This week, Dan Vock looks at passenger rail expansions in honor of infrastructure week. Plus: Easing marijuana rules, erasing the word “climate change,” a solar milestone and more news to use from around the country.
Route Fifty
Book and Periodical Publishing
A news publication covering trends and best practices in state and local government across the U.S.
About us
Route Fifty is a leading source of original news reporting, analysis and insights for state and local government leaders, staff and stakeholders across the U.S. Sign up for our newsletters: https://www.route-fifty.com/newsletters/ Check out our events: https://www.route-fifty.com/events/ Route Fifty is a GovExec brand. Learn more about GovExec here: https://about.govexec.com/
- Website
-
http://www.routefifty.com/
External link for Route Fifty
- Industry
- Book and Periodical Publishing
- Company size
- 11-50 employees
- Headquarters
- Washington, D.C.
- Type
- Privately Held
- Founded
- 2015
Locations
-
Primary
The Watergate
Washington, D.C., US
Employees at Route Fifty
Updates
-
When the coronavirus struck, the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) saw one of the biggest drop-offs of riders in the country. Even during the recovery, the region topped almost any list of metro areas for the percentage of residents working from home. WMATA CEO Randy Clarke and his team have generated buzz around the country about WMATA’s approach to an uncertain post-pandemic future for transit. They responded to dire warnings about fiscal cliffs and empty downtowns by offering more and better service. “We’re helping to lead the conversation that transit is not a 9-to-5 office commute only ballgame,” he said. Clarke, who is recovering from knee surgery, said transit should function like it does in New York City. “It’s there for everybody all the time, on weekends and for special events and for midday doctor's appointments. Someone like me who is going through PT every single day is equally as important as somebody who goes from the house to the office, just to avoid traffic.” https://lnkd.in/ewSPuCdu
Why Washington Metro’s leader is ‘bullish’ on post-pandemic transit
route-fifty.com
-
Route Fifty reposted this
I’m thrilled to be speaking at Smart City Expo USA in New York City next week . I'll be moderating a discussion at Pier 36 on May 22nd at 2pm with an impressive panel of transportation experts, including Sarah Kaufman of NYU, Ydanis Rodriguez of NYC DOT and Laura Demeo Chace of the Intelligent Transportation Society of America. It will be a great discussion, so I hope you can join us. And if you're around for the conference, let me know. It would be great to catch up with you.
-
State Medicaid costs are expected to rise dramatically by the end of the current budget year. Survey data from KFF shows that state costs rose by 13% in fiscal 2023 and are expected to increase by an additional 17.2% in fiscal 2024. In their survey responses, states identified the phaseout of enhanced federal Medicaid aid, provider rate increases, and slowing but still elevated enrollment levels as key drivers of these increased annual costs, which, coupled with weakening tax revenue collections, are likely to push up the share of state funds spent on Medicaid going forward. Learn more from Justin Theal and Riley Judd at The Pew Charitable Trusts here: https://lnkd.in/esJRnfNy
State Medicaid costs poised to surge from pandemic lows
route-fifty.com
-
COMMENTARY | Laws that ban discrimination against voucher holders can push smaller landlords out of the low-income housing market, decreasing the amount of affordable housing. If politicians want to help low-income renters, they should reduce the burdens in the voucher program rather than force more landlords to shoulder them. Today 23 states and more than 100 local governments have “source of income,” or SOI, discrimination laws on their books, which typically allow renters to sue landlords who refuse to accept some types of payments, most especially vouchers. But SOI laws force landlords to absorb extra costs and thus discourage some from entering the low-income rental market in the first place. Evidence shows that housing regulations decrease the provision of housing, and SOI laws add to those regulations. Learn more from Judge Glock at the Manhattan Institute at the link below. https://lnkd.in/eJM3jVj5
Why income discrimination laws hurt poor renters
route-fifty.com
-
This week, Dan Vock looks at Colorado's effort to protect its wetlands following a U.S. Supreme Court ruling. Plus: A $27B deficit, the New York City Portal, curbing syphilis and more news to use from around the country.
