Opinion: Page 5

The latest opinion pieces by industry thought leaders

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  • A detailed landscape design plan showing topographic contour lines, orange building illustrations, green trees, and directional arrows. The layout includes winding paths and clustered vegetation. A triangular scale ruler lies on the left, and three colored pencils, colored blue, green, and yellow, rest on the lower right corner of the page.
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    How local government agencies can protect communities from severe weather

    Editor's note: This article was originally published in American City & County, which has merged with Smart Cities Dive to bring you expanded coverage of city innovation and local government. For the latest in smart city news, explore Smart Cities Dive or sign up for our newsletter.A record n...

    Todd Miller • Nov. 15, 2021
  • A detailed landscape design plan showing topographic contour lines, orange building illustrations, green trees, and directional arrows. The layout includes winding paths and clustered vegetation. A triangular scale ruler lies on the left, and three colored pencils, colored blue, green, and yellow, rest on the lower right corner of the page.
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    Toa55 via Getty Images
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    Mainframe training and development are helping local governments fill their IT ranks

    For years, state and local governments have been trying to keep pace with a supercharged demand for more IT personnel.

    Lauren Valenti • Nov. 10, 2021
  • A detailed landscape design plan showing topographic contour lines, orange building illustrations, green trees, and directional arrows. The layout includes winding paths and clustered vegetation. A triangular scale ruler lies on the left, and three colored pencils, colored blue, green, and yellow, rest on the lower right corner of the page.
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    Government can use tech solutions to lower motor vehicle fatalities

    Traffic deaths and serious injuries on our roadways are preventable.

    Christina Aizcorbe • Nov. 2, 2021
  • A detailed landscape design plan showing topographic contour lines, orange building illustrations, green trees, and directional arrows. The layout includes winding paths and clustered vegetation. A triangular scale ruler lies on the left, and three colored pencils, colored blue, green, and yellow, rest on the lower right corner of the page.
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    In a crisis, prepaid cards expedite relief funds to Wayne County residents

    In a crisis, prepaid cards expedite relief funds to Wayne County residents

    Tiffani C. Jackson • Nov. 1, 2021
  • A detailed landscape design plan showing topographic contour lines, orange building illustrations, green trees, and directional arrows. The layout includes winding paths and clustered vegetation. A triangular scale ruler lies on the left, and three colored pencils, colored blue, green, and yellow, rest on the lower right corner of the page.
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    Three bill pay fixes to reduce late utilities payments

    Millions of Americans fail to pay their utilities bill on time. In fact, a recent bill payment study revealed more than one in four U.S. adults (28 percent) pay their utilities bill late, with 12 percent of them saying they frequently or always pay their utilities bill late.

    Bruce Gaskill • Oct. 28, 2021
  • A detailed landscape design plan showing topographic contour lines, orange building illustrations, green trees, and directional arrows. The layout includes winding paths and clustered vegetation. A triangular scale ruler lies on the left, and three colored pencils, colored blue, green, and yellow, rest on the lower right corner of the page.
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    Toa55 via Getty Images
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    Periodic rental inspection programs are a must for every city

    Editor's note: This article was originally published in American City & County, which has merged with Smart Cities Dive to bring you expanded coverage of city innovation and local government. For the latest in smart city news, explore Smart Cities Dive or sign up for our newsletter.If you had...

    Scott McGill • Oct. 27, 2021
  • Fermata Energy has partnered with the City of Boulder on a vehicle-to-grid charging project
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    Permission granted by Fermata Energy
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    The wrong policies will hinder electrification — here’s what we need to do

    The challenge is how to expand consumer adoption and speed up the transition to electric cars and efficient electric heating systems, writes a commissioner with the Rhode Island Public Utilities Commission.

    Abigail Anthony • Oct. 21, 2021
  • A detailed landscape design plan showing topographic contour lines, orange building illustrations, green trees, and directional arrows. The layout includes winding paths and clustered vegetation. A triangular scale ruler lies on the left, and three colored pencils, colored blue, green, and yellow, rest on the lower right corner of the page.
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    Toa55 via Getty Images
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    Report: Green infrastructure projects can mitigate flooding, increase resiliency in underserved communities

    Editor's note: This article was originally published in American City & County, which has merged with Smart Cities Dive to bring you expanded coverage of city innovation and local government. For the latest in smart city news, explore Smart Cities Dive or sign up for our newsletter.Addressing...

