The Ferguson Group Blog

Wednesday News Roundup

Every Wednesday, the TFG Blog posts a series of articles published over the previous week that discusses topics of interest to local governments. Learn about emerging trends and keep up on key policy issues by browsing the TFG Wednesday News Roundup!

Cap and Trade Lives on Through the States

Although many believe cap and trade as a carbon-cutting strategy died years ago, states are showing that the strategy is alive and well.  Advocates are saying that it is not only working, it is making a huge difference in lowering carbon outputs. This trend could continue when the EPA’s proposed greenhouse gas rule rolls out next week. Read More…

States Relax Medicaid Eligibility for Former Foster Kids

One of the most publicized and popular changes under the Affordable Care Act allows young people to stay under their parents' health-care plans until they turn 26. Thanks to a lesser-known provision in the same law, a handful of states are working hard to make sure foster kids know they are eligible for the same benefit under Medicaid, and not just in the state where they were in foster care.  Read More…

Money-Losing Post Office said to be Highway Fund Source

Raising the U.S. gasoline tax is out as a way to shore up the Highway Trust Fund, and so is taxing drivers based on the number of miles they clock. A plan to use taxes on companies’ overseas profits hasn’t gone anywhere either. But House Republicans are now turning to the floundering U.S. Postal Services as a way to patch the funding pothole in the highway trust fund.  Read More…

Partners in Progress: Initiative Creates One-Stop Shops for Needy Families

Partners in Progress (PIP), a national initiative created by the Low Income Investment Fund of San Francisco and the Citi Foundation, has developed innovative one-stop shops for families in need. PIP centers require partnerships among city, state, and federal agencies, school, businesses, and nonprofit groups to pool all their resources together to create a place where low-income families can get the help they need. Read More…

Themed Bus Stop Heats Up Sponsorship

Duracell recently sponsored a bus stop in Montreal to help keep commuters warm and connected with one another. Duracell constructed a heated bus shelter that releases warm air on riders when they hold hands together, resembling the way batteries work together. According to the Atlantic Cities, other brands are jumping on board with themed bus shelters that mix up the daily routine for many commuters. While many cities optimize the revenue potential of bus shelters by selling the ad space to innovative brands, others are focused on stamping the stops with community art. Read More…

Just Announced: COPS Grants Available for FY 2014

On May 22, the United States Department of Justice announced open solicitations for a series of COPS (Community Oriented Policing Services) Grant Programs available for FY 2014. Applications must be submitted via the COPS Office Online Application System by June 23, 2014. Recent solicitations include:

The COPS Hiring Program (CHP), whichprovides funding to hire police officers, with additional consideration for the hiring of police officers to focus on selected community policing issues. Applicants may request funds to hire new officers, rehire recently laid-off officers, or maintain officers scheduled to be laid-off. Read more.

The COPS Community Policing Development (CPD) Program, which provides funding to advance the practice of community policing in law enforcement agencies through training and technical assistance, the development of innovative community policing strategies, demonstration projects, applied research, guidebooks, and best practices that are national in scope and responsive to the solicitation topic requirements. The COPS Office, a federal provider of innovative, customer-focused resources that address the continuing and emerging needs of those engaged in enhancing public safety through community policing, has designed the CPD solicitation to address critical topics in the law enforcement field by building on the principles of community policing. Read more.

The Collaborative Reform Initiative for Technical Assistance (CRI-TA) Program, provides funding to technical assistance providers to work with law enforcement agencies to assess issues that affect police and community relationships. The COPS Office, a federal provider of innovative, customer-focused resources, has designed CRI-TA to provide a unique service to law enforcement agencies by focusing on the importance of the community perspective in state, local, territory, or tribal law enforcement issues. CRI-TA adopts a comprehensive approach that can enhance the relationship between law enforcement and the citizens they serve. Read more.

Wednesday News Roundup

Every Wednesday, the TFG Blog posts a series of articles published over the previous week that discusses topics of interest to local governments. Learn about emerging trends and keep up on key policy issues by browsing the TFG Wednesday News Roundup!

Wildland Fires Pose New Budget Challenge

Increasing the budget for fighting wildfires is a top priority for appropriations negotiators, and the idea has widespread support. Now the question is, how much, and what other funding gets the axe because of it? Read More…

5 Telehealth Bills to Watch

Federal and state legislation on the use of telehealth has been a hot topic for lawmakers over the past year. This article gives a rundown of five federal and state measures that experts believe could have a significant impact on telehealth use in the U.S. if they become law. Read More…

Wyden’s Build American Bonds Push Relies on City Skeptics

Senator Ron Wyden, Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, is trying to resurrect the successful Build America Bond program that expired in 2010. Municipalities are doubtful, however, and say investors and issuers are going to be more skeptical than last time the Build America Bonds were introduced, worrying that the government will take back part of the subsidy.  Read More…

Storm Shelter App Helps Pinpoint People Amid Tornado’s Ruble

After a natural disaster hits, streets and landmarks are suddenly unrecognizable to emergency crews looking for survivors. One Moore, OK, firefighter developed an app to help. Read More…  

Study Finds Sunbelts Cities Are the Most Dangerous for Pedestrians

Smart Growth America released a study Tuesday examining pedestrian conditions across the U.S. They found that southern cities that grew and sprawled after World War II in the heyday of the automobile are the most dangerous places for pedestrians. The study found Florida was the deadliest state.  Read More…

Get Your Public Comments in on Draft Second Round Promise Zone Application Guides!

