THE STATES AND LOCALITIES March 2018 STATES OF EMERGENCY When disaster strikes, it’s not just FEMA that shows up to help. More and more states and cities are being asked to pitch in, too. A police SWAT offi cer carries a Houston woman and her baby through fl oodwaters following Hurricane Harvey in August. GOV03_Cov_New.indd 18 2/13/18 9:03 AM __________Designer __________Creative Dir. 100 Blue Ravine Road Folsom, CA 95630 916-932-1300 __________Editorial __________Prepress www.erepublic.com CMY grey T1 T2 T3 5 25 50 75 95 100 5 25 50 75 95 100 5 25 50 75 95 100 5 25 50 75 95 100 Page # __________Other ____________OK to go BLACK YELLOW MAGENTA CYAN PROTECTING THE PUBLIC SECTOR FROM RANSOMWARE State and local government agencies are being held hostage by À´¿¼¶¼ÂÈÆ´·É¸Åƴż¸Æ´Á·ÆÂìʴŸ·¸Æ¼ºÁ¸·ÇÂÆǸ´¿·´Ç´ How prepared is your organization to deal with a ransomware attack? 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AT&T and the AT&T logo are trademarks of AT&T Intellectual Property. __________Designer __________Creative Dir. 100 Blue Ravine Road Folsom, CA 95630 916-932-1300 __________Editorial __________Prepress www.erepublic.com CMY grey T1 T2 T3 5 25 50 75 95 100 5 25 50 75 95 100 5 25 50 75 95 100 5 25 50 75 95 100 Page # __________Other ____________OK to go BLACK YELLOW MAGENTA CYAN VOL. 31, NO. 6 03.2018 24 STATES OF 44 BUY LOCAL? EMERGENCY Government procurement In moments of disaster, frequently favors home- local and federal resources town vendors. But that are rarely enough. But approach has some another answer is emerging. troubling side eff ects. By Daniel C. Vock By Katherine Barrett and Richard Greene 32 MAKING WAVES One public startup is 48 WORK STUDY charting bold new waters. Mounting student debt By Liz Farmer and labor shortages have spurred governments across the country to pro- 38 ‘THE OAKLAND mote apprenticeships as a Downtown I’M FROM’ way to get an education Oakland, Calif., Like a lot of other places, and a job. is seeing 30-story the California city is By J.B. Wogan offi ce towers go struggling to grow up on lots that sat without leaving longtime NOT STAYING empty for three residents behind. 54 decades. By Alan Greenblatt NEUTRAL The FCC repealed net neutrality, and now some states are fi ghting back. Will it work? By Natalie Delgadillo PHOTO BY DAVID KIDD/COVER PHOTO BY APIMAGES.COM PHOTO BY DAVID GOV03_01.indd 1 2/9/18 2:51 PM __________Designer __________Creative Dir. 100 Blue Ravine Road Folsom, CA 95630 916-932-1300 __________Editorial __________Prepress www.erepublic.com CMY grey T1 T2 T3 5 25 50 75 95 100 5 25 50 75 95 100 5 25 50 75 95 100 5 25 50 75 95 100 Page # __________Other ____________OK to go BLACK YELLOW MAGENTA CYAN DEPARTMENTS 4 Publisher’s Desk 6 Letters SHUTTERSTOCK.COM OBSERVER 9 Prop. 13 Turns 40 New initiatives could either weaken or strengthen the law. 10 Looser on Larceny Many states are redefi ning what counts as a felony. 16 12 Weakened Watchdogs There are some 24 fewer alt- weeklies today than 20 years ago. PROBLEM SOLVER POLITICS + POLICY 58 Behind the Numbers There’s a growing savings disparity. States are looking 14 Assessments to help. Courts have been handed a dis- pute over interstate commerce. 60 Smart Management Many state licensing boards are not managed to fulfi ll 16 Potomac Chronicle their objectives. SHUTTERSTOCK.COM Will federal policy reinforce our deep-seated car culture? 61 Better Government 18 Mayors’ powers vary a lot. We need to know more 17 Politics Watch about what works best. As politics grow more partisan, more independents are running. 62 Public Money Localities want states to give them the leeway 18 Health to reform post-retirement benefi ts. States look for answers as the teen suicide rate climbs. 64 Last Look In one small town, residents count down the days 20 Green Government to spring by watching the ice melt. Could electric cars threaten the grid? 22 Economic Engines New infrastructure isn’t the best way to ignite economic growth. 23 Urban Notebook SHUTTERSTOCK.COM Blight removal can erase crucial assets. Just ask Detroit. 