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Driven to the Brink (May 9)
A new analysis from CEOs for Cities shows that high gas prices are not only implicated in the bursting of the housing bubble, but that the higher cost of commuting has already re-shaped the landscape of real estate value between cities and suburbs. More from CEO's for Cities.

Lessons from the Private Sector and the Coast Guard During Katrina (May 9)
According to a study from the Mercatus Center at George Mason University, Making Hurricane Response More Effective, the lessons learned from the poor preformance of the federal government and the comparatively effective response from private retailers and the Coast Guard after Hurricane Katrina offer guidance for all disaster relief efforts.

Competing Interests (May 9)
Toothpaste and taxes can teach us a lot about simplifying government for citizens. More from Governing.

AIA Study on Design of Transportation Projects (May 9)
Moving Communities Forward, a project by the American Institute of Architects (AIA), measures the benefits that well-designed transportation projects bring to communities. More from the AIA.

Smart City - Green Buildings (May 9)
This week on Smart City Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels talks about his efforts to convince 800 mayors to sign on to the U.S. Mayors Climate Protection Agreement and to make Seattle a model for sustainability.

Smart Growth Technical Assistance Program Summaries (May 9)
The U.S. EPA is posting summaries of the technical assistance projects conducted under the Smart Growth Implementation Assistance program. More from the EPA.

Pushing the Envelope (May 9)
Every year, more people vote by mail. Could the hallowed American polling place be a dinosaur? More from Governing.

Guidebook on Demand Response Transportation (May 9)
The Transportation Research Board's (TRB) Guidebook for Measuring, Assessing, and Improving Performance of Demand-Response Transportation is designed to help demand-response transportation (DRT) systems to measure, assess, and improve their performance. More from the TRB.

Parks & Recreation - A Level Playing Field (May 9)
When it comes to playground surfacing, acessibility is the name of the game. Our experts show you how to answer the question, What is considered an accessible play surface? More from Parks & Recreation.

Counties Take Different Routes to Same ‘Green’ Goals (May 9)
The “greening” of America’s county buildings is proceeding apace on a number of fronts. More from NACo's County News.

Web Sightings - Water Conservation (May 1)
This month we’ve selected water conservation sites that address general tips on water conservation as well as activities of cities, counties, and special districts.

How has Advice or Information from MRSC Helped Your Community? (Apr 25)
While MRSC tracks the number of telephone and e-mail inquiries we receive as well as the number of users of our website, we do not often know the impact of our services on your agencies or on your communities. Please take a moment to share a story about how our advice or information has helped your community. Thank-you!

Local Governments in the News
Local Governments in the News by Subject or Month

Here are the latest news clippings from around the state highlighting current events, trends and other news affecting Washington city and county governments and special districts:

Also in Focus