    Andy Castillo • Oct. 20, 2021
  • A detailed landscape design plan showing topographic contour lines, orange building illustrations, green trees, and directional arrows. The layout includes winding paths and clustered vegetation. A triangular scale ruler lies on the left, and three colored pencils, colored blue, green, and yellow, rest on the lower right corner of the page.
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    Toa55 via Getty Images
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    North Port, Florida utilities department depends on SCADA and remote alarm notification

    Editor's note: This article was originally published in American City & County, which has merged with Smart Cities Dive to bring you expanded coverage of city innovation and local government. For the latest in smart city news, explore Smart Cities Dive or sign up for our newsletter.Located on...

    Jeremy Meegan • Oct. 19, 2021
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    We have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to meet cities’ pressing needs. Let’s get it done.

    Passing the Biden infrastructure bill will have ripple effects across the U.S., writes Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego, driving investments in areas including electric vehicles, energy efficiency and recycling infrastructure. 

    Kate Gallego • Oct. 18, 2021
  • A detailed landscape design plan showing topographic contour lines, orange building illustrations, green trees, and directional arrows. The layout includes winding paths and clustered vegetation. A triangular scale ruler lies on the left, and three colored pencils, colored blue, green, and yellow, rest on the lower right corner of the page.
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    Toa55 via Getty Images
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    5 ways to increase construction contract opportunities for small businesses

    As city and county government agency leaders know, there is tremendous power in the procurement process.

    Dwayne Pierre-Antoine • Oct. 15, 2021
  • A picture of wind turbines in front of solar panels in Palm Springs, California.
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    Time for utility companies to step up by supporting the Clean Electricity Performance Program

    Achieving more clean energy is feasible, affordable and would benefit our economy and public health without compromising power system reliability, writes Ceres' senior program director of climate and energy.

    Dan Bakal • Oct. 15, 2021
  • A detailed landscape design plan showing topographic contour lines, orange building illustrations, green trees, and directional arrows. The layout includes winding paths and clustered vegetation. A triangular scale ruler lies on the left, and three colored pencils, colored blue, green, and yellow, rest on the lower right corner of the page.
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    Toa55 via Getty Images
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    How local government can make better organizational decisions

    Organizations are often disappointed with the outcomes of key institutional decisions.

    Jeff H. Edmonds • Oct. 15, 2021
  • A detailed landscape design plan showing topographic contour lines, orange building illustrations, green trees, and directional arrows. The layout includes winding paths and clustered vegetation. A triangular scale ruler lies on the left, and three colored pencils, colored blue, green, and yellow, rest on the lower right corner of the page.
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    How simplifying the permit process empowers local governments and improves local communities

    Editor's note: This article was originally published in American City & County, which has merged with Smart Cities Dive to bring you expanded coverage of city innovation and local government. For the latest in smart city news, explore Smart Cities Dive or sign up for our newsletter.Building permi...

    Jarkko Turtiainen • Oct. 13, 2021
  • A detailed landscape design plan showing topographic contour lines, orange building illustrations, green trees, and directional arrows. The layout includes winding paths and clustered vegetation. A triangular scale ruler lies on the left, and three colored pencils, colored blue, green, and yellow, rest on the lower right corner of the page.
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    Toa55 via Getty Images
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    Cloud security is key to cybersecurity resilience in state and local governments

    Cloud security is key to cybersecurity resilience in state and local governments

    Rick Rosenburg • Oct. 12, 2021
  • A detailed landscape design plan showing topographic contour lines, orange building illustrations, green trees, and directional arrows. The layout includes winding paths and clustered vegetation. A triangular scale ruler lies on the left, and three colored pencils, colored blue, green, and yellow, rest on the lower right corner of the page.
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    Toa55 via Getty Images
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    How local governments can use the budgeting process to increase transparency and trust

    COVID-19 has deepened many citizens’ relationship with their local governments. In the United States, citizens are focused on both the federal government’s response and that of their local governments, which have been highly influential on the overall pandemic response in any given part of the country.

    Charlie Francis • Oct. 1, 2021
  • A detailed landscape design plan showing topographic contour lines, orange building illustrations, green trees, and directional arrows. The layout includes winding paths and clustered vegetation. A triangular scale ruler lies on the left, and three colored pencils, colored blue, green, and yellow, rest on the lower right corner of the page.
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    Toa55 via Getty Images
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    5 ways online purchasing channels can boost government procurement efficiency

    Editor's note: This article was originally published in American City & County, which has merged with Smart Cities Dive to bring you expanded coverage of city innovation and local government. For the latest in smart city news, explore Smart Cities Dive or sign up for our newsletter.In the fir...

