High Road:  Smart Growth Spreading with Spring

In Massachusetts, Littleton is up for “smart growth’', in Kansas, the Lawrence smart growth coalition is celebrating a year of being in charge, and in Rowan County, NC they’re using smart growth to “focus on making a place that's worth caring about”.   In New Jersey, Gov McGreevey renewed his smart growth agenda with legislation getting a warm greeting from local government.  In Michigan, local planning commission members say land-use laws must be completely rewritten if the state is ever to get a handle on urban sprawl.  Even Colorado Cowboys are now paying attention to Sprawl. 

Visit ALICE to see seven model smart growth laws for your community.

Low Road:  Arizona Welfare Calls Outsourced

Under a seven-year contract totaling $30 million, welfare and food stamp calls from Arizona will go to call centers in Mexico or India, where low-wage labor cuts the cost of providing live responses.  Critics of the practice say it is especially inappropriate for jobs involving public-assistance payments to go abroad because some of the people now receiving welfare benefits could be trained to perform that work.  Not surprisingly, operators at call centers in India and Mexico are trained not to reveal their location. You can click here to see the ALICE newsletter on outsourcing.

Local Trail Blazers

Kalamazoo, MI:  Cool Cities Compete.  In an effort to make Michigan more appealing to young citizens, 250 cities have been asked to seek out tools for revitalization.  Now these cool cities are getting grants.  The Governor announced $100,000 grants are available to jump-start efforts, and ideas are beginning to flow in on how to snare cool cities cash. The Governor says Cool Cities is not intended to be just a trendy program but is critical to mid-Michigan’s economy.  She is concerned about the state loosing young, talented workers between the ages of 18 and 34.

Inglewood, Ca: Voters Reject Wal-Mart Measure.  A ballot measure that would have cleared the way for a colossal Wal-Mart in this Los Angeles suburb was soundly defeated.  Related:  After driving smaller pharmacies out of business, Wal-mart refuses to sell or supply women with Preven, a drug which Arthur Caplan -- perhaps the nation's pre-eminent health ethicist -- calls a "tremendous ethical advance" that should be readily available.  Click here to see ALICE’s section on stopping big boxes.

Caldwell County, NC is cutting health-care costs by connecting employees with Canadian prescription drugs, Seattle is now looking at Canadian options, and Newton officials are investigating a similar health insurance program that would save taxpayers $2.4 million a year.  In Illinois, the Gov and AG are petitioning the FDA to bring drugs over the border, and New Hampshire is the thirds state to set up a website to buy Canadian Drugs.  A recent NH report reaffirms once again that Canadian drugs are safe.

Baltimore, MD:  Senate approves measure to require 'living wage'.  The House is likely to follow, but an Ehrlich veto looms.  MD is the first in the nation to require its large contractors to pay employees more than double the federal minimum wage, delivering a veto-proof majority on the so-called living-wage bill.  Also see ALICE’s section on living wage.

Buffalo, NY:   City prompts campaign to attract immigrants as residents.  With its population growing ever smaller, Buffalo is rolling out a welcome mat for refugees with the hope they will breathe new life into city neighborhoods struggling with vacant housing and a lack of businesses. Also see ALICE’s section on immigrant rights.

New York, NY:  Push Underway for Immigrant Vote.  Quietly and carefully, elected officials, labor unions and community groups are starting to push the notion of allowing legal immigrants who are not United States citizens to vote in New York City elections. 

Washington DC:  Problems with high levels of lead in Washington D.C.'s water supply are prompting scrutiny of water regulation at the national level, and Illinois State and Kane County officials have sued the owners of a former scrap and auto-battery site.

Alameda County, CA:  The Planning Commission is currently holding hearings on a proposal to quadruple home builders' fees in unincorporated areas. More parks and open space will increase the quality of life in areas like Castro Valley and bring more people there, Willyerd said.  In a time of budget cuts and state money raids, raising fees is the only way to keep the parks growing, he said.  Click here to see a proposal on limiting new development beyond a central core of 5 miles. 

Elkton, MD:  Voting against Slots.  Reversing a vote taken last month, the Cecil County Board of Commissioners voted 3-2 last night to oppose casino-style slots in their county.  Dane County, Wisconsin residents recently rejected a casino by 2 to 1 margin after being outspent by 14 to 1.

Local Government News

Lincoln, NE: Fuel tax hike to fund public transportation.  Nebraska's fuel tax will creep up 0.1 cents per gallon to help pay for the city buses and rural handivan programs under a measure that received second-round approval this week.

Des Moines, IA. Counties say plan will raise local taxes. The Republican $5 billion state spending plan shifts costs and services to local government.

Fairbanks, AK:  Survey says State cuts hurt cities.  The survey further highlights the need for a long-term state budget plan. Municipalities are bearing a greater burden under the state's money problems, both in terms of increased local taxes and cuts to services.

Census Bureau:  Fastest Growing Counties Announced.  Riverside, Calif. is the nation's fastest-growing major urban county, growing 15.4 percent in the last year. As usual, the list is dominated by counties in California, Texas and Florida. Click here for the List of Counties

Oconomowoc, WI:   Internet voting not likely.  The state Elections Board said it's highly unlikely they will ever allow voting through the Internet.

In West Virginia, the Legislature gave municipalities the ability to implement several new taxes under certain conditions and in Illinois, the Senate recently passed an economic stimulus bill that would allow non-home rule communities to raise the sales tax on tangible goods and use the revenue to fund a business district development plan.

NACo Says the Administration Wrong on Internet Access Tax Ban.  In response to commerce secretary testimony, NACo says Administration wrong to support permanent ban on Internet access taxes. The legislation gives major tax breaks to the telecommunications industry, and in turn, hurts state and local taxpayers by creating a huge unfunded mandate.

High Road Grants

Commission publishes state voting plans, says money to follow.  HAVA calls for the federal government to spend $3.9 billion over three years to help states and counties replace voting machines with more modern equipment, such as touch-screen voting stations.  Local governments also can use the money for voter education programs and poll-worker training.

Homeland security funds available.  "We created a Web Site particularly so small governments could see what money is out there.  We’re getting closer to being a one-stop shop."

USEPA's Wetland Program Development Grants provide funding for research, demonstration projects, and training related to the causes, effects, prevention, and mitigation of water pollution.

ALICE offers best practices in high-wage, low-waste, worker-friendly, publicly-accountable  local policy.  Our website serves as a collaborative clearinghouse for local elected officials, activists, organizations, and issue experts who want a map and a vehicle to take the high road.  If you have innovative policy you'd like to share with the rest of the country, send them to our National Director at andy@highroadnow.org