2020 Election

Transit Spending on the Ballot in Seattle and Washington
Voters in the city of Seattle will consider a sales tax to fund bus transit service, while voters around the state of Washington will have a chance to send new leaders to Congress.

$160 Million in Bond Funding for Demolitions on the Ballot in Detroit
Proposal N, on the ballot for Detroit voters next week, will provide $160 million in bond funding for demolitions and $90 million to mothball homes for future rehab, but, according to this opinion, it won't solve the city's blight challenges.

For Transportation, Real Reform Can Only Happen at the State and Local Levels
Without buy-in for new ways of thinking at the state level, the presidential election is not likely to change much about the ways the United States plans and funds transportation infrastructure.

Advocates Urge Mayor Lightfoot to Keep Transit Running in the Event of Post-Election Unrest
Nine organizations signed a petition to prioritize access to transit during potential post-election protests.

North Dakota Physicians Plead for State and Local Leaders to Mandate Masks
The medical community is sounding the alarm in North Dakota, where hospitals are overwhelmed with COVID patients. With the governor opposed to issuing a statewide mask mandate, physicians are asking local governments and the public for help.

Potential Presidential Election Outcomes for U.S. Transportation Policy
Experts opine on the consequences of the presidential election for U.S. transportation policy.

Biden Would Finally Get the Gateway Project Moving, Advocates Say
A group of regional experts and advocates provide details on how a win by former Vice President Joe Biden might change the direction of the Gateway Project to repair the rail link between New Jersey and New York.

Another Rent Control Initiative on the Ballot in California
There are significant differences between Proposition 21, a statewide rent control measure on the ballot in California, compared to a similar measure defeated soundly by voters in 2018.

Portland Voters to Consider Largest Ever Transportation Investment in November
The Get Moving 2020 transportation plan will face voters in thee Portland, Oregon region in November.

On the Ballot in Alameda: The End of Single-Family Zoning
Voters in Alameda, a city of nearly 80,000 people on an island in the East San Francisco Bay Area, will vote to end a prohibition on multi-family housing that has been in place since 1973.

Transit Sales Tax Hinges on Local Control in Suburban Atlanta
Gwinnett County voters living have rejected proposals to pay taxes for the MARTA transit system before, so the latest proposal for a transit sales tax is going to great lengths to prove its local control bonafides.

How COVID Impacts the Future of Light Rail in Austin
The budget for Austin’s massive transportation plan was cut by nearly a third in the wake of the pandemic, but a tax rate increase to help pay for it is still on the ballot for November.

Big Business in Portland Doesn't Want to Pay for Metro Transportation Funding Measure
A heated dispute over a $5 billion Metro transportation funding ballot measure has erupted between climate activists and a group representing Portland's big business interests.

Audit Faults Oregon DOT for Lack of Public Engagement
Faulted for lack of attention to pedestrian and bike advocates, the Oregon Department of Transportation will soon have opportunities to redeem itself.

Biden's New Climate Plan Would Spend $2 Trillion in Four Years
Biden is amping up his campaign promises to leverage the federal government in the fight to reduce greenhouse emissions in the U.S. economy.

What Could a Joe Biden Presidency Accomplish on Affordable Housing?
Democratic presidential candidates made the housing crisis part of their platforms. What might a President Biden do to ease the shortage?

Another State (Ohio) Gets It Right
Washington and California have been praised for early efforts to mitigate community spread of the novel coronavirus, resulting in relatively low rates of infection, hospitalization, and ultimately, death. Add Ohio to the bunch.

Competing Funding Strategies Promoted for Bay Area Transit Mega-Measure
Two Bay Area transportation sales tax measures affecting three Bay Area counties performed poorly on Super Tuesday, but it hasn't deterred the groups backing a nine-county mega-measure. Progressive groups are proposing non-sales tax alternatives.

Comparing the Housing Agendas of the Remaining Democratic Frontrunners for President
A deep dive into the statements on official housing policies of Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders in an era of intense housing anxieties.

Super Tuesday Results for Planning and Land Use Votes
Super Tuesday wan't just for presidential primaries: numerous local elections decided the future of land use policy in the largest state in the nation, while Oklahoma City weighed in on planning-related issues as well.
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