    Danielle Hinz • Oct. 1, 2021
  • A detailed landscape design plan showing topographic contour lines, orange building illustrations, green trees, and directional arrows. The layout includes winding paths and clustered vegetation. A triangular scale ruler lies on the left, and three colored pencils, colored blue, green, and yellow, rest on the lower right corner of the page.
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    Toa55 via Getty Images
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    Social media can play an important role in a community’s emergency response

    Editor's note: This article was originally published in American City & County, which has merged with Smart Cities Dive to bring you expanded coverage of city innovation and local government. For the latest in smart city news, explore Smart Cities Dive or sign up for our newsletter.History ha...

    Andy Castillo • Oct. 1, 2021
  • A detailed landscape design plan showing topographic contour lines, orange building illustrations, green trees, and directional arrows. The layout includes winding paths and clustered vegetation. A triangular scale ruler lies on the left, and three colored pencils, colored blue, green, and yellow, rest on the lower right corner of the page.
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    Why equitable community engagement matters—and how to practice it

    Editor's note: This article was originally published in American City & County, which has merged with Smart Cities Dive to bring you expanded coverage of city innovation and local government. For the latest in smart city news, explore Smart Cities Dive or sign up for our newsletter.Overseeing...

    Celeste Frye • Sept. 30, 2021
  • new york city cycling biking bike
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    Barnes, Elvert. (2019). "IMG_6415" [Photograph]. Retrieved from Flickr.
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    We can't forget public transit, walking and cycling in the push to decarbonize transportation

    Electric vehicles have lawmakers' attention as one tool to mitigate the climate crisis. But perpetuating private vehicle use won't move the U.S. toward a more equitable transportation future.

    Pooja Shah • Sept. 23, 2021
  • A detailed landscape design plan showing topographic contour lines, orange building illustrations, green trees, and directional arrows. The layout includes winding paths and clustered vegetation. A triangular scale ruler lies on the left, and three colored pencils, colored blue, green, and yellow, rest on the lower right corner of the page.
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    How public electric utilities can leverage federal broadband grants

    Editor's note: This article was originally published in American City & County, which has merged with Smart Cities Dive to bring you expanded coverage of city innovation and local government. For the latest in smart city news, explore Smart Cities Dive or sign up for our newsletter.In a recen...

    Mike Hernon • Sept. 20, 2021
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    Tim Boyle/Getty Images via Getty Images
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    Buildings are infrastructure, so Congress should treat them that way

    Creating a 21st-century transportation network while letting our nation’s buildings crumble is no way to responsibly address an infrastructure crisis, let alone build back better, writes a former congressman and association exec.

    Russ Carnahan and Vincent R. Sandusky • Sept. 16, 2021
  • A detailed landscape design plan showing topographic contour lines, orange building illustrations, green trees, and directional arrows. The layout includes winding paths and clustered vegetation. A triangular scale ruler lies on the left, and three colored pencils, colored blue, green, and yellow, rest on the lower right corner of the page.
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    Toa55 via Getty Images
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    5 ways counties can mitigate remote access security risks

    Editor's note: This article was originally published in American City & County, which has merged with Smart Cities Dive to bring you expanded coverage of city innovation and local government. For the latest in smart city news, explore Smart Cities Dive or sign up for our newsletter.Cyberattac...

    Brandon Shopp • Sept. 13, 2021
  • A detailed landscape design plan showing topographic contour lines, orange building illustrations, green trees, and directional arrows. The layout includes winding paths and clustered vegetation. A triangular scale ruler lies on the left, and three colored pencils, colored blue, green, and yellow, rest on the lower right corner of the page.
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    Three ways cities can support a modern workforce

    Editor's note: This article was originally published in American City & County, which has merged with Smart Cities Dive to bring you expanded coverage of city innovation and local government. For the latest in smart city news, explore Smart Cities Dive or sign up for our newsletter.The U.S. w...

    Jill P. Meyer • Sept. 13, 2021
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    Drew Angerer via Getty Images
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    With longstanding mobility problems back in the spotlight, cities must consider autonomous vehicles

    Many historical transportation challenges in the U.S. are returning worse after pandemic lockdowns. Local leaders have a golden opportunity to leverage autonomous vehicles to create more efficient, equitable systems.

    Eric Tanenblatt • Sept. 10, 2021