves Task Force To Oversee Task Forces
It will be called the "Missouri Task Force Task Force."
Denver Ballot Initiative Would Guarantee Your Right To Sleep in Your Car
Initiative 300 takes aim at the city's incredibly broad anti-camping ordinance
D.C. Water Spent Nearly $4,000 On Its Wendy the Water Drop Mascot
The feds aren't the only ones capable of designing cringe-worthy mascots.
24 California Cities Sue to Stop Home Weed Deliveries
Most California cities already ban recreational cannabis stores. A few want to ban home deliveries as well.
Government to Pizzeria: You Can Paint a Mural, Just Not One That Features Pizza
Arlington County's free-speech-trampling sign code forbids businesses from depicting the goods they sell on exterior murals.
Some Towns Are Trashing Their Costly, Inefficient Recycling Programs
The market seems to be sending towns and cities a powerful message that there is no need to recycle all the things all the time.
Houston Trounces L.A. and New York City in New Ranking of America's Freest Metros
A new Reason Foundation report finds cities in Texas and Florida have the highest degrees of economic freedom.
This Thanksgiving, Here Are 6 Ways the Government Suppresses Charity
Government has repaid acts of service with exorbitant fines and misdemeanor charges.
Glenn Jacobs, Professional Wrestler and Libertarian, Wins His Race for Mayor
Burn victim. Demon. Half-brother to The Undertaker. Knox County Mayor.
Stossel Confronts Politicians About Corruption Allegations
Developer claims politicians blocked their project to favor a crony who helps the politicians.
Maryland City Raises Property Tax on Businesses by 800 Percent, in Bid to Attract More Businesses
Now they're being sued for it.
Should Local Governments Have Greater Autonomy from States?
Leading legal scholars on opposite sides of the political spectrum argue that the answer is yes. But it will not be easy to figure out how to do it.
Food Trucks Still Under Attack from Regulators
Some cities have warmed to them, but protectionist policies still oppress.
City Orders Businesses to Join Its Police Surveillance System
Saginaw demands that establishments install video cameras and turn over footage.
City Demands $6,000 from Woman over Illegal Chickens
A municipal scheme with a private prosecution firm leads to outrageous fines in the California desert.
This California City Is Threatening a Family Over Property Fines Sent to a Dead Woman at the Wrong Address
An already awful practice of trying to use code violations as a revenue stream gets truly grotesque.
Good Samaritans in Southern California Cited for Feeding the Homeless
El Cajon is just the latest city to abuse "public safety" fears to control how people help each other.
Stop Expecting the Justice Department to Fix Your City's Abusive Fining and Policing Practices
Accountability starts at home.
Upstate N.Y. Town Defeats Anti-Farming Bill
A dispute with neighbor spurred a measure to crack down on smaller properties. But the town's large agricultural community fought back.
Judge Halts Indiana Town's Cruel Attempt to Fine Residents Out of their Properties
Property owners were ordered to pay thousands for violations unless they agreed to sell to a redeveloper.
Man Says He Was Choked Until He Pooped His Pants for Trying to Pay Parking Ticket With Pennies
No one is pettier than government.
Minor Violations Lead to Massive Prosecution Fees in Two California Desert Towns
A couple of busted windows can result in a bill for thousands-even tens of thousands-of dollars.
Denver Cashes in by Seizing Cars for Low-Level Crimes, Even Without Convictions
The city earns more than $2 million a year grabbing more than 1,800 vehicles.
All Local Politics Are Stupid (In Part Because They're National)
The dreary New York Voter Guide is a festival of anti-Trump show-offery and a failure to recognize what the offices and jurisdictions entail.
Hey, Berkeley Mayor: Do Your Job and Protect Free Speech in Your City
The possibility of violent reactions should not be used to call for censorship.
California May Have Just Made It Easier for Cities to Hike Taxes
Ballot initiatives may be permitted to ignore two-thirds vote rule. Prepare for corruption.
Chicago to Give Back Millions in Traffic Camera Fines
The latest setback for one of the most corrupt citation systems in the country
A Deep Dive Into Dysfunction in City Government in Richmond
A review of the bureaucracy in the Virginia capital found what most people suspected, that City Hill stinks.
Wisconsin Ordinance Would Waste Tax Dollars on Public Art
Madison won't be the first town to do this.
City-Owned Fiber Networks Are a Terrible Idea
How municipal broadband drains local taxpayers
Chicago Alderman Tells Property Owners to 'Come Back to Me on Your Knees' or Face Zoning Changes
Meet Alderman Proco Joe Moreno, the petty tyrant of Chicago's First Ward who uses "aldermanic privilege" to do whatever he wants.
Grand Forks Demands Residents Pay For Sidewalk No One Wants
One resident will have to pay $8,500 to install a municipally mandated walkway.
Oklahoma Cop, Police Chief Forced Out For Arresting City Councilman's Son
They are now facing possible investigation by the city of Vian.
