City & Local

Citizen Engagement

3 articles

A cracked, transparent piggy bank sits on the steps of a dimly lit government building, symbolizing a lack of transparency in local budgets.
Community

Local Government Budgets Lack Transparency: Demand Accountability

Rehoboth Beach commissioners just enacted a new provision in Delaware: they can now increase their own salaries with a simple vote, requiring only a six-month wait.

Sophie Nguyen·June 16, 2026
Frustrated citizens protest outside a city hall building, demanding transparency in local government urban development decisions.
Community

Local governments hide urban development plans from citizens

Anti-data center protests erupted in downtown Kansas City and Independence, Missouri, revealing widespread citizen frustration with urban development decisions made without adequate public input.

Sophie Nguyen·May 6, 2026
A modern, efficient city hall lobby with citizens accessing digital services and interacting with helpful staff, symbolizing improved local government operations.
Services

How Local Governments Can Improve Services by 2026

Across countless municipalities, critical infrastructure repairs are delayed and resident complaints go unaddressed because the underlying data is scattered, incomplete, or simply missing.

Marco Alvarez·April 30, 2026