22 2 GOVERNING | March 2018 GOV03_01.indd 2 2/12/18 10:06 AM __________Designer __________Creative Dir. 100 Blue Ravine Road Folsom, CA 95630 916-932-1300 __________Editorial __________Prepress www.erepublic.com CMY grey T1 T2 T3 5 25 50 75 95 100 5 25 50 75 95 100 5 25 50 75 95 100 5 25 50 75 95 100 Page # __________Other ____________OK to go BLACK YELLOW MAGENTA CYAN The Honorable Allison Ball The Honorable Kim McMillan State Treasurer, State of Kentucky Mayor, Clarksville, Tennessee The Honorable Alisha Bell The Honorable Helena N. Moreno Commissioner, Wayne County, Michigan Representative, State of Louisiana The Honorable Rosalynn Bliss The Honorable Kim K. Ogg Mayor, Grand Rapids, Michigan District Attorney, Harris County, Texas The Honorable Cindy Bobbitt The Honorable Marian Orr Commissioner, Grant County, Oklahoma Mayor, Cheyenne, Wyoming The Honorable Affi e Ellis The Honorable Senator, State of Wyoming Catherine Elizabeth Pugh Mayor, City of Baltimore, Maryland The Honorable Vivian Davis Figures The Honorable Connie Rockco Senator, State of Alabama Supervisor, Harrison County, Mississippi The Honorable Lena Fowler The Honorable Attica Scott Supervisor, Coconino County, Arizona Representative, Commonwealth of Kentucky The Honorable Nellie M. Gorbea The Honorable Robin Shackleford Secretary of State, State of Rhode Island Representative, State of Indiana The Honorable The Honorable Emilia Sykes Brenda A. Howerton Representative, State of Ohio Commissioner, Durham County, North Carolina The Honorable Acquanetta Warren The Honorable Toi Hutchinson Mayor, City of Fontana, California Senator, State of Illinois The Honorable Kimberly Yee The Honorable Themis Klarides Senator, State of Arizona Representative, State of Connecticut **Rising Star The Honorable Debra March Macy Amos Mayor, Henderson, Nevada Municipal Attorney, Nashville & Davidson County, Tennessee The Honorable Melissa McKinlay Mayor, Palm Beach County, Florida Announcing the Class of 2018 WOMEN IN GOVERNMENT Leadership Program The goddess Athena remains a symbol of civilization, useful knowledge, noble reasoning, logic and wisdom. She reminds us that we can successfully use Founding Members: Members: our intellect and creativity in the pursuit of any goal we choose. ASCE Comcast Intuit Microsoft Lenovo Philips www.governing.com/wig NIC __________Designer __________Creative Dir. 100 Blue Ravine Road Folsom, CA 95630 916-932-1300 __________Editorial __________Prepress www.erepublic.com CMY grey T1 T2 T3 5 25 50 75 95 100 5 25 50 75 95 100 5 25 50 75 95 100 5 25 50 75 95 100 Page # __________Other ____________OK to go BLACK YELLOW MAGENTA CYAN PUBLISHER’S DESK Publisher Mark Funkhouser Executive Editor Zach Patton Managing Editor Elizabeth Daigneau Senior Editors Alan Ehrenhalt, John Martin Decency’s Rewards Chief Copy Editor Miriam Jones Copy Editors Kate Albrecht, Lauren Harrison ust about every restaurant restroom in America has a sign Staff Writers J. Brian Charles, Liz Farmer, Alan Greenblatt, reminding employees to wash their hands. I’ll bet a higher- Mattie Quinn, Daniel C. Vock, J.B. Wogan than-average percentage of people using the facilities at the Correspondent John Buntin Sweetwater Music Hall and restaurant in Mill Valley, Calif., Contributing Editor Penelope Lemov J Columnists Katherine Barrett & Richard Greene, Scott Beyer, actually do so. That’s because Sweetwater’s signs read, “California state law and common decency require that you wash your hands.” William Fulton, Mark Funkhouser, Peter A. Harkness, Donald F. Kettl, Justin Marlowe, Alex Marshall, Aaron M. Renn, That latter appeal is a powerful concept, at least as strong as an Frank Shafroth invocation of legal requirements, and I think it can be used to do more than just limit the spread of disease by getting people to use Senior Editor, Governing.com Caroline Cournoyer better hygiene. Web Producer, Governing.com Natalie Delgadillo It seems to me, for example, that common decency—the idea Data Editor, Governing.com Mike Maciag that certain behavior is just the right thing to do—is the force underlying the Emergency Management Assistance Compact Chief Content Offi cer Paul W. Taylor (EMAC), the remarkably successful system of mutual aid described Director, Governing Institute Julia Burrows in Daniel C. Vock’s feature this Chief Design Offi cer Kelly Martinelli month that enables states to reach Photo Editor David Kidd out to each other for resources to Graphic Designer Kale Mendonca respond to disasters. Production Director Stephan Widmaier I see three elements of EMAC that seem to make it work so well. Founder & Publisher Emeritus Peter A. Harkness First, it is a learning network. After- action reports, through which Advertising 202-862-8802 governments can share experi- Senior VP of Strategic Accounts Stacy Ward-Probst ences and learn from one another, VPs of Strategic Accounts Arlene Boeger, Kim Frame, Shelley Ballard are done following every disaster Associate Publishers Noel Hollis, Paige Helling response. Second, continuity is Offi ce Manager Alina Grant assured because EMAC has a small Marketing/Classifi ed [email protected] Mark Funkhouser, Publisher ongoing staff .