Roundup: Colorado set to protect wetlands, a $27B deficit, the NYC Portal, and curbing syphilis
Route Fifty on LinkedIn
-
According to new data from Ensono, 97% of IT decision-makers in state and local government and higher education organizations said they have encountered at least one challenge that directly resulted from a lack of IT talent or skills at their organization, including stalled IT modernization projects and lower organizational productivity. By striking a balance between upskilling and supporting current employees while positioning state and local government as an attractive employer, agencies can attract high-quality talent, retain excellent employees and, ultimately, serve their constituents with improved services and digital experiences. Learn more from Clint Dean, Ensono's SVP of state and local government, at the link below. https://lnkd.in/e94CdKpZ
The key to filling IT talent gaps? Invest in your current workforce.
route-fifty.com
-
A new study from the research and data analytics firm Mathematica has found that insights from wastewater analysis can not only help local leaders better understand drug use in their communities, but also potentially prevent overdoses. Plus, researchers say wastewater data gives officials a more cost effective and timely way to measure the efficacy of harm reduction policy and programming. In March 2023, for instance, Kentucky decriminalized fentanyl test strips, a move experts say can help prevent overdoses. Researchers studied wastewater in two Kentucky counties one month before the policy was implemented and about five months after it went into effect. In both counties, fentanyl concentrations decreased following the test strips’ decriminalization.
What's the poop? Wastewater data predicts overdoses
route-fifty.com
-
Route Fifty reposted this
In their latest column for Route Fifty titled "'Invisible no more: States move to hire people with disabilities," Katherine Barrett and Richard Greene of Barrett and Greene Inc. focus in on a advancements "made by #states, #counties and #cities to support a huge group of potentially strong employees who have been stymied in their access to the government workforce by a variety of “non-apparent” issues, including #autism, attention deficit disorders, chronic #depression and more." Simply recognizing that there's a problem isn't enough, of course. For example, the interview process in its traditional face-to-face format can represent a significant challenge. People with autism, for example, may struggle to respond to interview questions in the way that supervisors have grown accustomed to. But that need not stand in the way of their being hired as long as they have the skills to do the job. In Illinois, according to Sarah Kerley, “we can let a candidate demonstrate the ability to perform work by providing samples of other work they’ve done for other employers. Or we can allow written answers versus spoken answers to interview questions.” To read the whole column, which goes into a great more detail -- including examples from the State of Illinois and the State of Alaska -- click here: https://lnkd.in/eKWE6eGv Leslie Scott Kayla Leslie Tracey Sheriff Boston Consulting Group (BCG) Sarah Kerley Eve Hill Lindsay Lucas The Council of State Governments Kristin Siemek Amber Ivey (AI), MPA, JD Simone L. Greggs Brendan Williams Renee Kingston Brian Calley Tim O'Day Ann Bacharach Stephanie Pellitt Pasternak
‘Invisible’ no more: States move to hire people with disabilities
route-fifty.com
-
Tapping potential employees with “non-apparent” conditions like autism, attention deficit disorder and chronic depression can bring qualified candidates to a public sector workforce in desperate need of talent. In recent years, more states, counties and cities have moved to hire more individuals with 'invisible' issues, including autism, attention deficit disorders, chronic depression and more. The effort to expand the public sector workforce isn’t just a good thing from a humanitarian point of view. It’s also just good business for states, counties and cities. Not only do they open the doors to highly motivated employees who might have been excluded in the past, but also people with disabilities “have high retention rates,” reports the Connecticut BRS - Bureau of Rehabilitation Services. “According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, businesses who have diversified their workforce to include people with disabilities reported a 90% increase in retention of valued employees and a 72% increase in employee productivity. One reason is people with disabilities tend to seek stable and reliable work when searching for jobs.”
‘Invisible’ no more: States move to hire people with disabilities
route-fifty.com