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Our Publications

  • Ensuring public safety is the first task of government. But since our country’s founding, the behavior of police in carrying out this role has been a perennial point of debate, social contest, and often violence. In the wake of the widely publicized police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis in 2020—and in response to years of frustration with the effectiveness of police, jails, and prisons in enhancing public safety—we look at the many ways cities across the country are rethinking how they allocate police resources to respond to crime.

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  • Wealth inequality in the United States has reached unprecedented levels, leaving millions of Americans struggling to achieve economic stability, much less access economic mobility. This article summarizes the strategies shared by panelists at our Winter 2025 Meeting that mayors can use to advance local wealth and opportunity for residents.

  • Climate change continues to pose unprecedented challenges for cities, and the 2024 hurricane season reminded us that flood resilient infrastructure is critical—and increasingly complicated to fund, implement, and manage. This article is a summary of the data, financing, and leadership tools that mayors need to plan for and implement projects to help their cities withstand and recover quickly from floods.

  • High-speed internet is a necessity in everyday life for all Americans, yet many across the country lack access to affordable, reliable internet service. Less than fifty percent of Americans have access to fiber-optic broadband, the fastest and most reliable form of connection. This article shares the innovative measures cities have used to bring broadband to their communities.

  • Across the country, workers in many industries face wage theft in one form or another. When looking towards accountability, agencies at all levels are often impeded by state-level preemptive laws that prevent local governments from enacting ordinances that would guarantee fair labor practices and access to secure wages. Though many cities face this barrier, there are still a number of effective strategies that local leaders can implement to combat wage theft.