Impact Fees and Housing Affordability (August 30)
The increasing use of impact fees and the costs that they may add to the development process raises serious concerns about their effect on the affordability of housing. More from Cityscape.

Housing Resource Center (August 30)
The California Institute for Local Government's Housing Resource Center Web site offers many helpful resources to assist local officials with housing policy options and issues.

Free Webinar on Records Management for Paper and E-Mail (August 30)
ZyLAB, the Center for Digital Government and Government Technology will host a free Webinar for government IT professionals responsible for complying with an array of information management standards and initiatives. More from Government Technology.

Public Transportation Emergency Operations Guide (August 30)
The Transportation Research Board's report, Public Transportation Security, Volume 7 -- Public Transportation Emergency Mobilization and Emergency Operations Guide, examines activities that may be taken by public transportation agencies to promote the early recognition and response to emergency events.

Fleet Management - Driving Forces (August 30)
High oil prices are not the only thing fueling demand for hybrid vehicles by public fleet managers. More from American City and County.

America's Megapolitan Areas (August 30)
Regional economies clearly extend beyond an individual metropolitan area, and the megapolitan concept suggests a new geography to show how these economies are linked. More from the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy.

HGTV's Restore America Grants (August 30)
Home and Garden Television (HGTV), in partnership with the National Trust for Historic Preservation, will award 6 to 12 Restore America grants in 2006 for the revitalization of places where people live, through grants for residential projects.

Rural Telecommunications Conference (August 30)
The 2005 Rural Telecommunications Conference will have representatives from states across the country to present their success stories in helping rural areas access advanced telecommunication services.

New Directions in Housing Policy (August 30)
A report from the National Housing Institute, Building a Better Urban Future - New Directions in Housing Policy for Weak Market Cities, helps government officials and others assess the effectiveness of current revitalization efforts and develop more potent goals and strategies.

Budgeting for Basics: The Changing Landscape of City Finances (August 24)
A new study from the Brookings Institution's Metropolitan Policy Program examines the finances of 162 cities from 1977-the year before California's momentous Proposition 13 tax cut sparked a national property tax revolt-to 2000. More from the Brookings Institution.

Smart City - The Branding of Cities (August 24)
How does a city develop a brand? And why is branding of cities done so badly so often? This week's guests on Smart City™ talk about the branding of cities.

The Attraction of Small Towns (August 24)
In the ebb and flow of American population trends, many older towns and small cities have been treading water. However, as many people now search for lifestyle options, those communities are in a position to play a leading role in managing growth. More from ICMA.

Study Ranks America’s Most Liberal and Conservative Cities (August 24)
A new nationwide study released by the nonpartisan Bay Area Center for Voting Research ranks the political leanings of every American city and finds that Detroit, Michigan is the most liberal and Provo, Utah the most conservative. More from Govpro.

Impact of Meth Abuse Outstrips other Drugs in Many Communities (August 24)
Results from two new surveys by the National Association of Counties (NACo) confirm what some county leaders have suspected for several years: The use of methamphetamines devastates lives and increasingly strains county police and child welfare services. More from NACo's County News.

Regulations and Housing Development: What We Know (August 24)
This article assesses the current state of knowledge about the impacts of federal, state, and local regulations on the supply and cost of housing More from Cityscape (143kb).

2005 National Main Street Award Winners Announced (August 24)
The National Trust for Historic Preservation recently announced the winners of the 2005 National Main Street Awards.

USDA Announces Grant Funding for Intermediary Organizations (August 24)
The Department of Agriculture's Rural Housing Service has announced the availability of approximately $6 million of grant funds for the Rural Community Development Initiative. Applications are due by November 3, 2005. Details are available in the August 5 Federal Register (97kb).

Big Man Off Campus (August 24)
Universities are revamping their college towns in an effort to stay competitive. More from Planning Magazine.

City-Sponsored ‘Wi-Fi’ — Saved From the Telecoms? (August 24)
One of the greediest moves ever by big telephone companies appears — for the moment — to have run amok, if not backfired. More from Nation's Cities Weekly.

Smart City - The Growth of Cities (August 16)
Headlines from newspapers around the country recently reported news from the Census Bureau that the resurgence of cities has ended and their populations are now declining. Is the Census Bureau correct? Find out from this week's guests on Smart City™.