In preparation for this fall’s open solicitation for the second round of Promise Zone designations, HUD has published draft guidelines for urban, rural, and tribal communities, initiating a 60-day public comment period. The public comment period will close on June 16, 2014. The final second round Promise Zone Application Guide is expected to be posted later this year.

As part of President Obama’s bold agenda, to a make our nation a magnet for jobs, equip Americans with the skills to do these jobs, give a high quality education to all children and ensure that hard work leads to a decent living, a total of 20 Promise Zone designations will be made by the end of 2016, including the five designations announced in January 2014. A minimum of five and up to fifteen designations will be made in this round.

Questions or comments pertaining to the draft application guides should be sent by email to PromiseZones@hud.gov with ‘‘Second Round Promise Zone selections’’ in the subject line. To learn more about Promise Zones, please go to: https://www.onecpd.info/promise-zones/.

Wednesday News Roundup

Every Wednesday, the TFG Blog posts a series of articles published over the previous week that discusses topics of interest to local governments. Learn about emerging trends and keep up on key policy issues by browsing the TFG Wednesday News Roundup!

The DATA Act Passes: 3 Takeaways and Interactive Timeline

On May 9, President Obama signed the DATA Act, which is the first federal open data law that requires all federal agencies to publish expenditures publicly online. Government Technology offers three takeaways about what the law means for transparency, as well as a timeline of the new law’s implementation. Read More…

The Cable Merger’s Biggest Loser: Municipal Broadband

The possible Comcast-Time Warner merger already has plenty of critics, but another group is making its way to the forefront of opposition; municipalities. Municipalities may end up being the biggest loser if the merger goes through because they will lose the ability to create publicly owned broadband services for their citizens. Read More…

Which Cities Have the Biggest Police Presence?

Police presence varies greatly across U.S. cities, often driven by call volumes and budget, not just city size. The chart included in the article organizes local police employment data collected by the FBI by ranking all agencies serving at least 50,000 residents from highest to lowest police presence. Where does you city stand?  Read More…

Senate Starts Work on Tax Extender Bill

On Tuesday the Senate voted 96-3 to advance a tax extender bill, moving it one step closer to passage. Once the bill is debated and passed in the Senate, it will be sent to the House, where opinions on tax extenders differ greatly. Read More…

Non-Expansion States See Medicare Costs Spike

States that opted not to expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act are starting to face unexpected spikes in the cost for Medicare. Their opt-out resulted in no additional funding received from the federal government to pay for new enrollees, but some states are seeing large numbers of new enrollees, causing problems for some state budgets.  Read More…

Wednesday News Roundup

Every Wednesday, the TFG Blog posts a series of articles published over the previous week that discusses topics of interest to local governments. Learn about emerging trends and keep up on key policy issues by browsing the TFG Wednesday News Roundup!

Richard Ravitch: How Budgets Really Work

Former New York lieutenant governor Richard Ravitch has over 50 years of budget experience, and offers his advice about what makes budgets really work. His six-decades of experience working for New York City and the State, and in the private sector as a banker and developer, has given him the tools needed to make instrumental decisions about the big budgets he has been in charge of.  Read More…

Emergency Unit Makes Water From Air

Aqua Sciences, Inc. has developed an emergency water station unit that produces high-quality drinking water from air. Their 40-foot unit, which can be reproduced into household-size units, can produce up to 30,000 gallons of water per day. It might not be the lone answer to the world’s water shortage crisis, but it could certainly have major impacts. Read More…

Why Low-Income Kids Thrive in Salt Lake City

In 2013, Salt Lake City was deemed one of the best places in the country for upward mobility, according to a group of economists from Harvard and the University of California-Berkley. This article explains what makes Salt Lake City different, and why young adults may find more opportunities to get ahead there. Read More…

How Smart Cities Adapt to Growing Populations

Cities throughout the world are “reinventing themselves” as they try to utilize their resources more efficiency and effectively to adapt to growing urban populations. New intelligent infrastructure can be used for any community service from transportation to recreation. See what some American cities and states and doing to make their communities smarter. Read More…

Transit Agencies Turn to Alternative Fuels

Environmental and budget concerns are prompting American municipal transportation agencies to turn away from diesel to more cost-effective and environmentally-friendly fuel sources. The South Bend Transportation Corporation of Indiana, for example, expects to save $1.2 million in its annual fuel budget by replacing just 16 diesel-run buses in exchange for ones that run on natural gas. Read More…