The NYPD Strategic Approach to Stopping Graffiti Vandalism (August 16)
The New York Police Department's (NYPD) strategic approach to stopping graffiti vandalism and the lessons learned apply to all police departments regardless of size. More from The Police Chief.

Smart Growth and the Internet (August 16)
As the Internet revolution moves into full bloom, there is every reason to believe it could have a dramatic impact on the architecture and landscape of communities throughout the world. More from Government Technology.

Technology - Design for Diversity (August 16)
As more information and services move online, local government leaders are realizing the importance of making their Web sites accessible to residents and employees with disabilities. More from American City & County.

Fleet Management - Fueling up for Winter (August 16)
While summer is still the best time to purchase energy, buyers should focus on price shopping as early as possible to get the best deals. More from American City & County.

States Consider Stun Gun Guidelines (August 16)
The mounting controversy over stun guns from related deaths has prompted many state lawmakers and officials to propose guidelines for their use. More from American City & County.

Innovations in American Government Award Winners Announced (August 16)
Six groundbreaking government initiatives have won the Innovations in American Government Award sponsored by Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government. More from Government Technology.

America's Crumbling Infrastructure--And How to Fix It (August 16)
The American Society of Civil Engineers recently judged the country on 15 infrastructure categories and awarded the U.S. an overall grade of "D," estimating that $1.6 trillion needs to be invested in the next five years to solve current and looming infrastructure problems. More from Metropolis Magazine.

Stuck in Traffic? IT Can Ease the Commute (August 16)
There are a number of technology-related initiatives that promise to ease our chronic traffic woes. More from CIO.

The Mega-City Maker (August 16)
Interstates created mega regions, and mega regions will change how we see this country and its transportation needs. More from Governing.

Block that Broadband (August 10)
Any city that tries to build its own high-speed Internet connections can expect a whole lot of pushback. More from Governing.

The World's Best Public Spaces (August 10)
Ten lively locations--from a dazzling museum in St. Louis to an exciting plaza in Brazil--are now being inducted to the Project for Public Spaces' authoritative Great Public Spaces website. More from Making Places.

AWC Action Alert - Telecommunications Local Authority at Risk (August 10)
Congressional Members Need to Hear from Your City During the August Recess. More from the Association of Washington Cities (19kb).

New Web Page - Infill Development (August 10)
Our new Infill Development page contains information on infill development plans, programs and strategies as well as illustrative examples and case studies.

Impact of Meth Abuse Outstrips Other Drugs in Many Communities (August 10)
Results from two new NACo surveys confirm what some county leaders have suspected for years: The use of methamphetamines devastates lives and increasingly strains county police and child welfare services. More from NACo's County News.

Is Housing Too Expensive? Blame the Government (August 10)
Maybe zoning laws are causing the real-estate bubble. More from Slate.

Impact Fees and Housing Affordability (August 10)
The increasing use of impact fees and the costs that they may add to the development process raises serious concerns about the effect using impact fees to fund infrastructure will have on the affordability of housing. More from CityScape.

Assistance for States on Growth Issues Announced (August 10)
The Governors' Institute on Community Design is intended to support governors' leadership in good community design and sound planning. More from Web Wire.

Federal Way gets a "Grip" on Graffiti (August 10)
The City of Federal Way has announced a new Graffiti Removal Incentive Program (GRIP) that stresses community involvement by offering graffiti cleanup/removal kits and graffiti prevention tips. More from the city of Federal Way.

Thinking Outside the Big Box (August 10)
Some chain stores break free from their typical design to fit into historic neighborhoods. More from Preservation Online.

The "Megalopolis" Century (August 10)
"Megalopolis" is a mouthful of a word. But the idea behind it - strings of major metro areas working together to plan their transportation futures and economic strategies - might just be a secret to America's 21st-century survival and success. More from syndicated columnist Neal Peirce.

State of Washington Increases Penalties for Digging Near Pipelines (August 10)
Digging near major petroleum and natural gas pipelines without taking proper precautions is now a criminal offense and carries a stiff financial penalty in Washington. More from RedNova.

Cities and Counties in the News (August)
Here are the latest news clippings from around the state highlighting current events, trends and other news affecting Washington city and county governments:

• Smaller cities to get more land for urban expansion (The Columbian, August 31, 2005)
• Wal-Mart brings tears, fears (Tacoma News Tribune, August 31, 2005)
• 1+1=1 in fire districts' proposal for merging (Federal Way Mirror, August 31, 2005)
• Paying for parks (Bonney Lake & Lake Tapps Courier-Herald, August 31, 2005)
• Are officials flouting law by deliberating in e-mail? Auditor will see (Seattle Post Intelligencer, August 26, 2005)
• Seattle police ban motorcycle escorts for private funerals (Seattle Post Intelligencer, August 26, 2005)
• Sunnyside forming team to assist emergency responders (Daily Sun News, August 26, 2005)
• Council appoints tree committee (Anacortes American, August 25, 2005)
• City to spend $1 million on golf course irrigation (Walla Walla Union Bulletin, August 25, 2005)
• Council OKs nuclear-free zone (The Olympian, August 24, 2005)
• Seattle police will try mediating complaints (Seattle Post Intelligencer, August 24, 2005)
• Sex offender ordinance passes unanimously (The Issaquah Press, August 23, 2005)
• Tumwater girds budget for lean times (The Olympian, August 23, 2005)
• Blaine council Oks ambulance measure (Bellingham Herald, August 23, 2005)
• City-sponsored Wi-Fi's wild ride (Seattle Times, August 21, 2005)
• Tree ordinance proposed in city (South Whidbey Record, August 20, 2005)
• Ordinance allows multifamily housing (Seattle Times, August 20, 2005)
• County offers free use of bikes (Seattle Times, August 19, 2005)
• Boardwalk OK’ed by appeals court (The Northern Light, August 18, 2005)
• The value of farmland (Seattle Times, August 17, 2005)
• City will give you the money to rub out graffiti (Federal Way Mirror, August 17, 2005)
• Police get spike strips to stop fleeing drivers (Seattle Post Intelligencer, August 16, 2005)
• New front in war on meth (Tacoma News Tribune, August 15, 2005)
• Interest renews for curfew laws (Yakima Herald Republic, August 15, 2005)
• Kent may bar parking of big trucks at homes (King County Journal, August 15, 2005)
• Cities to discuss EMS sales tax agreement (Bellingham Herald, August 15, 2005)
• Council extends big-box delay (The Olympian, August 15, 2005)
• Olympia nears label of nuclear-free zone (The Olympian, August 15, 2005)
• Sunnyside to receive grant to help with stormwater plan (Daily Sun News, August 15, 2005)
• Love it or hate it, tax plan a hot topic (Tacoma News Tribune, August 14, 2005)
• Officials wonder if it's time to dangle money for developers (Federal Way Mirror, August 13, 2005)
• Issaquah wants to limit where sex offenders live (Seattle Times, August 11, 2005)
• A closer look at critical areas (Seattle Times, August 10, 2005)
• Bold budget idea in the works (Tacoma News Tribune, August 9, 2005)
• City seeks to look at big picture (Everett Herald, August 9, 2005)
• Vancouver planners say taller buildings just a start (Seattle Post Intelligencer, August 9, 2005)
• Web offers Eastside cities a portal to the community (Seattle Times, August 6, 2005)
• Edmonds - Height limits: Down is up; up is down (Seattle Times, August 3, 2005)

Initiative 912 on Fall 2005 Ballot (August 02)
Initiative 912 has qualified for the November 2005 ballot. This measure would repeal a motor vehicle fuel tax rate increase enacted by the 2005 session of the Legislature for state-wide transportation purposes and would reduce funding for many critical state and local transportation projects.

Web Sightings - Finding Demographic Information (August 02)
There are a myriad of sources of demographic data, starting with the U.S. Census Bureau. Here are some MRSC recommendations for rich sites on Census 2000 data and other population information:

• MRSC's Census 2000 page
• American FactFinder, U.S. Census Bureau - Central source for population, housing, economic, and geographic data
• State and County QuickFacts, U.S. Census Bureau - Easy access to basic state, county, and city information
• Census 2000 Results for Washington, Washington State Office of Financial Management - Excellent site for Washington State information
• April 1, 2005 Population Estimates, Washington State Office of Financial Management
• Population Density Maps by County, Washington State Department of Ecology
• Living Cities Census Databook Series, Brookings Institute Metropolitan Studies Program - Guides to key indicators and comparative rankings from Census 2000